Wheel Fitting Enquiry...

[ScottSummerhayes]

Right, so i'm looking for some Fresh wheels for my car. Something to look good over the summer!

I have seen a rare set of ACS Type 1's in 17x8.5 and 17x10.5J, They have a rather low Offset (ET) due to being BMW fitment (along with 5x120PCD)

The ET of those wheels are ET17 front and ET20 Rear.

Has anyone tried to fit anything like this to a FWD A3 before? Obviously i'm going to have to use adaptors so if i used as small a spacer as possible (something like a 10mm, get the ET up to ET27 and ET30) but then i have to try and fit a 10.5" rim under standard arches....

Any help or ideas would be grateful

Thanks

Scott

[Alex C]

5x120 PCD or 5x112 PCD? Either way i thought the 8Ls were 5x100 PCD. I dont know about 10.5" rims, but they sound pretty meaty, what tyres would you wrap them in? 255?

[ScottSummerhayes]

The wheels are 5x120 (BMW Fitment correct?), and yes my 8L audi is 5x100. Like i said before, i will have to use some adaptors but thats all good because they double-up as the spacers too...

5x112 is the new'er Audi fitment isn't it...

As for tyres i was thinking something like a 215/205, give it a massive stretch on the rear for maximum clearance and a slight stretch on the front.

As for suspension i am running KW Coilovers with SPAX Racing Dampers (Fully Adjustable). Fully Powerflex polybushed throughout. But no arch modifications...

[Alex C]

sorry, the adapters didnt really go in my head Where do you get 10mm adaptors from?

[ScottSummerhayes]

sorry, the adapters didnt really go in my head Where do you get 10mm adaptors from?

Its still to early in the day eyy hehe

I'm not sure, 20mm might be the smallest they can be.

[Alex C]

yeah, thats what i have seen, so it'll be 10.5" rims with 20mm spacers. Will that squeeze into the arch even with streched tyres?

[ScottSummerhayes]

No idea, i'm currently running on the rear:

18x8.5J
ET35
20mm spacers

And this pokes about 2-3cm...

HMM, I don't think anyone has been that adventurous on this site. I guess i'm going to just have to "Wing It" and MAKE them fit! Going to possibly need some arch work!

[Alex C]

your 10.5" rims with ET20 on the rear and 20mm spacers (so effectively ET0??) will be a further 4cm wider than your current set up i think.

[ScottSummerhayes]

Oh really, if your calculations are correct that means its going to stick out the arch by about 5-6cm then...

possibly a little to extreme without arch modifications!

[Alex C]

So your current set up already stick out beyond the wheel arch??

yeah 5-6 cm then, if I'm correct though

[ScottSummerhayes]

Yes, flush without the 20mm spacers at the moment. Or as you can guess, poking about 2cm with the spacers....

I think that i need to take this up with the Wheel-Whores guys, they should be able to give me a better idea!

Your help has been greatly appreciated Cookstein

Maybe if i drop in like 2 Degrees camber i could get the poke down to around 3-4 cm haha....INTENSE!

[sulaiman]

The thinnest adapters to run safely are 15mm. That will make your et's; 17x8.5 et2 and 17x10.5J et5 which is not going to fit, even with the maddest camber. You'll need to extend your arches to get the arches to cover the tyre (even if you have stretched tyres)

Also 17's are really small for the a3 and I'm not sure you will pull it off as from the pics i've seen of your a3 there's still some arch gap on the front with the 18's, which will be greater with 17's meaning you would have to drop it even more. You have to be absolutely slammed to pull off 17's.

I would go for 8.5" wheels up front with an et25-20 and up to 10" wide on the rear with an et30 if that's the look your going for.

[ScottSummerhayes]

Sweet! Thanks for the input,

I guess i better keep looking for the "Perfect" Wheels! No way am i going to be extending the arches etc....

I dont mind getting a arch flare!

[s3_kev]

i have effectivly et10 8x18 wheels on the back of my s3 im looking to widen the rears out to sit a little past the arch which would mean making the wheel effectivly et0 so an s3 which has already wide arches and with only 8" wide wheels at et0 is already going to be the limit so no way would a 10.5" wide wheel with an et5 minimum fit under the arch of an a3 sorry dude.

10.5" wide may even be to wide for an a3 even with a sensible et.