At the risk of adding fuel to the flame that is already beginning on this
thread, I have been trying to decipher the on-going analysis of the offset
wheel discussion, and I have failed to make any sense of any of the numbers
that I have seen. No where have I seen the dimensions between the inner and
outer races of the front bearings? Without this dimension, even static
analysis is impossible.
Note that I say "static" analysis. The dynamic loadings are the real
loadings, and these are difficult to calculate without an abundance of data
and research about the impacts of forces generated by a combination of the
road, torsion bars, shock absorbers, steering, braking, and the horsepower
being distributed through the front wheels. I think we can generalize the
relative impact of extending the "lever" of the front wheel offset, but the
ultimate bearing load is near impossible for us mortals to calculate.
If the desire to make the front and rear tread width the same is important,
and the offset front wheel is such a problem, then why not move the mounting
points for the suspension outward, and lengthen the drive axles. The extra
4 inches of axle length, while not insignificant to the design of the axle,
is much less of a change in design parameter than increasing the offset of
the wheel by the same amount.
As others have said, that's my 2 cents worth.
Scott Shean
78 Royale
Baton Rouge, LA
thread, I have been trying to decipher the on-going analysis of the offset
wheel discussion, and I have failed to make any sense of any of the numbers
that I have seen. No where have I seen the dimensions between the inner and
outer races of the front bearings? Without this dimension, even static
analysis is impossible.
Note that I say "static" analysis. The dynamic loadings are the real
loadings, and these are difficult to calculate without an abundance of data
and research about the impacts of forces generated by a combination of the
road, torsion bars, shock absorbers, steering, braking, and the horsepower
being distributed through the front wheels. I think we can generalize the
relative impact of extending the "lever" of the front wheel offset, but the
ultimate bearing load is near impossible for us mortals to calculate.
If the desire to make the front and rear tread width the same is important,
and the offset front wheel is such a problem, then why not move the mounting
points for the suspension outward, and lengthen the drive axles. The extra
4 inches of axle length, while not insignificant to the design of the axle,
is much less of a change in design parameter than increasing the offset of
the wheel by the same amount.
As others have said, that's my 2 cents worth.
Scott Shean
78 Royale
Baton Rouge, LA
