Wheel offset has no effect on bumpsteer. Bumpsteer by definition is the change in toe through the suspension travel. As Burns stated, bumpsteer is the geometry between the tie rods, frame mounts, spindles, etc, but wheel offset is not one of the variables that effect bumpsteer. Doesn’t matter what wheel offset you have, the bumpsteer measurement will remain the same. Bumpsteer will try and turn the quad without you turning the handle bars. If you have a front end with a bunch of bumpsteer and you ride hard through a rough section, the quad will wander around.
What wheel offset does effect is feedback though the bars. A 3:2 offset wheel will give more feedback through the bars then a 4:1 offset wheel, simply because the wheel extends out from the hub further. So if something hits the outside of the wheel, there is more leverage that can be applied to the spindle, causing more feedback to the bars. So again, bumpsteer doesn’t change with wheel offset choice, wheel offset effects feedback through the bars. I guess if you have a low offset wheel and a high bumpsteer front end, then feedback through the bars could be even worse, but bumpsteer is the same no matter what offset wheel you have. I guess you could say feedback through the bars could be exaggerated with a low offset wheel and high bumpsteer front end, but feedback increases, bumpsteer stays the same.
To the OP’s original question, since you have a LSR 2+2 axle, I believe you only have two options for rear width. The widest you can make the rear is 50”, but if you swap spacers around, the narrowest you can get is 48”. For better cornering, you always want the front wider than the rear, so that limits how narrower you can make the front. With +2 arms, the only way to get the front wider then the rear is 3:2 offset wheels, from my experience with a 250R, that should get you right around 49” wide in the front. If your axle is already set to the widest position, then you will still be slightly narrower then what you are no, so should have no problem fitting through the woods you already ride through. ("Woods width" varies greatly. Some need 46, while others have no issues with 50". Just depends on where you ride.) With a 4:1 offset front wheel, the front will be narrower than the rear with your current rear axle.
It’s not the end of the world to run a 3:2 wheel, I used to swap between 4:1 and 3:2 wheels on my 250R depending on the width I wanted. Yes, there was a difference, but it wasn’t huge, I felt the extra width was well worth any extra feedback I felt through the bars. (Again, it wasn’t much, but I did notice it in some cases.) Same thing with the front to rear width. Yes, you should have the front wider, but it’s not a huge difference. I used to run my 450R as wide as possible, ended up the rear was wider. Never thought the quad cornered great, but wasn’t bad. Once I swapped spacers around to narrow up the rear, the quad did corner better, but it’s not like it went from cornering horrible to cornering great, it just improved cornering some.
Doug
