Wheel Spacers

[si_hill]

I have a set of 18" OZ split rims which I am keen to fit to the S4. However they are only 8J and as a result they foul the AP callipers by a couple of mm. A friend of mine is going to engineer me some 5mm spacers for the front. My question is do I need to fit the same spacers to the rear so that the track is the same front and rear? Is this important with the quattro system?

[CliveH]

I thought it was, but when I asked the question a while back, I was told that a few mm wider on the front isn't a problem...

I'm sure someone who really knows what they're talking about will be along soon...

[MarkB]

It won't mater. Some even run staggered wheels 8's front 9's rear etc.

Rolling raidius is the thing to keep within a few mm so as not to stress the centre diff

[tartan_rob]

I would tend to disagree. Keeping track in tow is important. The wider the car the more stable (in theory), so in essence you have a car that is ever so slightly more stable front than at rear. This may induce oversteer - which could be nice...

If you don't fit spacers rear, the car may look out slightly, wider front to rear but in any case build the speed and handling up slowly until you are happy that you know what she'll do.

[MarkB]

Yes I agree it will affect the handling to some degree. Good or Bad. Probably should have mentioned that also.

I was thinking mechanically with reference to the quattro system in the first post.

[oliew]

i run 20mm spacers on the front of my race mini to clear the 8.4" 4pots with 10" wheels handles ok!! bit of a difference between that and a s4 tho

[ZeroK66]

whatever you do - make sure you get H&R spacers. I have spent a small fortune on Eibach ones - which although very good and better than Halfords Specials - they still are giving me trouble - and it is taking a long time to get it sorted. I did originally look for H&R ones, but ended up with Eibach ones having not realised what I had ordered. School boy error.

[shineydave]

there's already a difference between front and rear track on the S4 as standard, front: 1,496mm, rear: 1,491mm. i wouldn't have thought 5.0mm a side would make a noticable difference.

[simple1]

I run 10mm spacers on the front and 20mm on the back of my B5........ does not have any effect on systems, and the car is far more stable than on standard 18's........a combination of wider wheels and tyres helps this I'm sure.... Also fill the arches nicely

[dhali]

i have the same as simon, 10mm frnt 20mm back . and come to think of it his previous MTMs

[si_hill]

Cheers for the replies. I have decided to go for 5mm spacers all round but will eventually look to get wider rims to avoid spacers altogether.

Zero - Why have you had issues with your spacers? A mate of mine is engineering mine for me.

[ZeroK66]

The Eibach ones supplied to me were incorrect and have a tiny amount of play in the centre bore meaning that the wheel can mount off centre resulting in HORRID vibration as if your wheels need balancing. Eibach/the supplier are trying to sort it, but weeks on and no resolve yet. Had I just bought H&R ones as I had anticipated receiving I would not be spending hours cursing on motorway drives.

Make sure the ones you have fabricated have a centering bore that matches your hub & that repeated on the otherside to the wheel so you get a perfect tight fit & no chace the weight of the wheel is resting on the bolts/sitting off centre.

[rolskii]

Make sure the ones you have fabricated have a centering bore that matches your hub & that repeated on the otherside to the wheel so you get a perfect tight fit & no chace the weight of the wheel is resting on the bolts/sitting off centre.

I really cant see how the size of the spacer, centering the spacer can let your wheels run out, basically due to it being the wheel bolts that help centre the wheel on final nip up, unless your centre bore size of your wheels is bigger than the hub shoulder your wheels sit on, if so get some centring spacer rings and put them on with care(centered) ...
or correct wheels

I have some omni spacer, you know cheap multi-fit spacers, from STS in slough, cost me £15 if i remember correct, now these you had to align yourself due to the slop in them, not once did I have any wobble caused by them, even when a wheel shop changed my tyres and put them on pissed, these were on the front only, I had nylon centre spacing rings in place also, as my wheels had v.large c/bores ...oz alloys
I did aprox 30k on that set up with no issues, check true-ness of mated surfaces and cleanliness - wider ride on front didnt pose any issues

[SimonS4MTM]

I run 10mm spacers on the front and 20mm on the back of my B5........ does not have any effect on systems, and the car is far more stable than on standard 18's........a combination of wider wheels and tyres helps this I'm sure.... Also fill the arches nicely

I love that car!!!