S-Line 2 Piece 18" Wheels

[ByronM]

The girlfriend has the optional upgrade 18" 2 piece wheels on her A3.

Before we collected it (private sale) I noticed the tyre pressures looked a little low, but put it down to the owner overlooking it.

Since then, I have put 2 new front tyres on on average we are loosing 1 PSi of pressure per day - not ideal. Before the tyres went on, the rims were cleaned and inspected for cracks etc, nothing was obvious.

Is this a typical trait of these 2 piece rims to leak air? Has anyone else had experience of these wheels being pourous and what the fix was?

TIA

 

[Boydie]

Have you tightened or checked the bolts on the wheels in question?

 

[HotboxDeluxe]

Check the torque settings of the bolts because you don't want them coming apart on you...

...*looks outside at car, tyres always look flat but lose no pressure, paranoid now*

 

[a3motion]

Check the torque settings of the bolts because you don't want them coming apart on you...

...*looks outside at car, tyres always look flat but lose no pressure, paranoid now*

most tyre places can check stuff like this for you, my local tyre fitter, has a drum filled with water, they put the tyre in the drum and you can see the air coming out from the bubbles due to the air.

 

[Paul_c]

I have the same wheels as HotBox and haven't had any problems....

As A3motion says... big drum of water!

 

[edition]

Don't overtighten the split rim bolts........

They are a very low torque setting as they are going into alloy...

 

[ByronM]

Have you tightened or checked the bolts on the wheels in question?

I doubt there are instructions in the user manual stating how tight these should be is there?

 

[redbutcher]

Something not right there as mine are fine to, no leaks at all.

 

[Crunch]

Are you sure it's not the schrader valve rather than the actual rim?

 

[YU51UF O]

these two piece wheels should not leak any air unless there is a crack or the rim is sevearly buckeld.

the rim is an air tight piece, the second piece being the center so there is no where for the air to leak if that makes sence.

You do get other two piece wheels where the dish comes apart from the wheel, if these are not torqued properly and sealed the air will leak.

Get your local tyre place to hold the wheel in a tub of water and see where the bubbles are coming from

 

[ByronM]

You do get other two piece wheels where the dish comes apart from the wheel, if these are not torqued properly and sealed the air will leak.

Get your local tyre place to hold the wheel in a tub of water and see where the bubbles are coming from

These wheels look the same as hotboxdeluxe etc.. Im sure they are genuine 2 piece wheels?
Does anyone know what the torque setting should be on the bolts?
I will pull the wheels off again for a look for cracks etc..

 

[YU51UF O]

not saying they are not genuine 2 piece wheels mate.

one kind of 2 piece wheel is where the center plate is one piece and the dish and barell are welded being one piece. This kind of 2 piece wheel has no where for the air to escape as the tyre will fit like a normal one piece wheel.

The other kind can be where the center and barell is one piece and the dish is one piece. If the dish is not bolted to the barell with the correct torque setting and sealed with silicon then the air can escape from tiny gaps between the dish and center.

Hope that makes it clearer dude.

 

[ByronM]

Thanks.
Picture of wheel (example pic - not actual car)

 

[HotboxDeluxe]

Anyone got an exploded diagram of said wheel? I'm curious now as to how they go together...

Mine still look flat but lose no pressure. It's just me being a wally

 

[YU51UF O]

yup that a 2 piece wheel where the center comes apart from the rest of the wheel so if there is an air leak the rim might be cracked.

let us know how you get on :thumbsup:

 

[YU51UF O]

hope this pic makes sence

undoing the bolts has allowed the center to come away from the rest of the wheel which is one piece on its own making it a 2 piece wheel. Thats exactly how these wheels are made up

 

[ByronM]

yup that a 2 piece wheel where the center comes apart from the rest of the wheel so if there is an air leak the rim might be cracked.

let us know how you get on :thumbsup:

Will do. The only beauty of this whole episode (price aside) is that if the rim is cracked, you dont have to replace the whole wheel. Joy.

 

[YU51UF O]

not to **** on your fire mate but its hard to come accross the barell bit of the wheel. You'd be better off having the crack welded then get the wheel balanced to make sure its all ok

Will do. The only beauty of this whole episode (price aside) is that if the rim is cracked, you dont have to replace the whole wheel. Joy.

 

[edition]

They come up time to time on ebay, your prob. better just buying a complete wheel...

 

[Mikey]

get loads of air in the tyre then dunk it in a bath full of water to see where the air bubbles come from.

 

[ByronM]

get loads of air in the tyre then dunk it in a bath full of water to see where the air bubbles come from.

Just done that this lunchtime. It appears that the air is escaping from various places;
- where the dish meets the centre piece
- From the bolt holes

I have been onto Audi customer services who are looking into the issue and checking to see if it is a wear and tear item, or if it is covered under their warranty scheme.