A6 Allroad -18 Wheelsize?

[Jools.]

I have a my18 A6 Allroad and planning on buying a new set of wheels.

The car is standard equipped with OEM 255/45/19 8.5" ET43.
I want to equip it with a 265/35/21 9" ET35.

The diameter of the wheel will be almost the same, the biggest difference is that the tyre is going to be about 1.3cm closer on the outside to the plastic fender. I have no idea if this is to narrow and will scratch it or not?

Can someone with better knowledge about this cars than me, confirm if this will be a problem?

Please help a noob here....

 

[J10NMM]

The new wheels will stick out further (14mm) but you'll have more clearance inside (2mm).

Existing
Diameter
712.1mm

Circumference
2237.1mm

Poke
65mm

Inset
151mm

Speedo error
0%

Reading at 30mph
30mph

Reading at 60mph
60mph

Ride height gain
0mm

Arch gap loss
0mm


New
Diameter
718.9mm

Circumference
2258.5mm

Poke
79.3mm

Inset
149.3mm

Speedo error
-0.95%

Reading at 30mph
29.72mph

Reading at 60mph
59.43mph

Ride height gain
3.4mm

Arch gap loss
3.4mm

 

[Jools.]

Yes i know, but will that be a problem?

 

[ajax1976]

I think you might have a slight issue on the rears. I've lowered my Allroad a tad and run stock 20" wheels(8.5 et43) with 10mm spacers and I had to trim the arch trims slightly, you may get away with it if you're stock height. An online calculator puts your tyre in about the same location so you might have to trim it back a bit, The fronts are already trimmed from the factory across the top of them.

 

[Jools.]

Thx for the input!

The wheels im looking at is going to be 13mm closer go the archtrim, front and back compare to my original 255/45/19 ET43. (Wrong ET, and height in your picture).
About 3mm closer than your wheels with spacer i guess.

But its not lowered, and it will be keept at its original height.
I have seen Allroads with wheels with the specs im looking at, but i dont know their ET. I suppose with a ET at around 37-40 would be more of a safe side!
But the aftermarket wheels im looking at, is ET35 as it highest!

How much did you lowered your car?
Did it scratch the trims just by driving normaly, or was it at speedbumps?

 

[Bulldog]

@Jools. I’m running 9x20 et33 all round on my Avant Plus also got 5mm rear spacers & 12mm front. Which takes the rear to et28 & front to et21 & no rubbing with this setup & I'm lowered about 45mm.

 

[ajax1976]

Thx for the input!

The wheels im looking at is going to be 13mm closer go the archtrim, front and back compare to my original 255/45/19 ET43. (Wrong ET in your picture).
About 3mm closer than your wheels with spacer i guess.

But its not lowered, and it will be keept at its original height.
I have seen Allroads with wheels with the specs im looking at, but i dont know their ET. I suppose with a ET at around 37-40 would be more of a safe side!
But the aftermarket wheels im looking at, is ET35 as it highest!

How much did you lowered your car?
Did it scratch the trims just by driving normaly, or was it at speedbumps?

The specs in the picture is my set up, just so I could compare to the size you're thinking about.

I lowered by 17mm, I never actually had it rubbing but could see it would have if the wheel had traveled up enough. I use my car offroad a bit so decided just to trim the plastic, no one see's it and it was easy to do.
It's a bit bizarre the Allroad has bigger arches yet they have less clearance on them compared to a normal A6!!

 

[Bulldog]

I thought the allroad had more clearance as most people in the US run 10.5 all round.

 

[Jools.]

@Jools. I’m running 9x20 et33 all round on my Avant Plus also got 5mm rear spacers & 12mm front. Which takes the rear to et28 & front to et21 & no rubbing with this setup & I'm lowered about 45mm.

View attachment 203484

Ok, that sounds good!
What side is your tyres? 255/40/20?

I wonder if the Allroad has the same space around the wheels consider the archtrim?
But on another side, im pretty sure its a higher ride with the original setup as my car has!
So the wheels im looking at shouldnt be a problem while driving normaly!

 

[Bulldog]

I’m running 255/35/20. I think the wheels your going for should be fine even if you did want to lower it a bit as well.

 

[ajax1976]

I thought the allroad had more clearance as most people in the US run 10.5 all round.

I think it has less, I can only assume they're trimming the plastics. I'm pretty sure it's still just an A6 with the same metal arch under the plastic trims.

You can see in the picture where I trimmed mine back and I've still got 5mm overlap of plastic left back to the metal arch. Without trimming its probably about 15mm overlapping to the inside, you wouldn't believe how much dirt gets stuck on it, worth trimming to stop that building up alone.

 

[Jools.]

The specs in the picture is my set up, just so I could compare to the size you're thinking about.

I lowered by 17mm, I never actually had it rubbing but could see it would have if the wheel had traveled up enough. I use my car offroad a bit so decided just to trim the plastic, no one see's it and it was easy to do.
It's a bit bizarre the Allroad has bigger arches yet they have less clearance on them compared to a normal A6!!

Maybe its the same arches as the normal A6, but the trims make the clearance smaller.

As you say, there shouldnt be a problem to trim the plastic if it is a problem with scratching. And as my car is not lowered so i guess it would demand some serious offroading or reallt high speed over speedbumps to make the wheels hit the trims!

 

[Jools.]

I think it has less, I can only assume they're trimming the plastics. I'm pretty sure it's still just an A6 with the same metal arch under the plastic trims.

You can see in the picture where I trimmed mine back and I've still got 5mm overlap of plastic left back to the metal arch. Without trimming its probably about 15mm overlapping to the inside, you wouldn't believe how much dirt gets stuck on it, worth trimming to stop that building up alone.

Thx for the pic!

Still, it feels like just a tiny 1.3cm wider tyre shouldnt scratch the trims, and would be within the clearance.
But perhaps the original 255/45/19 ET43, is as far as Audi can push it before it rubs the trims. And another 1.3cm is crossing the limit if you raise the wheel at its maximum. But never Will be a problem with normal driving.

 

[ajax1976]

Maybe its the same arches as the normal A6, but the trims make the clearance smaller.

As you say, there shouldnt be a problem to trim the plastic if it is a problem with scratching. And as my car is not lowered so i guess it would demand some serious offroading or reallt high speed over speedbumps to make the wheels hit the trims!

Normal day to day driving you'll be fine, It's only when I'm in individual mode that it might have been an issue, if I've got 2 bars or more on the screen it's fine.

 

[ajax1976]

Thx for the pic!

Still, it feels like just a tiny 1.3cm wider tyre shouldnt scratch the trims, and would be within the clearance.
But perhaps the original 255/45/19 ET43, is as far as Audi can push it before it rubs the trims. And another 1.3cm is crossing the limit if you raise the wheel at its maximum. But never Will be a problem with normal driving.

You should be able to measure and compare it off your own car with a plumb line from the inner edge of the trim. The wheel will move slightly in at the top as it travels upwards so you've got a small safety factor with that.

 

[Jools.]

Normal day to day driving you'll be fine, It's only when I'm in individual mode that it might have been an issue, if I've got 2 bars or more on the screen it's fine.

Yeah, normal driving is basicly all i do, so it shouldnt be a problem.
Since first time i saw one with 21", i thougt these cars look so good with it so i just have to have it on my own car!

I will try tomorrow to lower it at its maximum from the MMI, to see how it look around the trims!

 

[J10NMM]

Yes i know, but will that be a problem?

get yourself a measuring tape and have a look

 

[Jools.]

get yourself a measuring tape and have a look

Will do tomorrow, but still, the reality sometimes is different from something you can measure, or calculate.

In this case, perhaps yes, the wheel will hit the trim at its maximum height. Will that be a problem for a normal driver like myself? Probably not!
Perhaps almost no one will experience problems with this setup even thoug the calculations says the wheel will rub the trim?
Thats why i think it is good to hear from ppl with real experience of the setup, of what to expect and how it works in reality.

But thx for your input, and i will measure tomorrow and check some more!

 

[Bulldog]

Before I lowered mine the wheels looked flush with the arches. I couldn’t believe how much it brought the wheels in once lowered. On my old A4 avant which I put 20’s on as well I originally had Falkens fitted which sometimes rubbed on the rear arch liners but when I changed over to Continental’s no more rubbing. Basically do a bit of research on tyre brands you are looking at as they all come up slightly different sizes.

 

[Jools.]

I think it has less, I can only assume they're trimming the plastics. I'm pretty sure it's still just an A6 with the same metal arch under the plastic trims.

You can see in the picture where I trimmed mine back and I've still got 5mm overlap of plastic left back to the metal arch. Without trimming its probably about 15mm overlapping to the inside, you wouldn't believe how much dirt gets stuck on it, worth trimming to stop that building up alone.

How did you cut the trim? With a knife or did you remove the wheel and use some sort of powertool?

Was in contact with a owner of a A6 Allroad -17 today, and his car was equiped from the Audi dealer with the same setup as im going for. And the workshop had cut the trim on the rear.

So, i guess i also have to cut the trim a bit if im going för these dimension on wheels.