20" Wheel Offset Question?
11-27-2014, 04:17 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
20" Wheel Offset Question?
Have seen quite a few 20" and 19" wheel setups and looking to change out from OEM current setup on wife's 2014 Q5. Unfortunately having offset issues. For those who've orderd and done this did your setup require spacers? Have tried a wheel fitment from an ebay retailer and 20" wheels which they guaranteed to fit my vehicle would not clear my caliper and spokes would scrape. They required at least 10-15mm spacers to clear front brakes and then another set for proper stance on my Q5 overall.
Am NOT pleased as that means they really do NOT fit the vehicle and retailer did not give me proper fitment. So am returning them and now seeking proper a fitting 20" wheel. Which is the correct offset I should be looking for a 20x8.5 or 20x9 fitment all around?
I like the TSW 20" wheels [Nurburing, Amaroo & Donnington] and Niche [Lucerne] among others but am still worried about offsets and caliper clearance. Any suggestions?
Am NOT pleased as that means they really do NOT fit the vehicle and retailer did not give me proper fitment. So am returning them and now seeking proper a fitting 20" wheel. Which is the correct offset I should be looking for a 20x8.5 or 20x9 fitment all around?
I like the TSW 20" wheels [Nurburing, Amaroo & Donnington] and Niche [Lucerne] among others but am still worried about offsets and caliper clearance. Any suggestions?
11-27-2014, 09:40 PM
#2
AudiWorld Member
Stock offset for 20x8.5 is 33. Shoot for 25 with your next set. I'm not sure how much you know about offset, but lower number pushes the fitment away from the wheel hub toward the fenders, and higher number in toward suspension.
11-27-2014, 09:42 PM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Stock Q5 20" is 20x8.5 w/ ET33; more...
The OE (factory) 20" wheels for the Q5 are 8 ½ in width. They have an offset (ET) of 33. You can look at 9" if you want, but 8.5" is all you really need for the typical 255/45 tire fitment. If you go out to 9", what it also does is stick the rim metal outward somewhat (another .25" on each side nominally) relative to the tire, which makes it incrementally more vulnerable to curbing. Running the OE 20's now in 8.5's myself, I would say they are already somewhat vulnerable, especially if the given tire doesn't have a pretty aggressive "rim protector" design to the bead area.
What you may have run into with the set that did not fit is ET 33 is fairly aggressive for an Audi offset (in the given wheel width). Design wise it has to do with pushing the wheels outward more for a more aggressive appearance, which in turn the common blistered fender look of an SUV design (relative to a sedan) allows them to do. Many other Audis use a more conservative offset, and only one or two more aggressive from what I recall and have seen. Then in turn when a wheel has less offset for a given width, you are more likely to find interference between the brake caliper in front and the wheel spokes. It can be trial and error since the exact casting design of that inner spoke area becomes critical. Nonetheless, using generic sort of wheels with an offset not optimized for the Q5 is kind of a set up to run into the issue more. Said most plainly, if it is a wheel oriented for the A4 or A6 or even their performance variants probably not a great choice offset wise. S7 would be similar to the Q5 (I forget on the A7), and the RS5 is the one I can think of that is yet more aggressive. Be careful on non OE wheels too if they were really designed for a lighter Audi like an A4; the Q5 is heavy--like big motor A6/S6 and even (aluminum) A8 heavy. If design is not up to snuff for the weight class, the wheel is more vulnerable to bending.
What you may have run into with the set that did not fit is ET 33 is fairly aggressive for an Audi offset (in the given wheel width). Design wise it has to do with pushing the wheels outward more for a more aggressive appearance, which in turn the common blistered fender look of an SUV design (relative to a sedan) allows them to do. Many other Audis use a more conservative offset, and only one or two more aggressive from what I recall and have seen. Then in turn when a wheel has less offset for a given width, you are more likely to find interference between the brake caliper in front and the wheel spokes. It can be trial and error since the exact casting design of that inner spoke area becomes critical. Nonetheless, using generic sort of wheels with an offset not optimized for the Q5 is kind of a set up to run into the issue more. Said most plainly, if it is a wheel oriented for the A4 or A6 or even their performance variants probably not a great choice offset wise. S7 would be similar to the Q5 (I forget on the A7), and the RS5 is the one I can think of that is yet more aggressive. Be careful on non OE wheels too if they were really designed for a lighter Audi like an A4; the Q5 is heavy--like big motor A6/S6 and even (aluminum) A8 heavy. If design is not up to snuff for the weight class, the wheel is more vulnerable to bending.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 11-27-2014 at 09:47 PM.
11-27-2014, 10:44 PM
#4
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
The OE (factory) 20" wheels for the Q5 are 8 ½ in width. They have an offset (ET) of 33. You can look at 9" if you want, but 8.5" is all you really need for the typical 255/45 tire fitment. If you go out to 9", what it also does is stick the rim metal outward somewhat (another .25" on each side nominally) relative to the tire, which makes it incrementally more vulnerable to curbing. Running the OE 20's now in 8.5's myself, I would say they are already somewhat vulnerable, especially if the given tire doesn't have a pretty aggressive "rim protector" design to the bead area.
What you may have run into with the set that did not fit is ET 33 is fairly aggressive for an Audi offset (in the given wheel width). Design wise it has to do with pushing the wheels outward more for a more aggressive appearance, which in turn the common blistered fender look of an SUV design (relative to a sedan) allows them to do. Many other Audis use a more conservative offset, and only one or two more aggressive from what I recall and have seen. Then in turn when a wheel has less offset for a given width, you are more likely to find interference between the brake caliper in front and the wheel spokes. It can be trial and error since the exact casting design of that inner spoke area becomes critical. Nonetheless, using generic sort of wheels with an offset not optimized for the Q5 is kind of a set up to run into the issue more. Said most plainly, if it is a wheel oriented for the A4 or A6 or even their performance variants probably not a great choice offset wise. S7 would be similar to the Q5 (I forget on the A7), and the RS5 is the one I can think of that is yet more aggressive. Be careful on non OE wheels too if they were really designed for a lighter Audi like an A4; the Q5 is heavy--like big motor A6/S6 and even (aluminum) A8 heavy. If design is not up to snuff for the weight class, the wheel is more vulnerable to bending.
What you may have run into with the set that did not fit is ET 33 is fairly aggressive for an Audi offset (in the given wheel width). Design wise it has to do with pushing the wheels outward more for a more aggressive appearance, which in turn the common blistered fender look of an SUV design (relative to a sedan) allows them to do. Many other Audis use a more conservative offset, and only one or two more aggressive from what I recall and have seen. Then in turn when a wheel has less offset for a given width, you are more likely to find interference between the brake caliper in front and the wheel spokes. It can be trial and error since the exact casting design of that inner spoke area becomes critical. Nonetheless, using generic sort of wheels with an offset not optimized for the Q5 is kind of a set up to run into the issue more. Said most plainly, if it is a wheel oriented for the A4 or A6 or even their performance variants probably not a great choice offset wise. S7 would be similar to the Q5 (I forget on the A7), and the RS5 is the one I can think of that is yet more aggressive. Be careful on non OE wheels too if they were really designed for a lighter Audi like an A4; the Q5 is heavy--like big motor A6/S6 and even (aluminum) A8 heavy. If design is not up to snuff for the weight class, the wheel is more vulnerable to bending.
Not sure why they'd say they fit and really don't though. When I look at a lot of options ALL say they fit but offsets seem to run from 30-40 ET all the way to 25 ET? Confusing?
11-29-2014, 02:39 PM
#6
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Here´s is a good website for comparing wheel and tire sizes, including the offset numbers.
Tire Size Calculator | Comparison of tires and wheels
Tire Size Calculator | Comparison of tires and wheels
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