Understanding Golf Cart Wheel Offset
When you are getting ready to buy some new wheels for your golf cart, make sure your wheels have the correct offset. What is wheel offset? The offset is a measurement of the distance from where the axle bolts to the inside of the wheel to the back side of the wheel rim.
So on a 7" wide wheel, with an offset of 3+4, the first number is the inner measurement, the second number is the outer measurement. So the wheel will have 3 inches from the inside of the hub face to the inside rim face, and 4 inches from the hub face to the outside rim face.
If the measurements are equal, that is a Zero Offset because the hub face is right in the center of the wheel. A 3+4 offset is a Negative Offset, and a 5+2 would be a Positive Offset.
Why Is Offset Important?
Basically offset controls how far your wheels stick out from the side of your cart. If you have made no upgrades to your cart choose a wheel that has the same offset as your original wheels. If you want bigger wheels and tires, sometimes you need more clearance for turning, and so need to move the wheel out (a negative offset wheel). Sometimes lift kits need more space and so you need to move the wheel out. When buying wheels also consider the space for your brakes. Disc brake upgrades may need a special offset for clearance, and normally require a larger diameter wheel.