Sportback Sportback replacement rims - question on rear wheel diameter

[Arkteryx]

Hello all, I am looking for a new set of aftermarket lightweight rims
I have a Sportback RS3 8V FL 2019, Front: 8.5Jx19 ET53 (255/30 R19 91Y XL) / Rear: 8.0Jx19 ET49 (235/35 R19 91Y XL)
The majority of the lightweight ones (mainly forged alum) are starting from the 19 x 8.5J diameter. But as you know the RS3 on the rear has 8.0J.
Has anyone changed and has experience on all squared 8.5J rims? Any difference if I will go to 8,5J on rear instead of 8.0J on the Sportback?
Calculation below from a site with a specs of a rim i like (8.5J ET45) . Should it have any serious impact on the car handling? like the quattro and all rest of systems liek torque vectoring ect?
Based on the calculation on this site it won't be a serious issue at least space-wise.

Any thoughts pleeeease!
Thx

 

[8YARWY]

Hello all, I am looking for a new set of aftermarket lightweight rims
I have a Sportback RS3 8V FL 2019, Front: 8.5Jx19 ET53 (255/30 R19 91Y XL) / Rear: 8.0Jx19 ET49 (235/35 R19 91Y XL)
The majority of the lightweight ones (mainly forged alum) are starting from the 19 x 8.5J diameter. But as you know the RS3 on the rear has 8.0J.
Has anyone changed and has experience on all squared 8.5J rims? Any difference if I will go to 8,5J on rear instead of 8.0J on the Sportback?
Calculation below from a site with a specs of a rim i like (8.5J ET45) . Should it have any serious impact on the car handling? like the quattro and all rest of systems liek torque vectoring ect?
Based on the calculation on this site it won't be a serious issue at least space-wise. View attachment 259863
Any thoughts pleeeease!
Thx

If it’s any help I used to run 8.5J winter rims with 235 tyres. Never had any issues on both PFL /FL cars.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Paulbean]

I would go so far as to say that running a square setup would be better for the 4wd system as (assuming you are using the same 4 tyres) there will be no difference between rolling radius front to rear whereas staggered has a very minimal difference. Would give you a wider choice of tyre as well.

 

[Arkteryx]

I would go so far as to say that running a square setup would be better for the 4wd system as (assuming you are using the same 4 tyres) there will be no difference between rolling radius front to rear whereas staggered has a very minimal difference. Would give you a wider choice of tyre as well.

Thx Paulbean, but the typical (rhetorical) question is then why Audi applied this reversed-staggered setup of wheels (even with slightly different rim diameters that makes it harder to select a rim, leave apart the tyre), and not going for all square setup n all? they claim that they have good reasons to make the front more stable (too much power on the 5cyl, assist further the understeer ect... so you never saw any diff? For sure I want to keep the 255 fronts but impossible to get a 255 at rear for instance. 245 tyres to all and 8.5J to all could be an option (money-wise for sure) but there is some slight diff on rolling and on odo results.

 

[flybynite]

they claim that they have good reasons to make the front more stable (too much power on the 5cyl, assist further the understeer ect... so you never saw any diff? For sure I want to keep the 255 fronts but impossible to get a 255 at rear for instance. 245 tyres to all and 8.5J to all could be an option (money-wise for sure) but there is some slight diff on rolling and on odo results.

My thinking is they came up with that reverse stagger on the old iron engine then did not change anything when they took 26kg off the nose of the FL does not seem right to me. IMHO FL, especialy the saloon, does not need the reverse stagger setup.

I have the FL Saloon so could have got 255/30 michelins at the back if I wanted to but I wanted a bit better ride so went for 245/35 (PS4S) all round on 8.5 rims (same as TTRS setup) Feels like the car is made for it. I think the saloon has a bit better geometry to the SB but I would not go back to the staggered pirelli setup or play with RR mismatch with anything else on mine.

235/35 on 8" winter and 245/35 on 8.5 summer all square and no regrets here

 

[Arkteryx]

My thinking is they came up with that reverse stagger on the old iron engine then did not change anything when they took 26kg off the nose of the FL does not seem right to me. IMHO FL, especialy the saloon, does not need the reverse stagger setup.

I have the FL Saloon so could have got 255/30 michelins at the back if I wanted to but I wanted a bit better ride so went for 245/35 (PS4S) all round on 8.5 rims (same as TTRS setup) Feels like the car is made for it. I think the saloon has a bit better geometry to the SB but I would not go back to the staggered pirelli setup or play with RR mismatch with anything else on mine.

235/35 on 8" winter and 245/35 on 8.5 summer all square and no regrets here

Appreciate your feedback! Just trying to do the devil's advocate although you have valid points,
- True that they had decreased the weight by 26kgs, but even now with the RS3 Y, they still keep the staggered setup (and even wider due to the slightly wider body, to 265 with 9J /245 8J wheels). So, i dont think this is the reason. otherwise, they would have gone for the squared. (Note that the Y, has instead +40kgs of weight respect the V (FL) due to the new differentials for the spit torque -drift-, but it's on the rear)
- Indeed, the TTRS has squared setup, but with 9Js but its shorter car, dont know if this plays a role. Of course, even the RS3s (older and new) for winter tires its always accepting the square setup but the winter tyres do not/must not go more that 230-240 km/h speed or do very sport driving.
Still, I tend to agree that the 255 does not 'turn' fast as the 245 on front, I am reluctant to go to both 8.5Js. I would easier keep the staggered rims and go instead on square tyres only.. (like the Michelin PS4S but still on 8.5J front and 8.0J rear). i wouldn't mess the diameter..
- For the geometry diff.s between the Sedan and the Avant (SB) , i cannot express an opinion, i dont know. What i have heard is that the SB has less space to put very wide tyres at rear, but i dont see how this plays a role on geometry. (Hey all the rally cars now are hatch backs , right :-D ). Anyway, I like more the looks on the SB so i wouldn't go to the Sedan anyways.

 

[flybynite]

Appreciate your feedback! Just trying to do the devil's advocate although you have valid points,
- True that they had decreased the weight by 26kgs, but even now with the RS3 Y, they still keep the staggered setup (and even wider due to the slightly wider body, to 265 with 9J /245 8J wheels). So, i dont think this is the reason. otherwise, they would have gone for the squared. (Note that the Y, has instead +40kgs of weight respect the V (FL) due to the new differentials for the spit torque -drift-, but it's on the rear)
- Indeed, the TTRS has squared setup, but with 9Js but its shorter car, dont know if this plays a role. Of course, even the RS3s (older and new) for winter tires its always accepting the square setup but the winter tyres do not/must not go more that 230-240 km/h speed or do very sport driving.
Still, I tend to agree that the 255 does not 'turn' fast as the 245 on front, I am reluctant to go to both 8.5Js. I would easier keep the staggered rims and go instead on square tyres only.. (like the Michelin PS4S but still on 8.5J front and 8.0J rear). i wouldn't mess the diameter..
- For the geometry diff.s between the Sedan and the Avant (SB) , i cannot express an opinion, i dont know. What i have heard is that the SB has less space to put very wide tyres at rear, but i dont see how this plays a role on geometry. (Hey all the rally cars now are hatch backs , right :-D ). Anyway, I like more the looks on the SB so i wouldn't go to the Sedan anyways.

No problem being devils advocate thats what these forums are for

I have no doubt that there will be some advantage in the reverse stagger, my thinking is on the iron engine it was a big difference and needed, (all those videos of the early RS3 understeering off the Nurbugring) stronger rear ARB is almost a must too. In comparison the FL is night-and day better balanced out of the box (IMHO of course) and gets along just fine for road driving. You would only need the stagger at 10/10 on the track and I don't track the car. They have had to put the band-aid on the RS3 to make it a track machine that it never will be. I didn't buy it to be a track machine as I would have bought something different for that.

I think the 8Y has it because it is a trademark now, it is still a standard MQB (evo) chassis (with all the limitations) and they are still making it for 10/10 runs round the Nurburgring. At least the 8Y sizes do not need a special RO2 tyre. Time will tell what the wear is like.

I turned 2 sets of staggered wheels into a set of square 8" (with 235/35 winter) and a set of square 8.5" (with 245/35 PS4S) so far I cannot fault them and wear is even (considering the Pirellis I took off were worn to the canvas on the inside), With square sizes I can also rotate the tyres if there was any uneven wear.

The saloon has a small difference in wheel offset and track, even on the front which should be the same as the SB. May be a bit of weight further back also. Having driven both there is not a big difference at all but it is there. Not enough to overide my preference in other things but I prefer the saloon anyway.

Rally cars are hatchbacks, but track cars are saloons

 

[Arkteryx]

No problem being devils advocate thats what these forums are for

I have no doubt that there will be some advantage in the reverse stagger, my thinking is on the iron engine it was a big difference and needed, (all those videos of the early RS3 understeering off the Nurbugring) stronger rear ARB is almost a must too. In comparison the FL is night-and day better balanced out of the box (IMHO of course) and gets along just fine for road driving. You would only need the stagger at 10/10 on the track and I don't track the car. They have had to put the band-aid on the RS3 to make it a track machine that it never will be. I didn't buy it to be a track machine as I would have bought something different for that.

I think the 8Y has it because it is a trademark now, it is still a standard MQB (evo) chassis (with all the limitations) and they are still making it for 10/10 runs round the Nurburgring. At least the 8Y sizes do not need a special RO2 tyre. Time will tell what the wear is like.

I turned 2 sets of staggered wheels into a set of square 8" (with 235/35 winter) and a set of square 8.5" (with 245/35 PS4S) so far I cannot fault them and wear is even (considering the Pirellis I took off were worn to the canvas on the inside), With square sizes I can also rotate the tyres if there was any uneven wear.

The saloon has a small difference in wheel offset and track, even on the front which should be the same as the SB. May be a bit of weight further back also. Having driven both there is not a big difference at all but it is there. Not enough to overide my preference in other things but I prefer the saloon anyway.

Rally cars are hatchbacks, but track cars are saloons

The solution to take another staggered setup so you can then have 2 square ones (or two staggered ones of course alternatively) is smart, i can buy that..
I was also thinking to go with aftermarket wheels (was near to the BBS FI-Rs with significant weight diff) but i am a stock lover and dont want to lose the 'authenticity' and aesthetics of the pure RS looks, so i would rather buy another set of genuine staggered Audi wheels and have them with winter tyres (even if in my country we actually do not need them often).
For the tyres, I had a great experience with the PS4S on my previous car, so I could possibly go there next. I still have at least 6 months of drive though with my current tyres (Pzeros) to go, so in case the PS5S will come out eventually i might consider those. Nevertheless, the Pirellis A0 from Audi i have, are also quite good tyres, much better than the 'simple' Pzeros in the market (different compounds etc.). What i love the most in Pirellis is that they have the biggest rim protector in the market, and they have saved my rims quite a lot of times while parking near the sidewalks. The other brands have medium or small rim protector, and you need to be extra careful.