S3: Ready for spacer, but what size..?

[Dennis Moeller]

Once again chaps I have to you ask you for some help...

I'm ready to order H&R spacers for the rear axle but I'm split between 15 or 20mm at each side. I have 8.5" rims offset 30 mounted with 225/40-18 tires. Also I will install Neuspeed adjustable tie bars and have rear camber set at 0.5 - 0.75 degrees.

Simply put; I would like the edge of the rims to flush perfectly with the edges of the rear part of the body (fenders..., is that the word??). Tires will stretch a little but that's fine...visually the alu rims must sit 99% flush with the top of the body...

So guys, what do you think; 15 or 20mm?

Cheers

 

[voorhees]

mine are 15 but no rear tie-bars and RS6 reps

 

[Dennis Moeller]

Voorhees...how wide are those rims? Offset? Also do you have a picture of the rear of the car...

Thanks for replying!

 

[voorhees]

width 8 offset 35/45...says in the paperwork

 

[Dennis Moeller]

Ok Mate...Cheers

Hmm...guess with ET30 and 0.5" wider rims than yours I'll maybe settle for 15mm...

 

[voorhees]

and your wheels will be more upright than mine with tie-bars on

 

[Shy19s]

I've got an A3 just put 15mm spacers on mine and it sits flush with the arch.. i think 20 for your s3 bro..

mine at 235/35/19 offset 30 i think.. but im putting some 225/35/19s on there so its abit stretched so it will sit slightly in the arch (and because they are better tyres anyway)

Hope that helps.

Shy

 

[scoobyra]

I've just put some spacers on mine as I changed my wheels and needed to correct the offset. I went for 20mm all round but then realised that the standard wheels actually have an offset of 32 and not 35. As my new wheels are 45 it's hardly moved them out at all but I'm guessing with your 8.5J wheels 15mm should do the trick nicely

 

[silversurfer]

Hi, This is mine with 18" RS4 alloys, 15mm spacers on the rear and 10mm on the front.

 

[Sandip]

Mines et24 at the front, et9 at the back

The alloys are et54 - 5x112 - 7.5j

Rear hub adapters are 35mm with a 10mm spacer
Front hub adapters are 30mm, could do with a spacer at the front to get them flush with the arch
All tyres wearing evenly so far, had them on 10,000miles

 

[s3_kev]

i have 8.5 x 18's with 35mm offset with 25mm spacers on the back but with out having the camber set up (yet) but i think that it might be to wide once i bring the camber back in so what with your wheels being et30 id go with the 15mm spcaers if your going for 0.5-0.75 degres on the camber should sit flush with no rubbing issues

 

[Dennis Moeller]

Thanks for all replies and pictures guys...I am 99% certain now that it will be 15mm. The adjustable tie bars does bring out the wheel a lot at the top so with 8.5" rims and ET 30 they got to sit flush. I hope...

 

[Dennis Moeller]

I put on the H&R 20mm spacers a couple of days ago. I think it's on the limit especially when I get the camber corrected. Tire looks slightly too narrow or the wheel sits too far out. I can't make up my mind...

What do you think?

 

[s3_kev]

looks good, you go to lots of car meets/shows out there good job

 

[s3ollie]

Looks good to me mate. from the back it look a bit crazy but all other angles its looking good. Mines the same, from the back it looks mad . i think it coz the back of the cars so rounded and tapered to the back it looks as if they stick out a mile but from the side or front they look fine.

by-the-way have you got one of your rear tires on the wrong way round or are they non directional?

 

[Dennis Moeller]

looks good, you go to lots of car meets/shows out there good job

Thank you. Well we are a local gang of VAG enthusiast and we tend to go to as many several exhibitions/track days as possible :icon_thumright:
Down right fun. We had a blast two days ago and we drove to our favorite spot for some inspired driving. It's sort of a mini alps here in Norway...11.5km's of hairpins, long sweeping turns, a few long straights and a change in altitude of 800meters. Cars were my S3, S4, S6, RS2 and A4 B7 1.8 BTK...everybody gave it their best. It was a blast though I soon learned that the wheel alignment I keep postponing MUST be done. NOW. Had about 160km/h going into a long sweeping turn while braking. The angle of the road was "wrong and it was on our way down hill. I hit a fairly uneven piece of the road (knew about that spot but still couldn't avoid it that day) and the whole car just wobbled and was all over the road. Nearly lost the car. Brakes are bad too, otherwise I could have brushed off some more speed before entering first stage of the turn. I truly felt the "now-I'm-crashing-and-my-body-suddenly feels-warm-and-strange" sensation but in the end I recovered. Scary though So I really can't wait to get the undercarriage sorted. Stupid me...

Looks good to me mate. from the back it look a bit crazy but all other angles its looking good. Mines the same, from the back it looks mad . i think it coz the back of the cars so rounded and tapered to the back it looks as if they stick out a mile but from the side or front they look fine.

by-the-way have you got one of your rear tires on the wrong way round or are they non directional?

Yeah you're probably right. The R32 with identical setup and wheels looks far better even when squatting like that...

Tires are supposed to be that way. Kinda weird but Vredestein made them that way...Will only have them on untill two more trackdays and then it's back the Michelin PSII...worlds best tire IMO

I think that when the adjustable tie rods will arrive it'll look more normal, even tho the tires at the rear looks incredible narrow. Could 245/40 work on a 8.5" wide wheel or will it (the side wall) look too fat..?

Cheers Guys...

 

[Mason-A3Sport]

I know this is nothing to do with the thread but can someone tell me how to get a pick of my car at the bottom where your signature goes, tried to attach an image and it wont work.

 

[Dennis Moeller]

I know this is nothing to do with the thread but can someone tell me how to get a pick of my car at the bottom where your signature goes, tried to attach an image and it wont work.

Hehe...I've tried for ages in so many different ways. Copied and pasted, deleted, linked, deleted again, wrote some homemade code...suddenly it worked. Afraid to go back and check out what I did...

A moderator must be able to answer I guess...

 

[s3_kev]

I think that when the adjustable tie rods will arrive it'll look more normal, even tho the tires at the rear looks incredible narrow. Could 245/40 work on a 8.5" wide wheel or will it (the side wall) look too fat..?

Cheers Guys...

in all honesty if you put 245's on the back your likely to get it rubbing with et30 and 20mm spacers i had et35 with 25mm spacers so effectivly same offset with 8.5 inch wide wheels but have since fitted 8 wide and set up the rear camber to -2 and its still very close with 225 tyres allthough im very low at the back,
i think your better off with 225's possibly 235's max get the tie arms on and camber done 1st before buying tyres,

as for setting up the geometry get it done mine made loads of difference once set up correctly and the arb's and coilovers helped to lol, what set up do you have???


*edit*
just rialised you have h+r's with billies, get some arbs on there to before doing the alignment :thumbsup:

 

[Dennis Moeller]

in all honesty if you put 245's on the back your likely to get it rubbing with et30 and 20mm spacers i had et35 with 25mm spacers so effectivly same offset with 8.5 inch wide wheels but have since fitted 8 wide and set up the rear camber to -2 and its still very close with 225 tyres allthough im very low at the back,
i think your better off with 225's possibly 235's max get the tie arms on and camber done 1st before buying tyres,

as for setting up the geometry get it done mine made loads of difference once set up correctly and the arb's and coilovers helped to lol, what set up do you have???


*edit*
just rialised you have h+r's with billies, get some arbs on there to before doing the alignment :thumbsup:

Yeah 245 was just a thought. Wouldn't work aesthically either. I have the R32 rear ARB installed and the front R32 is lying here. Car really needs it as it is still rolling a bit too much. It's just to do with time. I have 2 weeks minus 1 day to get the tiebars sent from the states, install them and get the alignment. Also have complete new brake setup lying around waiting to go on...have to work like crazy too...the missus, the mates...you know the drill

Will I have to have alignment done once again if I install the front ARB? Wouldn't think so as I wouldn't need to touch any "vital" parts during installation. Dropping the subframe and what other parts need I remove...?

 

[s3_kev]

removing the subframe will throw out the geometry as you may not get it back exactly where it was also the easiest way to get the bottom ball joints seperate from the subframe is to undo the three bolts at the ball joint which effect front camber, really your best to get the arb fitted first but if you mark it all up well then the amount of difference you make to the geometry will be minimal