Suspension geometry & wear and tear- impacted by lifts and....

[buddy guy]

when i was thinking about taller tires this morning, my mind started to wander down a few more paths on correcting suspension issues. So beyond the impact of levels and lifts and ucas i thought about the following:

-wheel offsets-does changing the wheel offset affect angles...and wear and tear. from a few snippets I've read, if nothing else, too drastic an offset can require longer cv joints? how do you know? wheel wear? only by getting an alignment check?

-taller...or shorter tires than stock- i never see anyone talk about how tire height changes affect this stuff. 33 inch wheel and a 35 inch wheel both touch the ground. lol. so on one hand it seems to me zero effect, no issue. but a nudging part of me says it must impact something? if it does, it never seems to come up. discussions seem to center around tire clearance, weight of rims and tires, mileage affected. so maybe i'm going down a path with no door here?

 

[ram1500rsm]

Unless you're going for a -300 offset i think you're worrying too much.
Granted the bigger/heavier the wheels, the more chances you'll have to stress out your wheel bearings
If you want to pick at it with a grain of salt, anything you do that changes what the factory did is a guarantee that the modification will have an effect on parts sometimes for good sometimes for the bad.

Pick your poison and run with it...

 

[buddy guy]

it was a curiosity versus a concern, really. btw, i read another point made today that people should think more about how much of an impact heavier wheels and tires has on their braking power and distance than concern with how much slower their truck moves. that struck me as a good point.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

it was a curiosity versus a concern, really. btw, i read another point made today that people should think more about how much of an impact heavier wheels and tires has on their braking power and distance than concern with how much slower their truck moves. that struck me as a good point.

That is exactly what I was going to say, wheel/tire combo weight will most likely be the biggest impact. If you are going heavier it may be a good idea to look into a brake upgrade like better performing pads and rotors.

For the rest of it if the lift is done right there will be little added stress to any stock components. If you have a crazy negative offset wheel then your wheel bearings will not be happy. As long as you keep your CV angles in check they should be fine. Basically as long as you lift it right and dont get wild with the wheel offset you are safe.

 

[buddy guy]

That is exactly what I was going to say, wheel/tire combo weight will most likely be the biggest impact. If you are going heavier it may be a good idea to look into a brake upgrade like better performing pads and rotors.

For the rest of it if the lift is done right there will be little added stress to any stock components. If you have a crazy negative offset wheel then your wheel bearings will not be happy. As long as you keep your CV angles in check they should be fine. Basically as long as you lift it right and dont get wild with the wheel offset you are safe.

thanks Nick. I only went stock 18 to 10 offset when i changed out my rims. all in the goal to be safe, to not damage anything but achieve a custom look that is functional. i could have done my billys, rims and tires in one shot but kind of glad i have done it a step at a time so I can guage how each change affects the vehicle. so far so good.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

You should be fine with that. 1 step at a time is nice. As you said you see the difference each mod makes. Also it keeps your interest. Every time you do something new it keeps the truck fresh and exciting.

 

[16RamHemi]

what is to be considered "crazy negative offset"? is a 20X12 -44 or -51 offset one you would call crazy? how would this compare to say stock sport wheels with a 1.5 or 2" spacer in comparison to wear and tear (say both had the same 35x12.5 tires)?

 

[rule18]

The geometry question is relevant to lift kits as well (which is relevant to your bigger tire conv). At some point if you increase the angles enough, the driveshaft (among other things) needs to be changed. I had to do that in two of my Jeeps.

 

[Moparfanatic21]

what is to be considered "crazy negative offset"? is a 20X12 -44 or -51 offset one you would call crazy? how would this compare to say stock sport wheels with a 1.5 or 2" spacer in comparison to wear and tear (say both had the same 35x12.5 tires)?

The farther the wheel gets from the hub the more often the hub will fail, as the weight is now away from the strongest point. Get a 2x4 and hold one end. Place 15lbs right next to your hands, see how easy it is to hold it level. Now move the eight to the opposite end that you are holding, notice how much harder it is to keep level? That's the same with your wheels. Offset is just a way for people to fit big tires that won't rub (which in my opinion is a bad thing to do. Clearance out what needs to be clearanced.)

 

[buddy guy]

The farther the wheel gets from the hub the more often the hub will fail, as the weight is now away from the strongest point. Get a 2x4 and hold one end. Place 15lbs right next to your hands, see how easy it is to hold it level. Now move the eight to the opposite end that you are holding, notice how much harder it is to keep level? That's the same with your wheels. Offset is just a way for people to fit big tires that won't rub (which in my opinion is a bad thing to do. Clearance out what needs to be clearanced.)

after reading this, i'm glad i only went from an 18 to 10 offset. gives me a bit more room to play but not like a -18!

 

[Moparfanatic21]

after reading this, i'm glad i only went from an 18 to 10 offset. gives me a bit more room to play but not like a -18!

Hahaha yeah your hub will thank you to. I just cut to fit

 

[2010 Infantry Vet]

That is exactly what I was going to say, wheel/tire combo weight will most likely be the biggest impact. If you are going heavier it may be a good idea to look into a brake upgrade like better performing pads and rotors.

For the rest of it if the lift is done right there will be little added stress to any stock components. If you have a crazy negative offset wheel then your wheel bearings will not be happy. As long as you keep your CV angles in check they should be fine. Basically as long as you lift it right and dont get wild with the wheel offset you are safe.

Well said.