Audi A3 (RS3 19" Alloys & Lowering) Need Advice on making practical!

[deadboltz]

Hello, I've recently brought an a3 2010, its got rs3 alloys and brakes, and is on 50mm vogltand lowering springs. I've recently had an issue my passenger side alloy cracking, the roads are terrible where I live, and I wanted to make sure I can make my car more practical for daily use.  Currently its running 215/35/19 Tyres, but I know it should be on 235/35/19" tyres or perhaps even bigger profiles, as this should take impacts better but I can't do that until I higher the car. I wanted some advice on what spring size would you recommend for and how I can avoid issues with roads as much as possible I like the look of the car but need my car as a daily so it needs to be practical for all roads.

Attached are photos

[Magnet]

Hello Chris,

Looking at the tyres I’m not surprised you are (very?) dissatisfied with the ride. You just as well have solid tyres, and Mr. Dunlop not have bothered to have invented the pneumatic tyre!

Wheels cracking is a serious, serious concern for you, and the good folks of Staffordshire. Are these manufacturer’s original equipment wheels, or aftermarket? 

Apologies for probably stating the obvious, but the larger the diameter the wheel, the lower the profile of the tyre has to be, since the outside diameter of the wheel and tyre has to stay constant in comparison with the original engineered design. If you (very understandably) want a better ride, then the route to that is to fit smaller diameter wheels with higher profile tyres. You cannot simply fit higher profile tyres to these wheels. You will need to establish what the original equipment standard wheel dia. and tyre profiles were (from your handbook?) and work back from there. 

Apart from the supposed ‘improvement’ in cornering due to less tyre section to flex, what is the advantage in fitting larger dia. wheels? If  the owner always attempts to drive around corners on two wheels - great. If not, then you have just found out the disadvantages of these set ups. 

Good luck in getting the ride as you want it. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

p.s. Not to mention the lowering of the suspension - so we haven’t! 

[deadboltz]

1 hour ago, Magnet said:

Hello Chris,

Looking at the tyres I’m not surprised you are (very?) dissatisfied with the ride. You just as well have solid tyres, and Mr. Dunlop not have bothered to have invented the pneumatic tyre!

Wheels cracking is a serious, serious concern for you, and the good folks of Staffordshire. Are these manufacturer’s original equipment wheels, or aftermarket? 

Apologies for probably stating the obvious, but the larger the diameter the wheel, the lower the profile of the tyre has to be, since the outside diameter of the wheel and tyre has to stay constant in comparison with the original engineered design. If you (very understandably) want a better ride, then the route to that is to fit smaller diameter wheels with higher profile tyres. You cannot simply fit higher profile tyres to these wheels. You will need to establish what the original equipment standard wheel dia. and tyre profiles were (from your handbook?) and work back from there. 

Apart from the supposed ‘improvement’ in cornering due to less tyre section to flex, what is the advantage in fitting larger dia. wheels? If  the owner always attempts to drive around corners on two wheels - great. If not, then you have just found out the disadvantages of these set ups. 

Good luck in getting the ride as you want it. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

p.s. Not to mention the lowering of the suspension - so we haven’t! 

Hello, Gareth thank you for your reply. Very much appreciated.

I brought this car modified, perhaps a bit naively liking the looks of the car not knowing I could bugger the alloys so easily. The Alloy's are rs3 alloys 19", which technically, are aftermarket, even though are they are from an Audi, the a3's generally only go up to 18" from the manufacturer as I know so technically 19" shouldn't on the car.  Right now the tyre's I'm running on those alloys 215/35/19, rather than the recommended 235/35/19 (I was wondering if this was an issue) , I'm not 100% sure why 215's are used, but from browsing around on other people fitting 19" to a3's I assume its perhaps for clearance issue's because of the size of the alloy or something or how low the car is. I wanted just to make this car practical for day to day and not have to worry about as much of the road surface. Don't get me wrong if you hit a pothole you expect to maybe have a problem, but its just everywhere near me has them and if it keeps happening it's going to be an expensive bill for me.

 At first I was under the impression I could use a thicker profile tyre such as 235/45/19, but that is not good idea is it? As your putting a tyre on the alloy that it isn't designed for. When I got the alloy off and found the crack, its had several repairs before, I'm concerned now as I just want my car back on the road and make it practical. I know a good welder who repair the alloy, but it does make me question if I'm fixing the underlying problem here and as much as I enjoy the looks of the car it's just going to give me a headache. I'm not that bothered about performance I was more interested in the styling, but I'm considering as you say establishing the OEM alloys that fit the car and just getting them put on it.

[cliffcoggin]

Chris.

You clearly realise that to safeguard your wheels you need higher profile tyres, and to do that you need smaller wheels, so it's going to be expensive. And that's before you restore any suspension components. Perhaps your best bet is to sell the car to a boy racer, and get yourself something more practical.

If it's any comfort to you my A3 has 225/45/17 tyres and I burst four of them in 18 months on potholes. For a while I considered smaller wheels and higher tyres to cope with the roads around here, and I may yet be forced to do so as the roads are being allowed to deteriorate even further.

[Bmg73]

I've lowered my 2006 A3 sportback 35mm but now getting a rattle from the front, any advice on this would be appreciated. 

[Dan3222]

On 4/18/2019 at 9:17 PM, Bmg73 said:

I've lowered my 2006 A3 sportback 35mm but now getting a rattle from the front, any advice on this would be appreciated. 

Get a small hammer and tap all the nuts and bolts, a loose one will sound dull compared to tight ones.  If you can’t find anything loose I suggest taking it to a local MOT garage that has a ‘shake plate’ which rocks the car. This should help find the cause of the rattle.