ET 45 & ET 32? Whats the difference?

[kashutu]

Hey guys I wanna know if anyone have any pics of the cars with ET45 & ET32 wheels side by side. I know there is a lot of theory info. out there that I have looked at, but I still can't understand whats the difference, and howdoes it look like in real? Thanx

[rxrep]

ET45 is stock. If you look straight on at the car from the front, the stance will be narrower with 45 vs. 32 by 13mm (45-32=13). The wheels will appear to be tucked in more. Adding spacers to ET45 can get you out to ET32.
The higher the value of the ET (offset), the more the outside edge of the wheel will be tucked in towards center. So, lower ET will make the stance wider, and the wheels will appear to stick out more.
Hope that helps.
FTR, RS4 ET is 28. Wide-ass mofo, for sure.
Just think opposite. Lower number = wider stance.

[initiala4]

One sticks out more than the other. lower the offset the more the wheel will stick out more

[Tgr_Clw]

The difference is 13mm.

[Allwheel Driver]

et = mm in negative offset from wheel center line.

[cyclo]

Neither one of them knows how to "phone home" :-(

[rxrep]

Neither one of them knows how to "phone home" :-(

Buh-dump-crash...
Thanks folks for coming to the Holiday Inn, I'll be here all week...


That was pretty funny though.

[Capt. Obvious]

Neither one of them knows how to "phone home" :-(

[A4TL]

make sure you are comparing equal width rims. ET35 of 8" rim is not the same as ET35 of 9" rim. someone had a nice diagram of how ET works it explained alot to me and i still don't get it.

ET35 is hot on my rs4 reps (b5) compared to USP ET43 wheels. 8mm makes a helluvalot difference and i am not going any lower than sport 02 suspension so i think i could get a few more mm out but i'm not running spacers.

[Allwheel Driver]

make sure you are comparing equal width rims. ET35 of 8" rim is not the same as ET35 of 9" rim. someone had a nice diagram of how ET works it explained alot to me and i still don't get it.

The offset is measured from the centerline of wheel (sliced in half vertically).
So a wider wheel with the same offset will have different measurements from the inner rim edge to the mounting plane because it will have more distance on either side of the center line.

Make sense?

[old guy]

Here's a visual to help:

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...urrentpage=103

[Allwheel Driver]

From my understanding that has positive/negative reversed.

Almost all wheels for modern cars have negative offset, such as in the schematic.
The wheel when mounted is offset 35mm towards the inside.

If you add a spacer, say 10mm to a 45mm negative offset wheel (et45) you get the eqivalent of 35mm negative offset.

[old guy]

I believe the diagram is correct. If you assume the wheel in the diagram has a 45mm offset and you add a 10mm spacer you will move the blue centerline of the wheel out by 10mm thus reducing the ET (red horizontal line)to 35mm.

[actlsub9]

From my understanding that has positive/negative reversed.

Almost all wheels for modern cars have negative offset, such as in the schematic.
The wheel when mounted is offset 35mm towards the inside.

If you add a spacer, say 10mm to a 45mm negative offset wheel (et45) you get the eqivalent of 35mm negative offset.

It is correct, positive offset is toward the spokes on the outside of the wheel, negative offset is toward the inside of the wheel. And most cars have a positive offset not negative as you say.

[Allwheel Driver]

It's misleading because a wheel with less offset actually mounts more towards the outside.

But by that picture and description, more offset would move it outwards.

I learned it as the relationship between the steering axis and the mounting plane of the wheel.
Negative offset puts it inside the steering axis, Positive outside.

Zero offset is where the wheel is obviously centered on the steering axis.

[actlsub9]

But by that picture and description, more offset would move it outwards.

More offset would move the hub mounting surface towards the outside of the wheel, therefore moving the wheel inward when mounted. The picture/description is correct.

[Allwheel Driver]

Yeah, I'm getting it all confused.
I don't know why I think it's the other way...maybe brain damage.

[diagnosticator]

Zero offset, is when the wheel to wheel hub mounting surface plane is located exactly on the wheel centerline. (the wheel centerline divides the rim width distance by 2) Positive offset places the wheel centerline toward the outside of the wheel/hub mounting surface at the wheel hub, negative offset, positions the wheel centerline inside of the wheel/hub mounting surface, (inside/outside being referenced as mounted on the car, relevent to the chassis centerline.)

[tanahmed]

Hi, I see that this is an old thread, but wanted to ask if it is simple as measuring g from the inside edge of wheel arch to face if tyre to find the spacer width needed to make the wheel/tyre flush?
On my B6, S4 with stock avus 18inch 8j wheels I reckon this is 15mm front and 18mm on back?
Anyone concur?

[old guy]

Hi, I see that this is an old thread, but wanted to ask if it is simple as measuring g from the inside edge of wheel arch to face if tyre to find the spacer width needed to make the wheel/tyre flush?
On my B6, S4 with stock avus 18inch 8j wheels I reckon this is 15mm front and 18mm on back?
Anyone concur?

You have it right. Just measure the clearance between the tire and fender to determine how far you can offset the wheel. That is the spacer size you will need. Without knowing your ride height I don't think anyone can confirm your listed measurements but they sound reasonable to me as long as you aren't slammed.

[doublezero30]

for reference, this was 18x10 ET32 on the rear of my B7A4:

[SlickFix]

^^ and that is what is referred to as "poke", correct? i.e. a wheel with an offset of 32 would stick out more than a wheel with offset of 45.