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TireDrop

Free tool

How far does a new wheel move out or in?

Offset decides where a wheel sits between the suspension and the fender. Enter your current wheel and the one you're considering to see how far the face and inside edge move, in millimeters and inches, plus the backspacing and, with tire sizes, the tire's width and diameter. The bands are generic geometry guides, not a fitment promise: clearance also depends on your vehicle, and TireDrop confirms fitment by phone before any wheel ships.

The tool

Try it

Wheel offset and clearance check

Enter the wheel you have and the wheel you're looking at. See how far the face and the inside edge move, in millimeters and inches.

Example loaded. The numbers below are a sample, not your vehicle. Replace them with yours, or try another example.

Current wheel
New wheel

Width is the number after the x in a size like 20x9. Offset is stamped on the back of the wheel after ET, and can be negative.

Examples:

The outer edge of the wheel moves 10 mm (0.39 in) out, toward the fender. Noticeably different: have the fit checked. The inner edge of the wheel moves 10 mm (0.39 in) away from the suspension. Noticeably different: have the fit checked. Overall: Noticeably different: have the fit checked.

Overall

Noticeably different: have the fit checked

The wheel or tire sits in a noticeably different place. The biggest move decides this headline. See each result below.

What moves

  • Wheel face (outer edge)

    10 mm out(0.39 in)

    Noticeably different: have the fit checked

  • Inner edge (toward the suspension)

    10 mm away from the suspension

    Noticeably different: have the fit checked

  • Tire sidewall (outer edge)

    15 mm out(0.59 in)

    Noticeably different: have the fit checked

  • Tire sidewall (inner edge)

    5 mm away from the suspension

    Close to your current setup

  • Tire section width

    +10 mm(0.39 in)

    Close to your current setup

  • Tire overall diameter

    +1.4%(0.4 in)

    Close to your current setup
Current and new wheel, seen from aboveSeen from above, with the suspension on the left and the fender on the right. The new wheel's outer edge is further out than the current wheel's, and its inner edge is further from the suspension.← SuspensionFender →CurrentNewMounting surface

Dashed outline: current. Solid: new. The wheel is the darker bar and the tire the lighter one around it. Both are measured from the mounting surface.

Backspacing
CurrentNew
5.21 in (132.3 mm)4.81 in (122.3 mm)

Backspacing is half the width plus the offset, from the mounting surface to the back lip. Nominal figures: the wheel's real lip-to-lip width runs a little over the size.

These bands are generic geometry guides, not a fitment promise. Clearance also depends on your vehicle: the brakes, struts, fender lip, suspension and steering lock. TireDrop confirms fitment by phone before any wheel ships.

Call (954) 773-1896Wheel fitment guidanceOffset and backspacing explained

Sources: Michelin, Changing Tire Sizes (opens in a new tab); Michelin, Tire Markings Explained (opens in a new tab)

Text version of this demo

Compares a current wheel with a new one by width and offset, and shows how far the wheel face and inner edge move in millimeters and inches, the backspacing of both, and, when tire sizes are given, the tire's width, diameter and sidewall moves. The bands are generic geometry guides, not a fitment promise: clearance also depends on the vehicle, so have fitment confirmed before you order.

Step by step

How to use it

  1. Find the width and offset of your current wheel. They're usually stamped on the back, as in 20x9 ET18: 20 inches across, 9 inches wide and an 18 mm offset.
  2. Type the width and offset into “Current wheel”. The diameter and tire size are optional, and the tire sizes unlock the tire results.
  3. Do the same for the new wheel, using the width and offset from its listing. Or tap an example to see how the bands read.
  4. Read each result: how far the wheel face and inside edge move, and which band the change falls in.
  5. Call us with your year, make, model and trim before you order. Brakes, struts, the fender lip, suspension and steering lock decide clearance, and the numbers here can't see them.

Questions

The things people ask next

What is wheel offset?

Offset is the distance in millimeters from the wheel's centerline to its mounting surface, usually stamped after ET. A lower offset pushes the wheel out toward the fender, and a higher one tucks it in toward the suspension. Our offset and backspacing guide explains it in full.

What is backspacing?

Backspacing is the distance in inches from the mounting surface to the back lip of the wheel. It works out to half the wheel's width plus the offset, so a more positive offset means more backspacing.

What do the three bands mean?

They only describe how far the numbers moved. Up to about 6 mm (a quarter inch) reads as close to your current setup, up to about 19 mm (three-quarters of an inch) as noticeably different, and more than that as a large change. Tire width and overall diameter have their own limits. They are generic geometry guides, not a fitment promise.

If the result says close to my current setup, can I order?

Not on the numbers alone. The tool measures how far the wheel and tire move, not what is around them. Clearance depends on your vehicle's brakes, struts, fender lip, suspension and steering lock. Call us with your vehicle details and we confirm fitment before any wheel ships.

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