Upgrading to 19" rims

[Bushy]

MTM make spacers and cost around £150 from Quattrosports

So no problem there

The Sportecs come 19 x 10, dont think they do 8.5 as no tyre will fit, 9" min

Sportec can supply their own spacer for our cars

Just the tyres, I reckon you gotta go for 265 so it doesnt rub the arches or suspension

We have narrowed it down to

Yokohama or Toyo

Where are you based as we are trying to get a deal on 4 sets of tyres

Cheers

[Thorney]

Exhausting this is aint it Bushy [img]images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Yokohama's (AVS or AML that Tim is using) are designed for 9-9.5" rim. They 'think' that a 10" rim 'might' be OK but no guarrantees.

The Toyo Proxes T-1S WILL fit a 9-5 to 10.5" rim so I'm going for these. IMO 'might' and 'think' doesn't give me much confidence at 160mph odd.

The Toyo is a good tyre with good write ups and as it is designed for this size wheel - its my pick. If you're going for RS6 wheels then you can happily choose the Yoko as Tim says good things and thats what he's running.

[Dave]

The RS6 9x19" have ET 35mm so you will need spacers (15mm) to reach the 20mm. Right? What spacers can be used?
I am also hesitating buying the Sportec 8.5x19" or the RS6-ones. What could you suggest?

So.. does that mean the 5 spoke rims on my RS6 are fitted with spacers?
Dave

[PhilT]

No. Well I hope not!!

[Dave]

is using spacers a bad thing?

[PhilT]

Personally, I would avoid spacers like the plague...

But, there are a few people who make good spacers. I think the trick is to get a spacer that has been designed for that specific application. Or discuss with someone with manufacturing ability to get some made, Tanoga/Forge?

[PhilT]

I should add that I understand that Sportec produce high quality spacers. Andy, can you confirm?

[Thorney]

Depends on the kind of spacers (I looked into this before deciding to go for the Sportecs).

In the past spacers have been simple lumps of metal which sandwich between rim and hub. However, modern (high quality ones anyway) are actually machined to fit inside the rim itself so are more of a rim extension rather than a spacer as such - although they obviously serve the same purpose.

As a result there are less (I won't say none) of the issues on bearing stress.

[Dave]

Hmmm.. very interesting...

Is it not also illegal to have the tyres of your car protrude further than the arches?

A mate of mine had a mini when I were kids that had wheels sticking out.. and we got pulled over and had to change them [img]images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Andiroo]

Indeed Sportec do produce high quality spacers. These are actually permanently attached to the wheel, rather than being loose.

See for yourself,



Andiroo

[Dave]

Yea.. I would be happier with something like that.. it's almost like the origional hub

Do they rotate or are the fixed like the hub?
Dave

[Andiroo]

They are actually machined and fixed as part of the wheel, and you cannot get them off [img]images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] very nice job indeed.

Andiroo

[TimJMS]

Good points about spacers, Thorney and indeed PhilT [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I say that I am running 15mm "spacers" but it would be more accurate to describe them as axle extensions. They really are beautifully machined fillets of metal.

They are allen bolted into the axles. The Rebates allow the heads of the bolts to flush fit the "spacer". When torqued up to the correct setting and used in conjunction with Loctite fixing compound they do not move. Very satisfactory. My RS6 alloys are then (using my original RS4 wheel bolts and importantly locking nuts) fastened to and THROUGH the "spacers" to the hub.

Twenty minute job to put the whole lot back to as original. If you know the right grease monkey! [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[anakin]

I saw the Sportec spacers fitted on the RIMs and it is Swiss high-precision! They do have 8.5x19" but they use 255/35ZR19 with ET20 in front and ET15 rear. They also told me that the 10x19" with 265/30ZR19 need work on the "wheel-houses" (do you say that in english?) and the 10x19" are only available in silver. I would like the anthracite ones that are available in 8.5x19" or 18".

Finally, what about the new Michelin Pilot Sport2 ?? Who tried it out?

[Rob_O]

The RS6 9x19" have ET 35mm so you will need spacers (15mm) to reach the 20mm. Right? What spacers can be used?
I am also hesitating buying the Sportec 8.5x19" or the RS6-ones. What could you suggest?

So.. does that mean the 5 spoke rims on my RS6 are fitted with spacers?
Dave

Just coming across this while searching for something but thought I'd reply in case no one else had ... No, Dave, your RS6 is *not* running spacers with the RS6 alloys. The OE (stock/factory) offset on your car is ET35 (35 mm), which is what the 19" OE RS6 alloy fitment is.

The RS4 boys have to run 15mm spacers because RS4 offset is ET20 (20 mm). In order for the wheels to clear brake and suspension components while filling out those bulged fender arches, the RS4 is equipped with an aggressive offset compared to other models (A4/S4 is ET45 by comparison ... the bigger the number, the further "in" the wheel sits).