A6 onto A4 will go! Almost! Pics!

[audinary]

So, time today for a test fitting. Firstly some info on the wheels, they are an ET43 offset wearing 235/45/17 rubber (of shall we say non big-brand origin) from a late C5 A6.

Here is how the car looked prior to fitting:-

You can see it really needed a wheeloplasty. So, after taking it to work and sticking it on the lift, a bit of spannery later and I had this (Image photoshopped to replace missing centre caps):

At first it looked a bit high off the ground and in dire need of lowering, but after releasing the handbrake tension and rolling it a few yards back into the workshop it settled and looked like this:

I'm pretty pleased, they don't look too OTT and fill the arches out nicely. However, there is next to no clearance between the rubber and the suspension top link, so they came off again until I have some 5mm spacers.

This will also give me the chance to get centre caps and a couple of refurbs (mates rates, hopefully).

So, alls well (ish) that ends well (ish). Anyone got any A6 center caps?!!!

 

[Geeman]

I test fitted some 225's to my 18's today, and like you had next to no clearance with the uprights... so ordered some 215's that are coming on Thursday.

Glad you got sorted in the end though... they do look good.

 

[Siena]

Looks good, now she needs to be lowered a bit.

 

[205man]

im running 225/40/18 on mine with no clearance issues the wheels have an offset of 35 though so does help

 

[Mr K]

they look really good! i was in 2 minds as to how well a 17 would fill the arches; but they look really good, and a really useable setup for the real world.

go to switzerland much?

 

[audinary]

Cheers chaps:

Geeman; Yeah, the 215s stretched should be fine. If I could afford a rubber swap I would, I'm going down from Dunlop SPs all round to something called Triangle at the front and Generals at the back. Hmm. Good luck mate.

205man; My offset of 43 is just as well, also if the front tyres weren't brand new and with a very square tread pattern things would have been a lot easier! My only concern is that with the spacers on the wheels will sit very slightly proud of the arches= mud down the sides of the car....

Siena; Yeah, that was my fear, one thing would lead to another and a simple wheels swap turning into a project! You're right, though. It does need lowering. I'm relctant to change the shocks as they are in such good condition, but maybe when I get some more cash together I can speak to you about some lowering springs.

Nickkeyser; I was suprised by that too. They fill the arches far better than I could have expected, but it does need dropping by a few mil. The final look is going to be all down to what centre caps I manage to find, with the right ones I reckon there could be a hint of RS4 in the looks dept.

Oh, you noticed the Swiss motorway vignette! That was from my epic drive last year when I went from Frinton to St Tropez to Gothenburg and home! 4000 miles in a week! We've scheduled the return trip in for October, so there'll be an '09 one in the windscreen too!

 

[Mr K]

i did portsmouth>dover/dunkirk>sion>stuttgart>reims>dunk>home last year, over two weeks, spending a week in the mountains around sion, and another in the black forest last year in my ol' 1.9TDI, 4 up with all our stuff. couldnt have asked for a better car to do it in! this year the 2.8 will be heading to the swiss alps week (i love the alps!) and then on to spain for a week.

are these 7.5 or 8"? my plan is now confirmed; a nice set of 17x7.5/8s, and some 40mm ish lowering springs.

whats it ride/handle like on the 17s? does it tramline or crash at all with the reduced side wall height?

 

[audinary]

My trip was Frinton, Dover, Millau, St Tropez, Genoa, Milan, Bergen, Ulm, Stuttgart, Berlin, Copenhagen, Malmo, Gothenburg, LEGOLAND, Amsterdam, Home. Epic! Loved it, just me and a mate, sleeping and eating in the car throughout. Highlight was seeing 142mph on GPS on the autobahn.

They're 7.5s, and to be honest I only got one side fitted to check clearances, so won't do a drive test 'til I get the spacers. With 235 rubber I expect them to tramline like ****...

 

[aragorn]

Mate, why do you need spacers at all?

The S4 uses ET45 rims in 7.5" with 225/45r17 tyres.

You do realise the tyre cant get any closer to that metal arm when moving, so as long as it clears when parked up you're all good...

 

[audinary]

Mate, why do you need spacers at all?

The S4 uses ET45 rims in 7.5" with 225/45r17 tyres.

Indeed, but my rubber is 235 (too wide, I know) and I just don't feel comfortable with literally 4mm clearance. I should have taken a photo showing the lack of clearance, I can't imagine a factory setup running that close.

 

[aragorn]

The factory S4 setup IS close.

I would doubt you could fit your finger between the tyre and the upright, or if you could it would be only just.

 

[audinary]

D'you reckon I should be braver then? Hmmm. Or maybe still put spacers in but go with 3mm rather than 5?...

 

[aragorn]

i'd just stick them on, and when you can afford it, get some decent tyres in 225/45

If your worried you can always drive for a bit then remove the wheel and look for any witness marks on the upright.

Eagle F1 Assm's are £91each, which isnt too bad i dont think.

 

[audinary]

Cheers mate, maybe I'll try them for a bit without. I'm having a couple of them refurbed first, and don't want to run them without centre caps, so they will be sitting in the corner for a little while yet.

When I do change the tyres, can you see anything wrong with running 225 on the front and 235 on the back? One of my pairs of dodgy-brand 235s are literally brand new. Common practice for rwd cars of course, not to mention fwd people with widearch Astra or 205 T16 or bodykits...

 

[joost]

I've got 235/45s on my 17s, they're 7.5J with 45 offset and no spacers - no problems. Snug, but no problems with clearance of the struts.
Likewise my 18s are 235/40s, 8J with 42 offset, no spacers - again no problems.

 

[audinary]

I wasn't able to show the wheels to the wheel refurb man today, and tomorrow my search in earnest for centre caps can begin.

Thanks for all the advice on spacers etc. I think I'll bite the bullet and try without for a while. I love how this community rallies around when it comes across a brother in need (e.g one who still has factory alloys!)

 

[Siena]

It may be close to your suspension, but it won't get any closer, unless one of your tyres becomes oval, or develops a lump the size of a pigeons egg...

 

[audinary]

Update (for what it's worth...) Just bought some centre caps from eBay, not immaculate but £30 the set (not £100 plus from Audi) should with me soon-ish, den me will be rollin' on dubz. Or somesuch.

Re-furb plans are on hold at the mo so they'll be scruffy, but less so than the exsisting 16"s. As soon as I get the caps through they'll be on, and I'll run them gently at first until i'm happy with the clearances.