TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Apr 24, 2025 9:00 am

A year ago I finished my Baja Bug build here in Los Barriles Baja Mexico. I mainly use it to drive the beach, which you can do down here. I found a pair of balloon tires for the rear with 10" wheels and a 2" back space. I also have rear tires and wheels that are a tread match to the front for dirt road and pavement driving. I want to buy 12" wide rims to give the sand tires more width for the sand and was wondering what the best new back space should be? I would like to tuck the wheels and tires more under the fenders but is that good or bad for the performance in the sand? Is a wider track more desirable? With the 12" rims a 3" backspace will have the center of the tread where it is sitting now. Can I get away with a 4.5" back space? The bug is an early 1968 with swing axles and short torsion bars.

Thu Apr 24, 2025 9:27 am

Nice Bug!

Thu Apr 24, 2025 9:30 am

Mainly, if you have the backspace to use then it's ok to use it. It looks like you have the space. I would try to move it through the whole travel just to be sure. With the camber issue on swing axles there may be some thing I'm not familiar with that would cause a problem. Technically, though, if your sidewall isn't going to hit the shock or brake lines and such I'd say try it. I think the more serious problems come when you move the wheel out away from the axle and there are more forces trying to fold the rim in half at the hub. But then again there are some pretty deep, wide rims being run out there. Bugs are pretty fortunate in that they don't weigh that much and can get away with more.

When you're done, you can ship those rims up to Michigan for me. lol I've been thinking about picking a pair of those up soon.

Thu Apr 24, 2025 11:12 am

With more back space I think you're going to run into the issue of tires rubbing the inner fender well if the current setup doesn't already. It may be close as well to the upper shock mount and the body mount as well.

If it were me and I wanted a wider foot print on the rear tire, I'd drop a couple PSI. You may find that the wider foot print is actually less desirable depending on the conditions. Changing the PSI is at least free, where as buying new wheels and then discovering you don't like the way the car drives costs $$$.

Thu Apr 24, 2025 2:52 pm

Thank you for your replies. It makes sense that if the wheel mounting surface is more towards the center of the wider wheel that it would be stronger. I don’t think I will have any clearance issues on the inside fender. I did a test fit with a 12 inch wide rim and the width of the tire was substantially wider. I’m already running only 10 psi so letting more air out isn’t an option. Does anybody know where I can source a new set of these type steel wheels with a custom back space?