# What's the widest wheel + tire you can fit?



## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

On a moderately lowered A3, what is the max tread width and/or wheel width you can stuff under without rubbing (after screw removal and rear tab bend)? With the stiffer chassis setup that I'm running, I seem to be maxing out the rubber on my 225 wide PE2s. 

Troy is running 245/35/R18 on stock suspension and the Phaeton Challenge wheels (18x8.5 ET45). Anyone lower running similar width and offset?


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## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

JR - I am aiming for install of the coilovers this coming Wednesday so we will discover if there are any rubbing issues w/ my set up. I've been driving it hard recently and have had no screw contact so I'm optimistic.

I know member "sabba" had 255/35 set up but he had lots of metal work. I asked him how his 255/35 is possible (an affordable size due to BMW Sport Package 3-series using this on the rear) and his reply was: "You will not be able to run this set up on stock suspension and wheels. I recently switched to 245/35/18's on a 8.5" width et45 wheel as I fit much better and cab run less neg camber to fit it. In addition to having a suspension that can run camber in the fronts, my fenders are rolled, the liner is modified, and bolts and tabs have been removed. FAr from stock.

I might have the widest possible, who knew?


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## TroySico (Apr 20, 2002)

Got coil overs installed today. Even on the highest setting on the rear, it's rubbing the screw. I need to do the screw and tab bend mod. Do you know how to do this? 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mkim (Jun 17, 2008)

My rear is 18X9.5 et45 225/40


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

in terms of tire i fit 255's on my 18/8.5/45 VMRs. I had to run a lot of camber in both the rear and fronts as I was dropped to the point where the sidewall/contact patch met. I was ok in the rear, but rubbed on full lock in the fronts against the inside of wheel well...when i noticed i was rubbing the ABS sensor i switched to 245s no issues since.


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

I just wanted to quickly update this thread to say that I've had my 245/35 R18 Eagle F1 Asym. tires (thanks Troy) on for a week, including a ~ 400 mile cruise over the mountains this past weekend. No rubbing yet with my 18x8 et45 wheels (front and rear fender screws removed). I am pleasantly surprised by the gain in performance in several areas. I'm not sure if it has to do with tire construction, width, or both, but here is what I'm finding:



Comfort - even with the lower profile sidewalls, these are more comfortable than the 225/40 Pilot Exaltos that they replaced. I can still feel the road, but expansion seams and defects are not as harsh/pronounced.
Grip - The new tires hold better and give up more progressively than the narrower PE2. After a couple of days, I moved my rear sway bar back to stiff and got nothing but better cornering. No unexpected drama like I got a few times last summer.
Handling - Steering weight has increased slightly and the car is not as nimble feeling at lower speeds. At higher speeds though, the minor twitchy sensation is gone. I drove over a good high speed (well 60 mph with lots of 2-lane passing zones) mountain road from Seattle to Leavenworth and back over the weekend and felt confident passing around long sweeping corners

One side benefit is that these tires really compliment the PSS10 COs. Before, they could be harsh and it was hard to find a good balance between damping and comfort. Now, at 7-8 dial setting, they feel great. It goes to show how important good synergy between components can be. Any reservations that I had about the COs are gone. At a slightly lower than stock setting, they performed beautifully in the mountains.


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## CVoight87 (Feb 7, 2010)

This is great info 


I too would like pictures or a link to the DIY screw removal and bend tab mod. 

Thanks


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

CVoight87 said:


> I too would like pictures or a link to the DIY screw removal and bend tab mod.


Here are some quick pics of the aftermath. It is dead simple. The front fender lining is trapped in place securely, so the screw at the top of the fender arch is not doing much (if anything) to hold it in place. 










There is a plastic tab that wraps down from the liner to cover the metal and act as a sort of washer for the screw. It is a torx socket in the screw. If you have a tiny ratchet and torx tip + 1/4" adapter, you can remove the screw with the wheel on. Then the tab gets trimmed off with a knife.

The rear screw is on a tab that connects the top of the bumper to the metal fender by means of a plastic clip. 










After you remove the torx screw, you can pull out the bumper to see what is going on. The metal tab on the fender can be bent up, and the plastic parts trimmed with dremel or similar. 

















(like the dirt?)

I left enough material so that the remains of the bumper tab overlap the plastic part that held the screw threads. This seems to help hold it in place, but I bet it would snap back into place without anything.


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## CVoight87 (Feb 7, 2010)

Appreciate 


Thanks for the quick turnaround JRutter. Might do it tonight if I take a break from writting my MBA essay finals for summer classes


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## Rob Cote (Dec 6, 2006)

So the rear bumper can just flap out now? :screwy: Do not want.


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Rob Cote said:


> So the rear bumper can just flap out now? :screwy: Do not want.


No - I pulled it out to show it only. Snaps back in place - does not flap out...


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## Rob Cote (Dec 6, 2006)

What holds it in place if you cut the screw receiver off?


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## mkim (Jun 17, 2008)

Rob Cote said:


> What holds it in place if you cut the screw receiver off?


The body line


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