what does offset mean on wheels

Wheel offset refers to how the wheels are mounted on a vehicle and how they sit in the wheel wells. It is the distance between the hub mounting surface of the wheel and the centerline of the wheel. There are three types of wheel offset: positive, zero, and negative. Positive offset means the hub mounting surface is in front of the centerline of the wheel, zero offset means it is in line with the centerline, and negative offset means it is behind the centerline. Proper offset is important for clearance, driving safety, and vehicle stability. Incorrect offset can lead to problems such as rubbing against the suspension, interference with brake parts, poor handling, and instability