Outer Limits 4x4 Board

What are the downfalls if running reverse backspacing?
The Rover caliper is 2.5" so a 3" backspaced wheel will fit only pitfall is the dics will be unprotected....
Anyone running very small backspaced wheels? Any damage to the discs when off roading?

Jay

The less backspacing, the more offset. The steering wheel moves around in your hands more. Ok at low speeds, can be a pain on bumpy roads at highway speeds.

We had one in LROC with very little backspacing, have a look at the blue one here

http://www.slunnie.com/coppermine/thumb ... p?album=56

He's dropped it back down now btw.

There was one time he got into all sorts of trouble coz of the offset. Imagine dropping off a steep, angled rock step. And its a RHD car remember. The passengers wheel unloads as it goes over first. As he edges forward, the drivers front wheel snaps hard right, exactly the wrong way. He couldn't stop it, or turn it back. The car was heading towards a position of being broadside to the step, instead of head on.

The leverage on the centre of the contact patch was great enough that the driver's front tyre turned on the centre, not where the steering geometry wanted. Without an opposing and offsetting load from the passenger's wheel, he couldn't drag that tyre back again.

It took a while to get down that day :-)

Regards
Max P

Mate has a Series 1 Disco with 35inch TRexus on heavily backspaced rims.
He nudged a rock with one wheel and the leverage bent the steering arm. He swears that he didn't hit anything with the arm.

Maxi Drive steering arms here we come.
So you need HD drag links etc as well .
Funny, on that day at Yalwal, he did a drag link with 35s, other mate with 33 inch did a drag link. me with 30.5 inch no damage. Go figgure.
regards Philip A

Dynamic 4x4 have a range of good offset Rover Steel Wheels.

Call them on 03 9753 4005.

Its worth adding too that within Sydney LROC we've had a few cases of the track rod bending/failing under compression.

The standard item just doesn't seem up to it, let alone with bigger offset. It was not amusing to watch a 300tdi defender with one front wheel stationary, & the other turning.

As an emergency get-the-vehicle-out, we've worked out a routine of sleeving ther track rod with a tirfor handle. Takes a couple of hours, but the car's drivable again. The alternative is to drag the car backwards somewhere, rarely feasible if the trackrod has failed on a rockstep or something.

I can't take credit for the tirfor answer, that belongs to Corey for those who know him. But it's nice to know it can be done.

Regards
Max P