Offset and Backspacing

Understanding how wheel offset and backspacing measurements are calculated means you’ll confidently install a wheel set that offers the stance, looks, and handling you’re after. Getting these wrong could prevent proper assembly or even cause damage to your RC.

Wheel offset

Proper wheel offset assures your RC setup has enough clearance so nothing rubs against your suspension, frame, body, fenders, etc. Offset refers to how your RC’s wheels are mounted and how they sit inside the wheel wells.

  • Wheel centerline is the bisected width of the wheel.

  • Zero wheel offset is when the wheel’s mounting surface is directly in line with the wheel’s centerline.

  • Positive wheel offset is when the wheel’s mounting surface is outside of the wheel’s centerline. (example: “flat face” wheels)

  • Negative wheel offset is when the wheel’s mounting surface is inside of the wheel’s centerline. (example: “deep dish” wheels)

Hub offset

  • Hub offset is the distance from your wheel’s mounting surface to the hub’s hexagonal mounting surface.

Backspacing

Backspacing is the distance your wheels need to accommodate both offset and wheel width. It’s especially important to factor in when the new wheel set you want is wider than stock. In general, wheels with positive offset have a larger backspacing, and wheels with a negative offset have a smaller backspacing.

  • Backspacing is the distance from your wheels mounting surface to the innermost edge of your wheel.

Material Selection for Designs

Material selection is very important during design. Many factors are considered in selecting the most appropriate material for the application, such as strength, durability, wear, friction, corrosion resistance, manufacturability, processing, cost, availability, and overall visual appearance. There are plenty of online resources if you want to understand these materials in more detail. Our product descriptions will designate one of the following common materials:

Metals

  • Aluminum alloy: Any series such as 20XX (copper), 50XX (magnesium), 60XX (magnesium & silicon), or 70XX (zinc)

  • Mild steel: Any series of low carbon steel

  • Alloy steel: Any series such as 41XX or 43XX

  • Stainless steel: Any series such as 3XX, 4XX, 15-5, or 17-4

  • Copper: C101 or C110

  • Brass: C360 or Cz121

  • Titanium: Grades such as 1, 2, or 5 (Ti6Al4V)

Plastics

  • ASA: Thermoplastic with improved UV stability and high chemical resistance

  • ABS: Thermoplastic with good mechanical properties and excellent impact resistance

  • Nylon: Any series such as Nylon 6 or Nylon 6/6

  • PTFE (Teflon): Thermoplastic with excellent thermal and chemical resistance, and outstanding frictional and electrical properties

  • POM (Delrin/Acetal): Any series such as POM-C or POM-H

Anodizing

The process of anodizing aluminum can vary greatly from one batch to another, and maintaining color consistency is dependent on many factors. We will do our best to match colors, but there is no guarantee of a perfect color match for items within your order. Colors and shades can, and often do, differ slightly from any images shown on this site.

What is anodizing? It is an electrolytic passivation process that increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. This process also increases resistance to corrosion and wear, and provides better adhesion for primers and adhesives than bare metal. Anodic films are often used for cosmetic effects, either with thick, porous coatings that can absorb color dyes or with thin transparent coatings that change visually by reflected light wave interference.

Important notice about technical information:

Any technical information provided on this site is of a general nature gathered from a variety of industry resources deemed reasonably reliable. Always use caution before operating any replacement RC equipment, it is the operator’s responsibility to ensure proper fit and function. We make no promise to any technical content referenced within this website to be error-free.

SCX6 Axial Honcho RC 2.9” 17mm hub Aluminum AMERICAN MADE