# Will 18x8.5 wheels work on my A3?



## drkside (May 16, 2007)

Looking to purchase a set of new wheels for my 2008 A3. Looking to go with 18 x 8.5 rime (+35 offset) and 245/40/18 tires. These are the 2012 S5 OEM wheels

http://data.motor-talk.de/data/galleries/0/131/7734/51002197/a5y1-62757-1-1949556597790099951.jpg

I have not done anything to my stock suspension. Will I have any rubbing issues with these larger wheels? I am concerned with the +35 offset.

Appreciate any help/advice you can offer.


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## cldub (Jul 2, 2010)

drkside said:


> Looking to purchase a set of new wheels for my 2008 A3. Looking to go with 18 x 8.5 rime (+35 offset) and 245/40/18 tires. These are the 2012 S5 OEM wheels
> 
> http://data.motor-talk.de/data/galleries/0/131/7734/51002197/a5y1-62757-1-1949556597790099951.jpg
> 
> ...


Wheels will be fine, but that beefy tire is more of a concern to me. 245 is giant for our cars


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## drkside (May 16, 2007)

so do you think these tires are too wide and won't work? Are we taking rubbing or sticking out past the wheel well and good bad?


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## P0299 (Mar 18, 2012)

245 is too wide. I'm on H&R coil overs and have 245x35x19 on my 19x9.5 HRE 590RS (et 39) and when I set my car down (even with the coils full up) the fenders sit on the tire, I'm sure at best you'd be rubbing like crazy.


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

My winter set up is 18x8 ET 46 running 235/40 tires and I was rubbing on stock suspension. You are also going to poke out in the front and kick up a lot of debris and dirt along the side of your car. Also makes my car look like a lowered Q5.

245 is pretty wide.


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## eddiefury (Aug 5, 2007)

rubbing with 235 on stock?? hmmm, was going to go with 235s on my next set


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

eddiefury said:


> rubbing with 235 on stock?? hmmm, was going to go with 235s on my next set


I'll be putting them back on in the next two or three weeks. I'll let you know if I'm rubbing with coilovers and the screw removed. Here's what they look like. Pretty close to flush in the front


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## eddiefury (Aug 5, 2007)

ceese said:


> I'll be putting them back on in the next two or three weeks. I'll let you know if I'm rubbing with coilovers and the screw removed. Here's what they look like. Pretty close to flush in the front


cool. look forward to seeing it dropped!


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## Greddy87 (Oct 21, 2010)

been there done that.. 235-40-18's too thick, especially if your not stretching tire.. You will barely get the car lowered.. 215-40-18's in the front & 225-40-18's in the rear if you want to get low.. Also seen 215-40-18 all around.. 215-40-18 on a 18 x 8.5 width rim is decent stretch nothing too risky.. Here's my car Fronts- 215-40-18's on 18 x 8.5 38 offset - Rears-225-40-18 on 18 x 9.5- 44 offset


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## Greddy87 (Oct 21, 2010)




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## DG7Projects (Jul 12, 2011)

Yes they will work. For the record, I'm running Hankook Ventus V12s at 225/40/18 and VMR V701s at 18x8.5 et 45. eace:


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## GunKata (Apr 4, 2006)

DG7Projects said:


> Yes they will work. For the record, I'm running Hankook Ventus V12s at 225/40/18 and VMR V701s at 18x8.5 et 45. eace:


I'm running the same specs for winter (VMR708's tho, also Hankook, but V2 allseasons), but OP is talking about a +35 offset , thats considerably more aggressive.


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

DG7Projects said:


> Yes they will work. For the record, I'm running Hankook Ventus V12s at 225/40/18 and VMR V701s at 18x8.5 et 45. eace:





GunKata said:


> I'm running the same specs for winter (VMR708's tho, also Hankook, but V2 allseasons), but OP is talking about a +35 offset , thats considerably more aggressive.


225/40/18 is an OEM tire size he was asking about 245/40s with an aggressive offset. It's entirely possible the setup will work but he will also undoubtedly run into some issues.


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## biff2bart (Dec 5, 2011)

As mentioned, the ET35 mm offset is A4 / A5 spec, which is designed for a lower offset and wider tire. A4's do take wheels down to A3 size, but can accept the larger tire / rim combo with the lower offset.

On an A3, 8.5" rim width will work just fine, but typically with a 42 - 45mm offset. Standard tire size would be a 225mm width (nominal), or narrower if being stretched. 

Also, assuming an 18" 245 tire, you might want to look at 245 / *35* / 18 instead of 245 / *40* / 18.

Here's a drawing comparing three different rim dimensions to give you an idea of what to expect: you can see that with the ET35mm offset, the 8.5" wide rim is slid 10mmm outwards compared to the 8,5" x ET45, or over 16mm compared to a 8" wide ET45 rim (and this doesn't include any information regarding tire size):


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## Mici (Aug 22, 2012)

18x8,5 ET35 front:
















^Same with 225/40 rubber wrapped.

On stock suspension it might work, but if you are going any lower at any point, I think the ET35 is just too much out. I remember watching my fronts from directly upwards on the fender and thinking it is like 3/4" poking out. I ended up getting ET45's on front after all. (They sent me 4xET35's at first, ET45's were ordered, with a lot of hassle got the front ones exchanged to ET45's.) 

The rear goes on better, but even that with that wide rubber will go close, if lowering the car at all.

-Mici-


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## a3onfire (Apr 21, 2012)

yo man i love those wheels do u know the model name thanks..


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## GunKata (Apr 4, 2006)

ceese said:


> 225/40/18 is an OEM tire size he was asking about 245/40s with an aggressive offset. It's entirely possible the setup will work but he will also undoubtedly run into some issues.


yes, im aware and 245's will rub as I tried that as well, even lowered with the screws removed and fender liner cut. 


And if you run a +35 with 245 tire on a stock suspension car it will look absolutely retarded.


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