Problem - Need Help please

[Herby1]

Hello everyone,

Got a bit of a problem with my A3 8l 1999,

Behind the Drivers side wheel has a good 2 inch gap between the tyre and the shock absorber arm, but behind the passengers side wheel the tyre is touching the shock absorber arm, what on earth can this be and why? can it be fixed easily or will this cost me an arm and a leg? it drives fine, but i am so worried it is going to get worse or it rub the tyre down an i could have a blowout? i have changed my wheels to 18 inch but that shouldnt make any difference?

could someone please help me with this and send me in the right direction, has this ever happened to anyone on here?

Thank for anyones help in advance.

Kind Regards

Chris

 

[S2Avant]

Don't drive it with the tyre touching anything or you will have a blowout.
What wheels are they?
Where did you get them from?
Are there any ET values on the wheels and are they all the same?

 

[Herby1]

hello mate, they are 18" A8 wheels, all the same and et is perfect, its wierd why all of a sudden it is like this!

 

[Herby1]

anyone? need help with this really bad!

 

[Mo-S3]

Have you had any work done on the rear suspension?? Any previous crash damage??

 

[Herby1]

rear suspension? why the rear suspension mate? how does that effect my problem? no their has been no damage to the car that i know of.

im just trying to find out what the problem could be?

thanks for your time in replying by the way mate.

Chris

 

[s3tle]

sounds quite dangerous! i would try putting the spare on you can see how the orginal wheel sits with the suspension. But really don't think it sounds safe to drive.

My first thoughts would of been ET too
How long have you had the wheels on the car?
Is the car lowered? what suspension if so?
Have you jack the car up, is there any play in the wheel?

if you have had the wheels on the car for a while and this is a new problem i guess something must of failed or have become mis-alined. I don't know too much about suspension, hopefully another member will, but i would get it to a garage! some things aren't worth the risk!

 

[claudefrog]

try putting the wheel from the good side onto the bad side.. if that fixes the problem, you have the wrong offset on the bad wheel

 

[AndyMac]

They can't be A8 wheels as they wouldn't fit an A3, the stud pattern is wider (PCD is 112 on all Audi's apart from A3 & TT). PCD on A3/TT is only 100. Has someone fitted those god awful adapters?

 

[S2Avant]

Have the wheels been on previously, or have you just fitted them?

 

[DPM]

Could be reps. You really need to find out the ET on the wheels. It'll either be on the inside of the wheel or under the wheel cap on the outside next to the bolt holes.

 

[Herby1]

they were fitted by rochford tyres in essex, yes they are a8 wheels mate for sure, and they are on my car without any adaptors went straight on, can someone do me a favour and check to see if there car is the same a3 of course, because i have just felt the tyr and it sstill has the bobbly bits of tyre on the sides, so it hasnt been rubbing at all it is just very close....can someone check to see if their passanger side is close to the shock arm? if not i still need help .lol

thanks very much for all your replies.

 

[simch]

What do you mean by the "shock arm". If you mean the bottom wishbone, are you talking about clearance on full lock or wheels straight.....? Wheels straight clearance to the wishbone is surely dictated by the wheel diameter!!!
Or do you mean the wheel is sitting "back" in its wheel arch when looking at it form the side of the car, ie closer gap ot the back edge of the wheel arche near the drivers or passenger door?

Perhaps a photo would help us. But if its inboard wgheel clearance and you have lost near 2 inches, its nowt to do with ET of wheels......!! Are you sure your wheels were straight when you measured it all, if there is some lock on it would make clearance big one side and small the other, a double wammy on the whole "problem!"
Look at the car from the front, a fair way back and see if the wheels look like thye have the same "camber" ie if they tip in or out at the top when looking form the front.

 

[AndyMac]

Definately A8 replica's then.

 

[S2Avant]

Take a picture of the part you are talking about and then we can see exactly what you mean.

 

[Herby1]

right when i look down from the arch the wheel is sitting in about an inch to 2 inch further than the other wheel.........thats it basically

 

[simch]

Where mate, at the top or bottom of the wheel?

Do it properly! get a bif of string, put a weight on it like an old nut or something, and get a ruler out.
drop the string and nut over the top of the wheelarch, in the centre of the wheel, and let it settle. Measure the distance from the plumbline (string) to the CENTRE of the wheel, first, then the bottom of the wheel RIM, not tyre, then the top of the wheel rim, NOT TYRE!
While you are there, measure the ride height, ie the distance from the top edge of the wheel arch to the centre of the wheel.
Right all those measurements down, then do the same on the other wheel.
Then let us know what's goin on!
Of course you dont even knwo whihc side is correct yet, it could be the other wheel is sticking out too much, but from what you've said and inch to 2 inch difference is HUGE and could be something VERY SERIOUS. I would not drive it until you have sorted what it all is, so go measure it properly now.

No disrespect at all fella, but if you don't feel to confident about what is wrong with it, and find it tricky to explain it, you really should not drive it and get a professional out to have a look at it, even maybe the AA. You could have a wheelbearing or bottom ball joint about to collapse and that could kill you or some other poor sod!!

Get a photo too even a rubbish one off a camera phone would help and if after measuring you cannot find whihc is the correct wheel, go find another similar car and have a look!!
It does nto sound too good this, but if its a bearing or ball joint its an easy enough fix and cheap too. If the wheel drops off when you are driving it could be very costly, in more ways that one!!!
Be careful, if in doubt, call a pro!

 

[Herby1]

ok cheers bud for all your help

 

[Herby1]

Found out the problem, the divs who cant do their job properly at Rochford tyres gave me 3 et35 and 1 et47 wheel thats why it was rubbing because of the offset of the wheel, what a bunch of idiots, they cant even get that right! really ****** me off now because it has rubbed on the shock arm and it could have done some bad damage, and not long ago my friend bought some 19's from there and on two of the wheels they didnt do the bolts up, and he was half way down the motorway.......last time i ever go their and thats a fact! ****** idiots!

 

[simch]

that'll do it then. BUt only 12 mill diff, you were talking inches....!!

You sure everything else is ok.......?

 

[Herby1]

i dont know yet, i get the wheel on monday! i will let you all know then!