wheel offset
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 7
From: ohio
Car Info: 2010 subaru wrx premium
wheel offset
new guy here, 1st subaru. probably a dumb question, but I see that the stock offset of my 2010 wrx is 55mm. I'm ready to put wheels on my car, but whenever I look at tire rack, discount tire etc. it shows me wheels that have 45-48mm offsets and I don't understand why? I don't want to modify anything, so shouldn't the wheels only be within a few mm of stock?
new guy here, 1st subaru. probably a dumb question, but I see that the stock offset of my 2010 wrx is 55mm. I'm ready to put wheels on my car, but whenever I look at tire rack, discount tire etc. it shows me wheels that have 45-48mm offsets and I don't understand why? I don't want to modify anything, so shouldn't the wheels only be within a few mm of stock?
It's QQ thankyouverymuch
iTrader: (39)
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 19,721
From: San Jose
Car Info: 2011 SWP WRX Hatch
You don't want to modify anything. But you want different wheels?
55mm is a pretty high offset. Not a lot of cars have high offset wheels nor do a lot of consumers want high offset wheels. So the manufacturers make lower offset wheels.
48mm is within a few mm of 55mm. A lot of people run +48 without problems. A lot of people run +35 without problems. It's all up to you and what you want.
It looks like you have a '10 which is a narrow body so you don't have endless amounts of space like the widebody WRXs have. You just have to do a little bit of research to see what fits and what you like.
55mm is a pretty high offset. Not a lot of cars have high offset wheels nor do a lot of consumers want high offset wheels. So the manufacturers make lower offset wheels.
48mm is within a few mm of 55mm. A lot of people run +48 without problems. A lot of people run +35 without problems. It's all up to you and what you want.
It looks like you have a '10 which is a narrow body so you don't have endless amounts of space like the widebody WRXs have. You just have to do a little bit of research to see what fits and what you like.
You don't want to modify anything. But you want different wheels?
55mm is a pretty high offset. Not a lot of cars have high offset wheels nor do a lot of consumers want high offset wheels. So the manufacturers make lower offset wheels.
48mm is within a few mm of 55mm. A lot of people run +48 without problems. A lot of people run +35 without problems. It's all up to you and what you want.
It looks like you have a '10 which is a narrow body so you don't have endless amounts of space like the widebody WRXs have. You just have to do a little bit of research to see what fits and what you like.
55mm is a pretty high offset. Not a lot of cars have high offset wheels nor do a lot of consumers want high offset wheels. So the manufacturers make lower offset wheels.
48mm is within a few mm of 55mm. A lot of people run +48 without problems. A lot of people run +35 without problems. It's all up to you and what you want.
It looks like you have a '10 which is a narrow body so you don't have endless amounts of space like the widebody WRXs have. You just have to do a little bit of research to see what fits and what you like.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 7
From: ohio
Car Info: 2010 subaru wrx premium
I guess I'm just confused with the whole offset thing, even though I've researched it. I'm just not looking to lower the car, or have to mess with the fenders etc.
Technical Know-It-All
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,123
From: Sterling, VA
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
Subaru's used high offset wheels, and as such their suspension geometry is designed for use with higher offsets. You want to run as high of an offset that you can while still having enough clearance for your struts. Generally speaking, you never want to go below a +42-45 offset. +48 is the most common offset for aftermarket Subarus wheels and work fine.
Originally Posted by Brfatal
Subaru's used high offset wheels, and as such their suspension geometry is designed for use with higher offsets. You want to run as high of an offset that you can while still having enough clearance for your struts. Generally speaking, you never want to go below a +42-45 offset. +48 is the most common offset for aftermarket Subarus wheels and work fine.
It's QQ thankyouverymuch
iTrader: (39)
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 19,721
From: San Jose
Car Info: 2011 SWP WRX Hatch
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,047
From: Modesto, California
Car Info: 2008 SSM WRX Premium
I have a 2008 WRX and can be a bit of a wheel *****. I have had as low as a 30 offset and as high as the stock 53 offset. Never had a problem where I had to modify my suspension. The 30 offset did require me to do a small rear fender roll because they were 17x9.5. You'll be fine with a 45-48mm offset
Technical Know-It-All
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,123
From: Sterling, VA
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
