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Wheel Backspacing Basics

Backspacing Basics

 

An extremely important aspect of fitting your car or truck with custom wheels is understand how backspacing affects the way your wheel sits in your wheel well. So let’s get some rules down:

Rule #1 - Whatever your wheel size is, it's actually 1" wider overall.

Why? Wheel & Tire Association Spec. Every wheel company lives by this, it is the industry standard. No exceptions. That is to say your “15x8” is indeed 9” wide overall. That “15x8” measurement is at the beadseats.

Rule #2 – Backspace is ALWAYS measured from the back-most edge of the wheel to the mounting pad.

Why? You’re not just fitting the beadseat in that wheel well are you? Again, industry standard, no exceptions.

Rule #3 – You can use a spacer to move it out, but you’re not moving it in.

Why? Think about it.

Rule #4 – Less Backspace = More Frontspace.

Why? Physics. The more you reduce backspace, the closer the wheel sits toward the fender lip. Too close and you will hear that dreaded rubbing sound. You need a certain amount of gap especially on low stanced vehicles.

Rule #5 – Your vehicle determines how much depth or “dish” you get on your wheel.

Why? See Rule #4 above.

 

This is simple stuff – You got this. And if you don’t, we’ll help you.

In the meantime, the chart below should be helpful when either measuring the wheel you have and checking the fit on your ride.

 

Measured from theBeadseat to Beadseat. This is the listed size of the wheel.
 
Measured from the Outer Edge Faceside to the Absolute Back Edge.
 
Measured from the back edge of the wheel to the mounting surface. This measurement is this amount of wheel from the mounting surface going out to the frameside.
 
Measured from the Front edge of the wheel to the mounting surface. This measurement is this amount of wheel from the mounting surface going out to the fender.
Rim Width Listed in Inches (")
 
Overall Wheel Width "
 
Backspace "
 
Frontspace "
             
3.5   4.5   1.75   2.75
3.5   4.5   1.25   3.25
             
4   5   1.50   3.50
             
4   5   2.00   3.00
             
5   6   2.63   3.38
             
6   7   3.50   3.50
             
7   8   3.50   4.50
7   8   3.75   4.25
7   8   4.00   4.00
7   8   4.25   3.75
7   8   4.50   3.50
             
8   9   3.50   5.50
8   9   3.75   5.25
8   9   4.00   5.00
8   9   4.25   4.75
8   9   4.50   4.50
8   9   4.75   4.25
8   9   5.00   4.00
8   9   5.25   3.75
             
9   10   3.50   6.50
9   10   3.75   6.25
9   10   4.00   6.00
9   10   4.25   5.75
9   10   4.50   5.50
9   10   4.75   5.25
9   10   5.00   5.00
9   10   5.25   4.75
9   10   5.50   4.50
9   10   5.75   4.25
9   10   6.00   4.00
9   10   6.25   3.75
9   10   6.50   3.50
             
10   11   3.50   7.50
10   11   3.75   7.25
10   11   4.00   7.00
10   11   4.25   6.75
10   11   4.50   6.50
10   11   4.75   6.25
10   11   5.00   6.00
10   11   5.25   5.75
10   11   5.50   5.50
10   11   5.75   5.25
10   11   6.00   5.00
10   11   6.25   4.75
10   11   6.50   4.50
10   11   6.75   4.25
10   11   7.00   4.00
10   11   7.25   3.75
10   11   7.50   3.50
             
11   12   3.50   8.50
11   12   3.75   8.25
11   12   4.00   8.00
11   12   4.25   7.75
11   12   4.50   7.50
11   12   4.75   7.25
11   12   5.00   7.00
11   12   5.25   6.75
11   12   5.50   6.50
11   12   5.75   6.25
11   12   6.00   6.00
11   12   6.25   5.75
11   12   6.50   5.50
11   12   6.75   5.25
11   12   7.00   5.00
11   12   7.25   4.75
11   12   7.50   4.50
             
12   13   3.50   9.50
12   13   3.75   9.25
12   13   4.00   9.00
12   13   4.25   8.75
12   13   4.50   8.50
12   13   4.75   8.25
12   13   5.00   8.00
12   13   5.25   7.75
12   13   5.50   7.50
12   13   5.75   7.25
12   13   6.00   7.00
12   13   6.25   6.75
12   13   6.50   6.50
12   13   6.75   6.25
12   13   7.00   6.00
12   13   7.25   5.75
12   13   7.50   5.50
            0.00
13   14   3.50   10.50
13   14   3.75   10.25
13   14   4.00   10.00
13   14   4.25   9.75
13   14   4.50   9.50
13   14   4.75   9.25
13   14   5.00   9.00
13   14   5.25   8.75
13   14   5.50   8.50
13   14   5.75   8.25
13   14   6.00   8.00
13   14   6.25   7.75
13   14   6.50   7.50
13   14   6.75   7.25
13   14   7.00   7.00
13   14   7.25   6.75
13   14   7.50   6.50
             
14   15   3.50   11.50
14   15   3.75   11.25
14   15   4.00   11.00
14   15   4.25   10.75
14   15   4.50   10.50
14   15   4.75   10.25
14   15   5.00   10.00
14   15   5.25   9.75
14   15   5.50   9.50
14   15   5.75   9.25
14   15   6.00   9.00
14   15   6.25   8.75
14   15   6.50   8.50
14   15   6.75   8.25
14   15   7.00   8.00
14   15   7.25   7.75
14   15   7.50   7.50
             
15   16   3.50   12.50
15   16   3.75   12.25
15   16   4.00   12.00
15   16   4.25   11.75
15   16   4.50   11.50
15   16   4.75   11.25
15   16   5.00   11.00
15   16   5.25   10.75
15   16   5.50   10.50
15   16   5.75   10.25
15   16   6.00   10.00
15   16   6.25   9.75
15   16   6.50   9.50
15   16   6.75   9.25
15   16   7.00   9.00
15   16   7.25   8.75
15   16   7.50   8.50

Disclosure:
If one or more items in your order has an extended ship date, your loan payment(s), including interest, may be due before the merchant ships all of the items. Please note that you may not receive a rebate of any interest that may have already accrued on an amount that later gets refunded.