20" tyre advice

[maars]

I'm looking at getting some 20" rims - 9x20ET29, ideally the RS4 style ones from an S5.

My suspension is stock for now. Later on this year I'd like to get the KW adjustable spring setup and lower it a little.

The question is, which tyres work best on 20s. 255/30s or 265/30s?

The 255s are more widely available but only come in a 92Y load rating, whereas the 19" OEM are 96Y. And the 265s only go up to 94Y.

What do you recommend?

[MikeFish]

255/30/20 will give you exactly the same width and rolling radius as the OEM 19" tyres so the only difference you might notice is a slightly harder ride due to having lower sidewalls.
265/30/20 menas you have wider and higer tyres than before so will have more chance of scrubbing. The size difference is probably too small to notice and speedo errors and may in fact actually make it slightly closer to the true speed.
If you go for a 9x20ET29 wheel and fit 255/30/20 it will fit exactly like the OEM 19" wheels / tyres and you will therefore know exactly which lowering / spacer combos work or don't work as so many people have tried all the variations on here already.

[maars]

Thanks Mike.

From my research it seems 5mm spacers and hub adaptors are required for the 20" RS4 style Audi rims.

What about the load rating? Are 92Y 255s safe to use to replace the standard 96Y setup?

[geordie jay]

perfectly safe fella!! got them on mine with kw adjustable springs..

[andyg72]

im sure you can't get a 96y in a 20" anyway

[geordie jay]

lol actually that's correct andy! I forgot to mention or even think about it time for bed its been a long day

[maars]

You're right Andy. On 20" tyres there are no 96Y options. It's either 92 or 94.

On the plus side, you can get F1s in 255/30 20s.

[fateddy]

Hi Maars I have a set of these if interested?

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=113951#p722970

[maars]

Hi Maars I have a set of these if interested?
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=113951#p722970

Thanks, but I'm after a set of ET29s to avoid having to use big spacers.

[PetrolDave]

Load rating 92 = 630kg
Load rating 94 = 670kg
Load rating 96 = 710kg

Since Audi specifically say you need the 96 load rating on the 19" and not the "normal" 92 load rating, then I'd be concerned about using 92 rating 20" tyres as that's 80kg less per tyre.

[maars]

Ok, so 265 94Ys are the one to go for then.

Only a limited number of manufacturers make that size.

Michelin PS2s then?

[MikeFish]

Load rating 92 = 630kg
Load rating 94 = 670kg
Load rating 96 = 710kg

Since Audi specifically say you need the 96 load rating on the 19" and not the "normal" 92 load rating, then I'd be concerned about using 92 rating 20" tyres as that's 80kg less per tyre.

I'm pretty sure there is a large margin in that. I bet they used them because they could rather than because that's what the engineers said was required. Look at the B8, that is a similar speed so will be exerting similar forces but doesn't it weigh more? It comes with 265/30/20 tyres doesn't it? And they are only available up to a 94 rating.

[maars]

What width/offset/tyres do you have?

[PetrolDave]

Look at the B8, that is a similar speed so will be exerting similar forces but doesn't it weigh more? It comes with 265/30/20 tyres doesn't it? And they are only available up to a 94 rating.

If you can get 94 ratings then surely it's not worth taking the (admittedly small) risk of having a 92 rating tyre and for it to fail?

That would be a difficult discussion with the insurance company...

[MikeFish]

Look at the B8, that is a similar speed so will be exerting similar forces but doesn't it weigh more? It comes with 265/30/20 tyres doesn't it? And they are only available up to a 94 rating.

If you can get 94 ratings then surely it's not worth taking the (admittedly small) risk of having a 92 rating tyre and for it to fail?

That would be a difficult discussion with the insurance company...

I agree with you Dave, but in a 255/30/20 the tyres I've seen are all 92Y with the exception of a budget tyre with a 97Y rating. Personally I'd rather have a better handling 92Y than a bad handling 97Y.
If you go up a width to 265/30/20 then there is the option of 94Y.