Factory offset question

[Ghoste]

In a steel Chrysler wheel, if you go to a bigger width, does the offset remain the same?  To be more specific, if you went from say, a 4.5 Chrysler rim to a 5.5 one do they split the offset to get the width or is it all to one side?  (does that even make sense?)

[Nacho-RT74]

By what I have read I think half inside half outside

[elacruze]

I have not measured that so ... 

The idea behind wheel offset is to keep the bearing load centered, or at design load. Changing width without changing bearing size or position requires that the load center be kept in the same position, so the width would be spread equally to either side of the mounting face.

[Ghoste]

Thank you and that is what I thought but someone was trying to tell me that it was all to one side and that didn't make any sense to me at all.  Specifically because of the bearing load issue.
Thanks again guys.

[HPP]

They may be basing that opinion on the fact that so many late model wheels tend to have large amount of positive offset. On the old school RWD set ups, the goal was always to have it centered, although you can see some improvements in scrub radius by adding some positive offset to the front.

[Troy]

Yes? Stock wheels would keep the mounting face roughly centered so the back spacing changes along with the width but the offset stays the same.

Troy