Offset is simple to explain.

Imagine you are lying on the ground behind your van. You roll over, and
prop your head on your hand, look at the rear of the van, and sight in a
straight line along the side of the van, looking forward at your LEFT REAR
wheel. If the OFFSET of the wheel was INCREASED, the wheel would "stick
out" from the side of the van more than normal. If the offset was
DECREASED, the wheel would be tucked up into the wheel well more than
normal. The offset is basically how "deep" the face (where the lug nuts
attach) of the wheel is from the edge.

The implications are changes in the handling and maneuverability; VW
designed the vehicle to have a very specific offset. There is also the
possibility of damage to the wheel bearings; increased offset creates more
load on the bearings. Finally, an old seafarer's wives tale says it is bad
luck to drive with incorrect offset, but the bad luck can be allayed by
carrying a millstone in you shirt pocket. Happy Fried egg.

G. Matthew Bulley
Principal
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
Communications for Organizational Development
www.bulley-hewlett.com
(888) 468-4880 toll free

-----Original Message-----
From:   Wil Barker [SMTP:wbarker@NOTES.CC.BELLCORE.COM]
Sent:   Friday, October 30, 1998 4:06 PM
To:     vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Subject:        Re: Mercedes Wheels

Offset?  Why what do you mean??

Can some over smart type person please explain (300000 words or less)
everything we allway wanted to know about offset and it's Vanagon
implications but were afraid to ask.  (now I am afraid)

- Wil
(address unknown)

>| Mercedes uses a 5x112mm hole pattern.
>| Are these wheels compatible with the Vanagon?

        I looked at a set of the stock Mercedes 15" wheels recently and
they
do work with a vanagon. However, they have an offset of 49 which was a
little
high for my blood...

dave