Offset & Wheel Bearings - Question?

[Smokey]

I have just bought some aftermarkets alloys for my elan, so have been looking with interest on here on all the info on using wheels with the wrong offset, and the effect on the wheel bearings. I ended up with wheels with a 40m offset, as they were too much of a bargain to ignore.

Reading elsewhere on this forum, the rear wheel bearings on an elan are apparently the same as a VW corrado, and the fronts are off a Vauxhall Cavalier.

What I am trying to get my head round is that if the cav has an offset of 35-42, and the VW has an offset of 35-38mm, how can putting wheels with a 40mm offset on an elan put more wear on the bearings, when the wheel bearings were designed for cars with these offsets anyway?

[RayD]

It’s the position of the bearings in relation to the wheels that matters, rather matching a certain offset to a certain bearing.

The other cars may have a different arrangement for the bearing, it might be in a different position, but it might be in the same position relative to an Elan…

I’ll have another go at that if needs be…

Get them fitted and see how you go.

Ray

[Smokey]

Think I know what you mean - knew there had to be a simple explanation