Wheel offsets for B7 Cabriolet

[etcetc]

Hey all,

I am new on here & just recently bought an 07 2.0 TFSI Cabriolet.
I have to say, I really like it so far.

There are loads of things I want to do to it, but one of the first is get some wheels sorted.
I am sure this has been asked loads of times on here, so sorry if I annoy anyone, but I am really unsure as to what setup on wheels leaves me a nice look without rubbing.

The car is currently on std 18" RS6's which I believe are 8x18 ET43.
I am looking at a few different options.
First, a set of 9x19 ET33 genuine speedlines. I have looked on willtheyfit & it tells me they will sit out 22mm more than my current setup, which I think is too much, but I don't know.

If not, i really like the thought of 9.5" all round, but would I need an ET of 42-45 to get away with that?

I have coilovers fitted already & I really do not want to roll, pull or modify any arches to make wheels fit.
I would also like to keep the 235 tyre with but only in a 35 profile when I go up a size.

Any advice or pictures would be greatly received.
Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Charlie Farley]

hi and welcome onboard, and as with most things in life, if you don't ask you don't get....

firstly it sounds like you already have a good starting point from a visual and road holding standpoint as you have coilovers fitted.
as far as choosing wheels , it is a bit a of mine field frankly, there are a lot of rims to choose from that will fit B7's but not all of them will actually be suitable for your application as rim widths and offsets are a very important factor on B7's as the room for errors is not really that big.

Before thinking about offsets maybe decide on a specific rim style first then work forwards as far as size and offset goes.
It is a good plan to look at rim sizing websites but they do tend to be based around generic fittments and not model specific fitting, so, just because it says it will fit don't assume it will fit your car.
If you wish to stay on the 235 tyre but on a 19" then the obvious choice will be a 35 profile tyre as it will retain the same overall diameter of rim/tyre prettywell.
also sounds like your not really into tyre stretching either so your offset calculation will need to be chosen with a bit of care to ensure your don't get any body contact from tyre wall etc.
Rim styles can vary wildly and where one style of rim maybe spot on for your fitment another same size rim but , lets say, more dished rims with a wider lip will not fit as easily and you may need spacers etc and it all gets a bit messy frankly.
most guys that run 19" go with 8.5 or 9.0j rims with offsets from et29 to et42 or roundabout, rears can take more or less offset than fronts but not by much.
if your fronts offset is too much with 9j or more they tend to stick out a bit and look like tractor wheels , rears will fit but you may get tyre rub under suspension compression and cornering, its all a bit trial and error really chap.

one thing to keep in mind is this, an 8jx18" with for example an offset of ET43 will be pretty well oem fitting, if you go to a 19" x 9j then the rims will be an 1" wide overall ( 1/2 both sides) so that et43 will no longer be the same as on the 18" rims, and so on as you get wider, or thinner if that was the case. so you'll need to compensate for that extra width when choosing a specific offset.
a lot of guys choose staggered fitting rims, wider rears to fronts , so maybe look at that aswell.

So many guys have done the same as you and will also know all about the pro's and cons of the mods involved, maybe take an hour or so and read through some of their posts to get a better understanding of what is required and you'll be better abled to get the end results you are looking for without too much hassle or extra expense.
hope that helps a bit.

rob

 

[etcetc]

hi and welcome onboard, and as with most things in life, if you don't ask you don't get....

firstly it sounds like you already have a good starting point from a visual and road holding standpoint as you have coilovers fitted.
as far as choosing wheels , it is a bit a of mine field frankly, there are a lot of rims to choose from that will fit B7's but not all of them will actually be suitable for your application as rim widths and offsets are a very important factor on B7's as the room for errors is not really that big.

Before thinking about offsets maybe decide on a specific rim style first then work forwards as far as size and offset goes.
It is a good plan to look at rim sizing websites but they do tend to be based around generic fittments and not model specific fitting, so, just because it says it will fit don't assume it will fit your car.
If you wish to stay on the 235 tyre but on a 19" then the obvious choice will be a 35 profile tyre as it will retain the same overall diameter of rim/tyre prettywell.
also sounds like your not really into tyre stretching either so your offset calculation will need to be chosen with a bit of care to ensure your don't get any body contact from tyre wall etc.
Rim styles can vary wildly and where one style of rim maybe spot on for your fitment another same size rim but , lets say, more dished rims with a wider lip will not fit as easily and you may need spacers etc and it all gets a bit messy frankly.
most guys that run 19" go with 8.5 or 9.0j rims with offsets from et29 to et42 or roundabout, rears can take more or less offset than fronts but not by much.
if your fronts offset is too much with 9j or more they tend to stick out a bit and look like tractor wheels , rears will fit but you may get tyre rub under suspension compression and cornering, its all a bit trial and error really chap.

So many guys have done the same as you and will also know all about the pro's and cons of the mods involved, maybe take an hour or so and read through some of their posts to get a better understanding of what is required and you'll be better abled to get the end results you are looking for without too much hassle or extra expense.
hope that helps a bit.

rob

Thank you very much for the welcome & the info.
Yeh I guess it is as you say, very much trial & error.
I am considering 9x19 ET42 all round which I think should be just neat on the front & worse case space the rears a little.
I am thinking of perhaps doing my body mods first as there will always be wheels available.
Really like the DTM bumper but not sure if it is still available. If it is, I think I will get it bought first when its still there & then look at the wheels over the winter.

So much available for these cars, it's great compared to Jap cars I have always owned. Loads available for Jap stuff that is really tacky which is not my taste.
Another reason why i am enjoying the Audi experience, you could go tacky if your that way inclined, but loads avaialable that is really OEM looking, which I like.

 

[Charlie Farley]

yep, 19x9 on a et42 will be good, maybe add 5mm to the rears but no more so your rears will be closer to an ET38 , DTM bumpers a great mod but make sure you source a good one that is complete with the mesh grills etc and the original carbon splitter aswell as these smaller parts are harder to find than than the actual bumper assembly.
I had a while back which was complete with all the bits and also had the PDC and washer option , had a repair to the front but still a great item , sold it recently but sort of regret it now, anyway, cant wind the clock back, looking into a rs4 style front bumper instead.
good luck with the mods
rob

 

[DrStrange]

Welcome dude.

My input. I have a cab and can tell you a 9inch wide wheel with ET35 is PERFECTLY flush with the arches.

Currently i have bought OEM s5 peelers with the same spec as you (or what you're eyeing up) 19x9 ET 33. The stance with these are ridiculously nice.

To asses wether or not you like it..look into my history and see the pics i posted of a car with the same stance. Looks EPIC.

Dan