Ls1homie

So im trying to buy these wheels and the offset is killing me. So are the 1998-2002 camaro brake calipers the same size and are the 1993-1997 z28 brakes different from the 1998-2002 ss brakes? Thanks

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Need alot more specifics, what kind of wheels are you looking to get? What is the make, model and year of your car? The stock offset is around 56mm on 4th Gen F-Bodies give or take alittle bit. I don't think an aftermarket wheel should have any issue clearing the STOCK 4th Gen Brakes LS1 or LT1 style.

98-02 OEM Brakes are the same for ALL MODELS (V6, Z28, SS)
93-97 OEM Brakes are not the same as 98-02 and are generally weaker.

Ls1homie

So here it is. The wheels im trying to get come in two offsets. 18x9.5 with +22 or +35. I know someone with lt1 z28 who is running +22 in the front and is fine. Another LS1 z28 is running the +35 and needed a 5/16inch spacer. So i called the manufacture up and they didnt know what they were talking about. Just told me to run a spacer and go with the +35. Then i asked how the offset was achieved and all they told me was the lip stays the same size in the +35 and +22 rims. I dont want to run spacers for the long run. This whole wheel stuff is getting me confused between lt1 cars, ls1 cars, and plus manufature not knowing about their stuff. Thanks for they help

Ls1homie

Oh yea and i drive a 2002 camaro ss.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Something isn't right or Im deeply misunderstanding something. Both 22 and 35mm are very big offsets and at 22mm your wheels are going to be outside of the body of the car. Shouldnt need a spacer of anything at 22mm and less likely at 35 either. What exactly do you need these offsets for? What are you trying to clear? The stock offset is 56mm and clears the STOCK LS1 Brakes just fine with plenty of clearance. Are you going with larger brakes?

Edit: Just read you're running 18x9.5 in the front. Up to you but I personally wouldnt go over 8.5 width in the front. Technically thats already half an inch wider than stock (Stock is 16x8)... Will it work? I think it will, I know people have done it. 22mm offset should clear no issues with no spacers needed, 35mm..I'm not 100% sure, it may be alittle close to the suspension but I have a 19x9.5 wheel with a 35mm offset in my garage, I'll throw it on the front and take a photo for you and show you the clearance I have.

Ls1homie

Im trying to buy some wheels for my 02 ss originally came with 17x9 then i upgraded to 17x9.5 with +35 offset (the wheels i have right now, roh zs)


The wheels I'm trying to buy come with a +22 or +35 offset and it is confirmed that +35 wont fit without a spacer because of the spoke design.

The reason im asking the brake difference is because only 3 fbodies have these wheels.
1. Ls1 z28 with +35, needed spacers
2. 2000 v6 with +35, also needed spacers
3. Lt1 z28 with +22, did not need spacers.

The worry that i have is if i buy +22 offset 18x9.5 and have to run a spacer after that. Then my wheels will be literally outside the fender for the front.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

I'm trying to understand what you're trying to clear? If you're trying to clear the Brake Calipres then the above information is incorrect, the LOWER the offset the MORE clearance you have on the calipers. STOCK is 56mm and clears the 98-02 Brakes (and probably LT1 Brakes) just fine with no issues. The lower and closer your offset is to 0 the further your spokes are pushed AWAY from the rotor and the brake calipers meaning at 35mm you will have ALOT of space between the Calipers and the wheel spokes. Now if you go to like a 60 or 70mm offset THATS when you run into problems on the STOCK brakes because you'll push the wheel spokes toward the calipers and the wheel itself toward the suspension (or further into the wheel hub)

Now if you're talking about BACKSPACING, or the room between the wheel / tire and the suspension of the car, then THATS where you may run into issues however the same rule applies, the less the offset the further the wheel is pushed OUT and AWAY from the Suspension and outside of the wheel hub with the exception that you also have to account for the width of the wheel aswell and in your case is 9.5 inches which "may" be alittle close even with the 35mm offset.

If you're going with AFTERMARKET and LARGE BRAKES, thats when things change and you'll need to know how large the caliper is to determine what will and won't fit.

Here is a photo of a 19x9.5 wheel with a +35mm offset on the front of a stock suspension F-Body and the clearance you have to the suspension components, I don't have the brake caliper on but it will EASILY clear the STOCK caliper if I have it installed.

Realized this really isnt a great photo because the rotor isnt currently on the car, however; if it were there it would push the wheel further away from the suspension and brake caliper giving you even more space.

Ls1homie

Well it also depends on how your spokes are. Your spokes are almost straight 90 degrees. My current wheels also have are pretty straight. However i called the company ip and they said the from +35 to +22 nothing changes except for, they add more material to where the wheels mount (the part that is flush with your car.

And i have talked to several people about the +35 wheels and they say you need a spacer, because evem though where the wheels mount is +35 the spokes curve towards the caliper.


So i figure this. If you need a 5/16 inch (7.9375mm) spacer and if the the difference between the +35 and +22 is 13mm. 13mm-8mm=5mm of clearance.

Because i am 100% sure that the +35 wheels were going to rub i didnt want the +22s to rub also. If i also had to run a spacer on the +22 my wheels were going to be out the fender.


Just to confirm does my math of the clearance make sense to you? Thanks.

Need4Camaro

iTrader: (1)

That company is horribly mistaken.

No they dont just add more material to the hub of the wheel, if they did and the offset changed then you would have to buy longer or shorter wheel studs to match every wheel you purchased because your wheel studs would have to compensate for the depth of your wheel hub, when in general the wheel hub has the same depth for each like model of specific wheel where the offset determines how far into the wheel or how close to the edge of the wheel that wheel hub sits.

Okay I need to really clarify on how offset works before I go into detail. Also use this... This calculator will help you. http://www.wheel-size.com/calc/

• Offset is the measurement of how deep the center hub of the wheel (where your wheel bolts into the lugnuts) is from the CENTER of the inside of the wheel measured in millimeters.
• The larger the number (in either positive or negative) the further away from the CENTER of the wheel the Hub is.
• A positive offset (E.G. +35) will be closer to the OUTSIDE of the wheel (the side of the wheel closest to your fender)
• A negative offset (E.G. -35) will be closer to the INSIDE of the wheel (the side of the wheel thats inside your wheel well closer to your suspension.)
• A offset of 0 will be DEAD even and equal distance from EITHER SIDE of the wheel.

A wheel with a +35mm offset has a hub that is 35mm toward the OUTSIDE of the wheel measured from dead center of the wheel. If the width of the wheel is 9.5" then it is 241.3 mm's wide. That that number and divide it by two gives you the equilibrium distance from dead center of the wheel (0mm offset) to either side of the wheel. That number is around 120, giving us a Positive 120 for the outside edge of the wheel and a Negative 120 for the inside edge. A positive +35mm will sit within 85mm's from the outside of the wheel, where as dead center is at 0mm's and the difference between 120mm's (the outer face of the wheel) and 85mm (where the face of the wheel hub mounts to the car) is 35mm (the remaining distance to the dead center of the wheel)...

The TYPE of wheel determines what the spokes will do.

If it is a Deep Dish wheel, the spokes will not come out to the outside of the wheel, they all connect inside the wheel equal to the offset of the wheel, meaning they go straight with no bend toward the outer edge.

If it is a Standard Wheel then the spokes will extend from the center hub at whichever offset it may be, to the outer edge of the wheel which will be in this case of a 9.5" wheel, all the way to +120mm from the center Hub situated at 35mm (although the spokes will probably start someplace further than that as the hub itself has some depth to it) meaning the spokes will extend OUTWARD, and AWAY from your Brake Calipers.

The STOCK offset is a 56mm offset on an 8" wide wheel. Accounting for the depth of the actual hub of the wheel, the spokes actually come INWARD to the edge of the wheel, although not by a real major amount.

A 35mm offset wheel will sit further outside of the hub than a 56mm wheel of the same width.

A 35mm offset wheel will have a much better chance of clearing Brake Components than a 56mm offset wheel of the same width AND type.

Reason is because a 56mm offset and 35mm offset still mount at the exact same place on the car, a 56mm offset is closer to the outer edge of the wheel than a 35mm offset is thus the remaining width of the wheel on a 56mm must side inside the wheel well pushing it closer to the suspension components than a 35mm offset which sets deeper into the wheel well pushing the wheel further away from the suspension components and since the spokes have to extend outward to the edge of the wheel, more clearance to the brakes aswell..

A 56mm wheel clears STOCK BRAKES without any issues and leaves a fair amount of room. a 35mm wheel in turn will be much further away than even the 56mm wheel in terms of spokes giving it even MORE clearance.

You will NOT need a spacer on a 35mm offset wheel to clear the STOCK BRAKES, you MAY need a spacer on a 35mm offset wheel to clear the SUSPENSION if the wheel is too wide, you will likely not have to worry about a spacer at all on a 22mm offset but your wheel WILL be sticking outside the fender.

Ls1homie

I totally understand what you are trying to say. However i have no clue how +35 doesn't clear the calliper on this particular wheel. I wish i could show you. I have 17x9.5s with +35 offset too. I personally talked to two f body owners and they said it hits calliper in the front.

extending the the mounting position totally makes sense. I work at a tire shop and notice this. Your lug is the same size, however when you put the wheels you can not hand tighten them. You either need an extension or a torque stick to reach studs. This is because the the holes are so deep in. I have seen this on a couple of bmws (aftermarket wheels). Thats what i think of this.

I understand how the lower the offset you go the aggressive your set up is. Like in the rear I'm going from a +35 to a +22 therefore my wheels are going to stick out 13mm more than my current wheels.

With the +22 sticking put of the fenders i am not too sure about that. The lt1 z28 is running the same +22 offset and is flush. Im thinking about running some 255s in the front with same rim.

So the conclusion i came to is, buy two of the wheels in +22 offset. Test fit them in the front if they work fine leave them and buy two more of them for the rear. If they do not work throw them in the rear and buy two wheels in the +35 and then we will see if i need longer studs and spacers.

Ls1homie

Also the wheel company was stressing the fact that our f bodies have a 5x120.65 bolt pattern and that the wheels were 5x120. So many others are running 5x120 so im not stressing.