Switching wheels and tyres

[Duck]

I've got 19" alloys (5x112 - 8.5J - ET43) with 255 35 R19 tyres on my Avant.

The ride is quite firm for my requirements and I'm looking to soften the ride somewhat by dropping down to 18" wheels and having slightly higher profile tyres.

I found numerous sets online and this particular size keeps cropping up. Can anyone tell me if I can install 18" alloys at 5x112 - 8J - ET47 with 245 40 R18 tyres without any problems? 

Would this be a straight swap or do I need spacers and the like?

Any info would be much appreciated!

[Steve Q]

Hi Kevin, you could also consider fitting the SE suspension (shocks and springs) as that should help soften the ride a little. It'll raise the ride height too by the way.

Cheers

Steve

[niedzial1983]

Like steve said you wont feel much diffrence between 35 or 40 wall . If you have sline suspension then replacing springs to se would be the way. Also going to 18" you may lose qround clerance a bit 

19" rim will fill 255 40 tire btw 🙂

[Duck]

I do want to raise the ride height because of the nature of the model Avant I have (love the look and spec but didn't really think about the practical side of it...!).

My concerns are due to my family in the car and roof box on top whenever we have UK holidays in the sticks and we always stay in remote places peppered with country roads and the occasional rough track.

Despite it being a quattro model, I feel that I'll end up damaging the car. More than my own comfort, I want to protect the car!

Having SE suspension seems a sound plan however I would need to find an Audi specialist as if I took it to a dealer they would probably wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Anything non-spec and they freak out.

Niedzial; what you're saying also sounds interesting. Maybe I could just get a set of tyres with 40 or even 45 profile... Or would that just make the car look awkward?

 

[Duck]

So the real question I guess, is how do I increase ground clearance abd stop the wheels hitting the wheel arches when I have a car load... Without making the car look out of place?

Without buying an Allroad, there must be some kind of suspension/wheel combination of alterations that should fit, right? 😅 

[niedzial1983]

So i presume you have sline version? that is 30mm lower then se 

[Duck]

Yes, S-Line Black Edition. However it was only advertised as factory lowered by 20mm.

[niedzial1983]

Nice

But if you want off road you bought the wrong car haha. 

You would need to change springs to se , shocks , 18" wheels , then have traction set up etc... 

Is it 2.0 or 3.0 ? When buying springs you need to concidre weight limits.

 

[Duck]

Ha ha! Yeah, I'm not treating it as a mud-plugger by any means, but I want it to handle the odd rough track (slowly) without damaging anything!

So I agree, definitely springs, and the accompanying shocks. Have to think about what tyre profiles on an 18" wheel would negate the lowering of the car from an19" wheel.... Maybe I shouldn't be shy about it and go for 45 profile.

It is a 2 litre quattro.

[Lynne]

Anyone know if these 18" will fit a4 advent quattro  tdi diesel  2012 bought hubby surprise, but I don't think they will