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Time for the wheel upgrade, ? 18's or 19's, I plan on

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Old 05-03-2004, 07:07 PM
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Default Time for the wheel upgrade, ? 18's or 19's, I plan on

going with a ultra high performance all season. I don't plan to track the car anymore due to the high miles. But do drive very aggressively. So what are you opinions on the following:

1. What is the widest tire anyone has on.
2. 19's do you lose much of the ride comfort
3. What would be the preferred sidewall height to maintain stock fender gap
Old 05-03-2004, 07:28 PM
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Default Re: Time for the wheel upgrade, ? 18's or 19's, I plan on

I am running 255/40 19s. The speedo is tiny bit off, but I wanted a tad more sidewall than a 245/40 19, and the tires available for each size were vastly different. I already own S0-3s on a car, and love them for a performance tire.

Depending on your local roads and your driving style will make your choice more clear. If you are planning on driving the car hard 24/7 you might not want an extreme performance tire for the sake of comfort. If you go softer sidewall with too big of a wheel you will have bent wheels unless you drive it like a grandma around the rough roads/train tracks and so on.

Well, although my A8 is a "daily driver" I do not drive it daily, heh. I enjoy the look and the handling of my A8, but for around town driving it sometimes gets fustrating. The uneveness of the roads feels like a out of balance wheel at times, and the ride is just not silky smooth any longer. I can say that the stock A8 suspension still does a good job keeping the car under control and comfortable most of the time, but I am very used to my slammed supras, with nylon 6/6 bushing,lowered 2 inches with linear springs, 30 series rubber, and so on. I have a very distorted view of ride comfort. If I drove this daily I would either run stiff sidewall stock polished 17s, or possibly a forged 18s with some softer rubber.

I am happy with my wheels, I can live with the ride ( only because I am used to much worse I think) of my stiff S0-3s and I love this look. My wheels make my car IMO.

This is a hard decision, my personal ideals might not help, but this is all off the top of my head, and I am just writing my current thoughts

Good luck!
Old 05-03-2004, 07:40 PM
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Brain Fart, is the 235 or the 40 in the tire size the sidewall height
Old 05-03-2004, 07:45 PM
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Default 235 would be the width of the total tire in MM. The 40 is the percent of the width, in height. So...

a 200/50 tire would be a 200MM wide tire with a 100MM side wall.

25.4 MM = 1 inch just in case you are wondering.
Old 05-03-2004, 07:45 PM
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Default Re: Brain Fart, is the 235 or the 40 in the tire size the sidewall height

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/55868/p6.jpg"></center><p>
235 is the width in mm as the sidewall hight is 40% of the width. I also run p25540R19 Eagle F1 GS D3 and the ride was not effected much. The Eibach springs made much more of an impact on ride.
Old 05-03-2004, 08:13 PM
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Default Photoshop request: A8 with 235/235 tires on I would guess about 8 inch wheels

Maybe we can start a new trend and make a fortune selling these puppies!
Old 05-03-2004, 09:53 PM
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Default Re: Time for the wheel upgrade, ? 18's or 19's, I plan on

1. I got GY Eagle F1 255/40/19 on my ride. I donīt think it would be a good idea to go wider than that on the front wheels. At least not with the original ET. On the back wheels Iīve seen ppl with 275:s and in some cases even wider but I donīt know if that is healthy for the 4WD in the long run. Some claim it isnīt some say itīs OK.

2. Compared to my old 17" ride comfort is slightly to the worse but the improved handling makes up for it. Itīs not that big a difference.

3. I choose 255/40:s since it was close to my original 225/55:s and also since the roads in Sweden are a joke most of the time. Lower height would also increase the gap between tire and fender = even more need for lowering, and that I canīt afford at the moment...
Old 05-04-2004, 03:47 AM
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Default Tire size analysis.

Randy rocks.<ul><li><a href="http://www.audipages.com/upgrades/tiresizeoptions.html">http://www.audipages.com/upgrades/tiresizeoptions.html</a</li></ul>
Old 05-04-2004, 09:47 AM
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Default Photoshop request met.

Booyaa!

<img src="http://www.ma70.com/danmac/A8/hotness.jpg">
Old 05-04-2004, 12:17 PM
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FYI - I have two A8 19" from a 2004 (no tires/c.caps) if interested. email me.


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