Thread: Confused by offset and its uses

When larger dia tyres are fitted, the steering lock is deminished because the tyres rub on the radius arms before full lock is reached.

By offsetting the rims outward you can achieve normal turning radius and the tyres don't rub on the radius arms.

A popular method with disco steel wheels, is:

cut the welds joining the wheel centre to the rim - a lathe is best.
weld up the hole in the rim for the valve stem - optional but best.
reverse the rim on the centre (so the old inside is now the outside)
true up the rim at the required offset - best checked in a lathe but can be done on the rear axle
re-weld centre to rim
drill a new hole for the valve stem

Edit: I just noticed that you have a disco II - my experience is with disco I so what I said about modifying wheels may not apply.

Thanks John,

I currently have the 18" alloys. Which are only for show as far as I can see. The turning circle is rubbish..hmm....I wonder if they would benefit from spacers too.

Loyd

if your doing it for onroad reasons thats been covered. if your doing it for offroad reasons it gives you better stability.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

if your doing it for onroad reasons thats been covered. if your doing it for offroad reasons it gives you better stability.

Definitely for off road but started to get carried away!! Still looking for the second set of wheels. It seems like there are many opinions on tyres too so I have a a bit of fun ahead.....

The reason the turnign circle is rubbish (or worse) is because you have 18" wheels, even if you fit 16" wheels you will have the same issue as the vehicles fitted with factory 18" rims have larger lock stops. Land Rover in their "wisdom" also fitted a massive number of 16" fitted vehicles with the larger lockstops. These can be changed for the smaller ones and your turning circle will improve loads.

Im not a lover of increasing the offset as the stresses ect on the axles / hubs / driveshafts goes up by quite a lot when you widen the "track" of the vehicle

Originally Posted by Urban Panzer

Land Rover in their "wisdom" also fitted a massive number of 16" fitted vehicles with the larger lockstops. These can be changed for the smaller ones and your turning circle will improve loads.

Hi Urban Panzer

That's interesting. Do you have any info on how to spot if you have the larger lockstops? My D2 has 16" wheels and I think my turning circle isn't great.

Cheers

Andy

Originally Posted by Urban Panzer

The reason the turnign circle is rubbish (or worse) is because you have 18" wheels, even if you fit 16" wheels you will have the same issue as the vehicles fitted with factory 18" rims have larger lock stops. Land Rover in their "wisdom" also fitted a massive number of 16" fitted vehicles with the larger lockstops. These can be changed for the smaller ones and your turning circle will improve loads.

Im not a lover of increasing the offset as the stresses ect on the axles / hubs / driveshafts goes up by quite a lot when you widen the "track" of the vehicle

That is a welcome summary of the problem. They tell me I have the updated stop fitted but I wouldn't know how to tell. Good point about the stresses

Back to the wheels: I just discovered BMW wheels will fit a D2! This may sound ridiculously obvious since BMW owned LR for a few years but... it opens up new possibilities for the scrounger of slightly used rims to fit the D2. Everything from steel rims from a 3 series to 18" alloys from an X5 will fit. There are a couple of complications: lug nuts for the 14mm studs (chrome acorns from Jax fit) and offset (only about 10mm extra?) neither are show-stoppers unless you are a purist, and you can save heaps...