Need some aftermarket alloy advice please

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Hello everyone
I bought some alloys earlier and tried to fit them and they won't go on.

They have the same pcd 5x100

The problem it's that on the fronts the alloy won't go back enough and hits on the calipers.
And I tried on the back and the center bore of the alloy is to small to fit over the hub only by a couple of mill or so.

Is there any spacers that adapt hub sizes? I have had a look but can't find any and iv got no clue what the size is on these alloys.
Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Or spacers big enough to clear the hub??? But then wheel bolts are taking all the weight/potholes/speedbumps safe or not??

 

[superkarl]

The offset is wrong. You need to match or exceed the offset of the originals using spacers, and if thick spacers, longer wheel bolts, of which their are two types depending on the wheels you use Values are stamped on the wheels and expressed as +/- mm from the centre line of the wheel.
Centre bore also needs to be the same, 57.1mm I think ours are

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Okay iv had a look and been messuirng stuff. The offsets not a problem I can get spacers to sort that and its not that far off. Only 6mm from the standard 16s but it's enough to not let the alloy fit cause I have bigger breaks and the original 16s were only a couple of mill from caliper as it was.

I have had a look at the central bore of the alloys and there between 54-55mm
I have 2x 12mm spacers central bore of 57.1
If I was to file off 2-3mm on the outer edge to get to the 57.1 going slow obviously and trying my best to get a 360 circle would this work?
I can't find anywhere near me with a lathe by the way.

 

[Tj 0785]

Use a cardboard template to get the best circle so you can it to the right size

 

[ayfreetee]

Can't you get a local engineering shop to skim off the amount needed on a lathe, it's the only way you're going to get it round and on centre, only slightly out and you will get terrible vibrations, not to mention you could even loose a wheel.

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Yeah thats what I'm worried about I randomly found a company that makes spacers in the UK and they are up for making some with different size bore holes. But now I'm just worried after I space them out so much and there slightly bigger alloys am I going to get rubbing on full lock and destroy the tyres smashing the arches..
The alloys are .. ET48 offset
17s that are 7.5jj
I think it will need around 12mm all way around to get over the caliper and to have enough strength in the spacer to still hold the alloy

 

[ayfreetee]

Should be fine.

 

[desertstorm]

Sounds like you are making life hard for yourself by buying wheels that weren't made to fit the car in the first place. They sound like they may be off an older Imprezza they used a 56.1mm Centre bore 5x100 and quite a high offset.

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Yeah that makes perfect sense.
Thats good to know incase I do end up selling them.
I was told they were off a mk4 golf and they have Audi center caps :/
all this over 1mm... Haha
There pretty nice alloys recent refurb and decent tyres I got them pretty cheap so thats a bonus.
Since pearing them up to the car I think they will look pretty good atleast I know no one else would have the same ones on an audi a3 Haha..

 

[JohnDuh]

For future reference if looking at wheels, make sure to check
ET, center hub diameter PCB and width

The S3 has ET 32, 57.1mm, 5x100 and 7.5"
Width can arguably change depending on what tires you want to mount. There's a lot of charts floating around online telling you what tire will fit what width and whether it will be stretched.

To solve your problem, I would find a local machining shop. They should be able to get the center bore to the right diameter. I've done this to get TTE (Toyota) wheels to fit my GF's TT.

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

Thanks for the info mate,
One more quick question did you get your alloys CB shaved down or went the same route as I was thinking and doing the spacers?

 

[JohnDuh]

I got them put on a lathe and extended to 57.1mm.

Spacers I would only use if you can "correct" the wheel offset, i.e. if the ET value of the rims is sufficiently small to accommodate for the spacers and would land you in the vicinity of 32

 

[Mark 20vt 1994123]

So for the fronts am I correct in thinking if the original alloys were about 3-4 mm off my brake calipers the original alloys are ET 38 and my new ones are 48. I need 10mm spacers to bring the new alloys same distance from the calipers as original alloys?
If that makes any sense it's quite early.

 

[JohnDuh]

So for the fronts am I correct in thinking if the original alloys were about 3-4 mm off my brake calipers the original alloys are ET 38 and my new ones are 48. I need 10mm spacers to bring the new alloys same distance from the calipers as original alloys?
If that makes any sense it's quite early.

That would be correct. So you have indeed enough room for the spacers