Can wheels be macihned to change offset?

[vol96]

I have Epsilon 3 piece 7x15s which I just had fitted with Sumitomo HTR200 195x65s on my narrow body 73. I had a slight rubbing problems on the right rear when these wheels were mounted with 205x60x15 tires. I was hoping the narrower aspect ratio 195x65s would provide a .5" smaller section width but according to my measurements I only gained about .1" So I dont think my clearance problem is fixed.

I could get some 15x6 or 16x6 to solve my rubbing problem. But I wouild rather not go to that expense.

Now I'm wondering if I could machine the mounting sufrace on the wheels to get .25" change in the offset. Could someone offer some advice or suggestions?

[Elombard]

I have wondered this as well. Does not seem like a good Idea but there is generally a lot of meat there on wheels. Is your car "pristine" how about rolling the fender lips a little?

[Zeke]

if you take a quarter inch off the mounting face of the wheel, your lug nuts wiil be holding the wheel on with a quarter inch less metal beind them. Do you want that?

[vol96]

ELOMBARD - There is a lot of metal on the wheels where the machining would be.done...thats why I'm thinking this may be OK. The rubbing occured above the fender lip so rolling them wouldnt help. BTW the car has stock torsion bars and suspension but the fenders have already been rolled.

ZEKE - Dont really want that but then again dont know if that is a problem. I realize machining would weaken the wheel center but as mentioned before there is a lot of metal there and dont know if removing .25" would seriously weaken them or not.

[Randy Webb]

OK, let me rephrase that question: Do you want to run an experiment by taking 1/4" off the wheel AND perhaps introducing stress cracks in the metal where it holds up the car? I sure wouldn't. The reduction in strength will likely be greater than the amount of material removed.

[singpilot]

In this country of tort law, you'd lose your ability to sue everyone if it went wrong. This thread would probably be used against you.

Murphy would have someone you love in the car with you the one time you wish you had not done the mod.

Play it safe. Find another way.

[rattlsnak]

For what its worth, I had 5MM taken off of a set of aftermarket wheels that I had to reduce fender rubbing, and that little bit solved the problem. I used them for track wheels and never had a problem, but I did use open ended lug nuts instead of the standard capped kind so I knew they werent bottoming out and not be tight. There is obviously a safety aspect here and it just depends on what youre starting with. (I'm not praising this idea nor suggesting it),<--- my disclaimer, but it worked for me.

[vol96]

What if I took a few mm off the rear disk....the surface that the wheel mates to? That would leave the wheel at original strength and have the same effect on offset as machining the wheel.

May have to use open ended lugs nuts like rattlsnak but that would not be a problem.