how exactly does wheel offset affect handling dynamics (understeer, oversteer, snappy or smooth transitions, etc.)

looking for insite from people that know what they are talking about, not guessing

yes i did search, but all that came up was fit, nothing about performance

thanks

 

https://my350z.com/forum/wheels-and-tires/177096-how-changing-the-track-width-scrub-radius-affects-the-z-s-handling.html

 

Less offset pushes the wheel outward more, giving a wider track. An exaggerated example would be this- think of a bike, it has two wheels- it's neutral. Now think tricycle, it's rear wheels have a lot of track(aggressive offset) and they handle totally different. The tricycle will want to plow in corners, understeering. Ever try to ride a tricycle backwards when you were a kid? It's hard to keep it going where you want without spinning, that's oversteer, and an over dramatized example of what the car wants to do if you widen the front track via a more aggressive offset. Results on a car of course won't be so....pronounced...

^I think I chuckled while typing this up.

 

thanks

now the question is whats the ideal offset for the z

 

The correct answer is - it depends. It depends on your tire sizes and wheel widths choice.
First decided what tires you want to run. Then choose the size from what they offer. Finally, see what they recommend for wheel width. Then we can help you with the offset.

Keep in mind that if you are planning on racing you need to also read the rules on what you need to do so you don't get classed up or can't race.

 

i'm pretty set on getting the rota torque (work knockoffs) 18x9.5 +28 all around, then getting wheel spacers to get the proper offset, i'm not set on tires, i was thinking 265f/275r but i'm open to suggestions in that department.

as far as racing goes, the only racing i'm gonna be doing is local track days against the clock, i don't really car what class it puts me in cause i won't be doing it to win, but just to have fun, i'll also be doing some drag racing, but i want my car to be set up for a decent balance between road racing and street driving

also if people could post up there setups and how they like it and how it behaves, that'd be nice

 

If you are doing Time Trails and not caring if you win - than why don't you just do test/tune track days? If I had to guess, I bet you wouldn't mind winning your local TT, and if that is at the back of your mind - read the rules and think about it hard before you spend a good deal of money on wheels and tires.

But, if you really don't care, my recommendation is to with the same size tire all the way around so you can rotate them to extend the life and save yourself some money!