Wheel spacers, offset, different wheel types?

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Naitsirk

2006 Audi A3 2.0 TDI S Line
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Hi, I've only just noticed, despite the days swooning over my 2006 Audi A3 sportback s line Quattro 2.0tdi ...that the back wheels have a different offset... Can you imagine how incredibly irritating that can be... It has almost given me OCD!

The question is...the wheels 'look' the same, although I can't help feeling the three that are flush with the bodywork, look like the spoke / arms come outwards slightly from the centre, and the drivers side rear looks like a flatter profile across the wheel.

I realise I'm not using the correct terminology here, so please forgive a noobie...

Should a professional garage have advised me on this? I feel like I've been stung with potentially an entire new set of wheels... That or trying to find one the same... Which online could prove difficult due to them being so similar in look..

Does anyone actually have a product code for these two types of wheel? I could then search for one of the correct wheels and replace it...

Personally I think the difference is huge, A3's look so tough with spacers / wide wheels...


Also, 'ps' ... What about 19" rims on my model? Would it rub a dub dub?


Thank you kindly in advance
 

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I've got some genuine bbs ck in silver 19" 8j et44 will sit perfect with no spacers 4 brand new tyres wheels are brand new if your interested matey

And have you tried a straight edge across your wheels to see what the difference is?

Cheers
Dave w
 
The A3 8P most definitely has different "Track" from front to rear.

Track width

To correct it, you will need to have different offset on your wheels from front to back.

The standard wheels that re currently on my 2006 A3 8P 2.0TFSI Quattro is:
17x7.5J ET56 with 225/45R17 Tyres.

Try a website: www.willtheyfit.com
Be aware, this discusses the "poke" and clearance of the RIM, not the tyre. So if you changed from a 7.5J rim to a 8J rim and kept the same offset, (12mm wider) the website will tell you the rim will poke out 6mm more. But if you kept the same 225 profile tyre, then the actual "tread" will not move. All that will happen is, the sidewall will sit more "square" on a 8J rim than "flared" on the 7.5J rim. You will see that effect in the diagram it shows you.

I haven't tried it yet, but I would be keen to try 18x8J ET38 on the rear, with 225/40R18 tyres. and the same specs BUT with ET45 on the front. See below, the owner of this car is using 235 tyres. I would like to keep 225 for this reason)
18x8 et38 rear

Finally....

Although there is a 16mm Track difference and the "New" setup I described will only correct 14mm out of the full 16mm... I'm sure nobody will notice 2mm difference in Track (1mm per side)
 
Hi, and thanks for your replies.

I'm not sure if I wordedy problem clearly... It's not a difference between front and back, but a difference between one rear wheel and the other... Like the car looks like it has three spacers and the drivers side rear doesn't have one.

I think it's a simple case of them being different wheels, despite looking exactly the same, I think one of my wheels is for a different car?

Say for instance they produced the same wheel for the A4 and A3 and the A4 has a different offset...


What's important is that the garage who sold the car to me neglected to inform me that the back wheels are different from eachother ...

Completely messed with my perception of the car :(. Was well happy until I saw widey wheel on one side and a cavernous space on the other ...

Thanks for your help..
 
Take each wheel off mate and check the offsets and widths in the rear of the wheel ,are all the tyres the same sometimes if they have a rim protector on an that can make a wheel look slightly different, I know what you mean about there being the same style wheel but different types, easiest way to check is to whip them off

Cheers
Dave w
 
Thanks, guys... after some inspection, it's pretty evident that despite being the same looking wheel, it's for a different car requiring a different offset.

I wonder if this affects the car insurance? Surely one wheel with a different offset to another can't be good for the electronic stability program, or ABS etc..?

I think it's a bit bang out of order that they didn't tell me, worse, they didn't even notice?

Thanks again for your help.

K
 
Sweet Black Audi by the way! Your wheels really do fill those arches nicely! They look so good... mine aren't quite as stuffed full as that, but I'm getting there ;)
 
That must be really annoying know that you know they're different. As you say, most wheel designs are 'shared' across the model range (A3, A4, A5 etc) but the size, width and offset can differ. Take it back to where you bought it and ask them to install an original matching set
 
Well the garage were very apologetic... promptly bought me two more reconditioned wheels that have a very slightly different offset to the other two... the back wheels on A3's seem to have a different track to the front, so we used the wider wheels to compensate this on the back... subsequently leaving all four wheels perfectly flush with the arches...

IT LOOKS GREAT! it ain't rubbin, but I sure am dubbin' ... (Well, Audi'ing)

Thanks for your help guys.

:)
 
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