Need engineers thoughts on wheel offset
Travel trailer wheels have either a centered or outside offset. My question is this. I have outside offset wheels and have sheared off wheel bolts on 2 different wheels I have weighed everything and I...
Forum Discussion
Properly torqued the studs do not experience shear force, neither lug or hub centric, offset or not. The studs are under tension only, clamping the wheel to the hub. The static friction between the wheel and hub due to the clamping force is huge and thus transfers all vertical force to the bearings. This is why you see more and larger studs the heavier the vehicle gets, the static friction between the wheel and hub has to be much greater than the vertical loading.
Problems occur when the yield strength of a stud has been exceed, whether due to over tightening or additional tension due to scrubbing. Once yield strength has been reached and the stud stretches, that's it, it's tensile strength is gone and it no longer contributes any clamping force and total clamping force is reduced.
If clamp force is reduced significantly, more than one stud breaks or the load is too much for the number of studs, then the static friction between the wheel and hub can be overcome and the wheel can move relative to the hub. In this case with a hub centric wheel the hub can take some of the vertical load. Lug centric will have the wheel start rattling around on the studs and quickly killing them.
I can provide more detailed examples if anyone is interested.
To answer the OP's question, centered or offset wheels make an insignificant difference in tension force on the studs. Offset is for aesthetic or fitment, i.e. with high positive offset you can stuff brakes and stuff into that space. I still love me some deep dish wheels!
Problems occur when the yield strength of a stud has been exceed, whether due to over tightening or additional tension due to scrubbing. Once yield strength has been reached and the stud stretches, that's it, it's tensile strength is gone and it no longer contributes any clamping force and total clamping force is reduced.
If clamp force is reduced significantly, more than one stud breaks or the load is too much for the number of studs, then the static friction between the wheel and hub can be overcome and the wheel can move relative to the hub. In this case with a hub centric wheel the hub can take some of the vertical load. Lug centric will have the wheel start rattling around on the studs and quickly killing them.
I can provide more detailed examples if anyone is interested.
To answer the OP's question, centered or offset wheels make an insignificant difference in tension force on the studs. Offset is for aesthetic or fitment, i.e. with high positive offset you can stuff brakes and stuff into that space. I still love me some deep dish wheels!
