To rub or not to rub!

I

imported_YOGi

Guest
If i fit 18" rims to my A3 1.8T and then lower it with springs by say 35-40mm will i suffer from rubbing, even if i have a car full of people?

Also is there a performance/handling difference between 17 and 18" rims? Which is better?

And finnaly is anyone running a 18" + 35/40mm drop OR a 17" + 35/40mm drop? How do these setups cope/handle with them on your A3 1.8T.

Thanks alot guys.

YOGi

 
depends on the offset of the wheels as some after market wheels are greater lor less than OEM
 
-40mm on an S3...rubbing is the least of your worries!

You drop an S3 40mm and you WILL kiss goodbye to your sump at some stage, if you drive it hard. You'll also lower it so far as to kill off all remenants of the chassis inbuilt roll resistance, for good.

If you run rock solid dampers at that drop you may be able to save the sump...but the ride would be awful and the handling worse.
Or you could pussey-foot about and never actually drive the damn thing.

Mine is 20mm or so lower, and I've buffed the sump drain point casting several times...beware! I also have no engine undertray left!

The sump on 1.8Ts is cast alloy...you'll not get a second chance with it...hit it hard, you break the sump. At best, it's inconvenient (if you get the engine stopped sharpish). At worst, it'll cost you the bottom end of your engine....1.8Ts don't run too well without oil!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ess_Three said:
-40mm on an S3...rubbing is the least of your worries!

[/ QUOTE ]
He has an A3 1.8T... not an S3.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Imola S3 said:
[ QUOTE ]
Ess_Three said:
-40mm on an S3...rubbing is the least of your worries!

[/ QUOTE ]
He has an A3 1.8T... not an S3.

[/ QUOTE ]

And isn't the S3 about 20mm lower than the A3? That would drop him to right about where you are Glen... right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Yeah the S3 is a bit lower than the A3. Im currently running H&R 50mm springs with 8.5"x18" 225/40ZR18's with an offset of ET35. Been running like this for a few months now with no problems. It is low, but i reckon its about as low as a S3 lowered 30mm or so.

Rich
 
[ QUOTE ]
Imola S3 said:
He has an A3 1.8T... not an S3.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well spotted!

In that case, he'll be fine.

Normal A3 seem to sit between 20 and 30mm higher than S3s...so a 40-50mm drop on an A3 is only similar to a 20-25mm drop on an S3...so the sump should be OK.

On an A3 there is more chance of the wheels rubbing though, as the arches have less clearance...offset becomes more critical.
 
Yeah, OFFSET /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Don't think I'll ever figure that out
slap.gif
Gambba's Avus' have an ET 32 (IIRC) offset, and they're out further than my BBS' with the ET38 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I put 15mm spacers on my TQ and they LOOK Suh-WEET /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But if I drop the suspension any further than the std S3 set, I'm afraid I'll have rubbing issues as well.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Can anyone post an offset "definition" ,something i have never properly Understood either!
I think its the distance from the centre of the wheel where they mount on to the hub. If that makes any sense /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Ok. The higher the ET (+) the further IN towards the car the wheel sits. I.E ET35 means the mating surface of the wheel and hub is 35mm inside of the centre line of the wheel. Make sense? If its -ET35, the it would be 35mm OUTSIDE of the centre line of the wheel.
diagram_01_new.gif


A technical image from the compomotive website.

Rich
 
So ... two wheels of different widths say 8" and 9" but the same offset, the wider one will sit further out ? Is that right?
 
[ QUOTE ]
jimboA3 said:
So ... two wheels of different widths say 8" and 9" but the same offset, the wider one will sit further out ? Is that right?

[/ QUOTE ]

something like that.
 
knowing my luck it will be in. lol

If i take them off then it means i have to clean them..

and if i clean the wheels i need to clean, wax, polish the car.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
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