3-piece wheels and their lips

[rayray086]

With 3-piece wheels (well, BBS RS in my case), I'm sure that you'll have the inner barrel, centre-face and the lips when separated. On the stampings on the centre-face, they mark down the original size of the wheels. I'm just wondering, is this the width of:
1. JUST the inner barrel? Or...
2. the entire wheel, including the original lips?

Specifically, I've got a set of 15"x6.5" 3-piece wheels. I've seen variously sized lips for sale before (advertised as 1.5" lips, 2" lips etc). Does that mean if I fit on a set of 1.5" lips, my overall width would be 8"?
In accordance with reason 1, if the barrel was 6.5", then yes, my wheels will be 8" overall. But, according to my reason 2, if my wheels were originally 6.5" including the lip, then I would need to install a larger-than-1.5" lip to achieve an overall width of 8"? Unless my lips were 0" which I find it hard to imagine. I would go out and measure it if I didn't have tyres wrapped around them.

I guess basically my question is, what depth of the lip would I need to run to achieve an overall width of 8" from 6.5"?

Sorry if the post seems all confusing. I've tried to structure it so it's a bit more understandable haha.

[DubSteve]

Raymond it depend what size your original lip was wouldn't it?

If you had a 1" lip then it would only make it 7" wouldn't it

[gldgti]

if you have the rims... cant you just measure yours?

[rayray086]

Steve, I had that thought after thinking about it for a while, which prompted me to make a new thread about it. Yes my current lips measure out 1" deep, but in pictures that have been said to have wheels with 1.5" lip seem so much deeper. But if what you said was right, then that means I would need 2.5" lips to make it out to 8"??

I would go out and measure it if I didn't have tyres wrapped around them. I understand it's a fairly basic question; I just want to know what to look for in these wheels.

[TassieGTi]

Hi rayray086!

I’m pretty certain you have a 0.5 inch lip on 15 x 6.5s!

Adding larger outer lips will do the following:

1 inch lip = 15 x 7
1.5 inch lip = 15 x 7.5
2.0 inch lip = 15 x 8.0


Adding larger outer lips will also change your offset! Do you know what your current offset is? I believe Et33 will become ET8 @ 15 x 8, assuming that is your current offset?

[DubSteve]

I think your on par there Mike!

Cause 1.5" its not small, after looking at yours Raymond they look about .5".

[rayray086]

Hi rayray086!

I’m pretty certain you have a 0.5 inch lip on 15 x 6.5s!

Adding larger outer lips will do the following:

1 inch lip = 15 x 7
1.5 inch lip = 15 x 7.5
2.0 inch lip = 15 x 8.0


Adding larger outer lips will also change your offset! Do you know what your current offset is? I believe Et33 will become ET8 @ 15 x 8, assuming that is your current offset?

Yes I suppose that sounds about right! So I guess it's fair to say the inner barrels must be about 6" wide, with the centre-face on...

I'm kind of annoyed that they inscribe the width of the wheels on the centre-face where the lips can be widened to anything you see fit! The "standard" offset on the wheels is ET45 on 6.5", and have calculated it to be ET26/ET20 at 8"/8.5". This is taking into consideration that the backspacing remains the same, since it is the lips that are the only things being modified. It's a good thing the offset is high to begin with, which makes running these wider a more "wheel arch-friendly" affair on the Golf

I will have to check for sure when I have the tyres dismounted. If anyone has taken wheels apart, would be good to know your opinion!

[ScienceVR6]

a 6.5" wheels will always be 6.5", even if it has a 5" lip. the inner will be 1.5", and the offset will be HUGE. The lips all come down to offset.the deeper the offset, the bigger the lip, in sayig this, you can keep the offset, and increase the lip, by widening the rim, that would mean it is no longer a 6.5" rim, but a 7", or 8", or bigger.

[DubSteve]

Thats what they are talking about dude!