what size? Or no??

 

What size are your wheels?

 

Just installed 20mm on the rear, planning to go with 10 or 12mm on the front. Got'em from ECS.

 

the minimum to get them in hubcentric, which I would always want.

Per the direction of the first response, the preferred spacer width will also vary with the width of the wheels and the offset.

 

Search this forum. Another member was selling the 20mm spacers for around $80 w/bolts.

 

Is there any advantages besides visual aspects to spacers? Also is there any disadvantages? I would like to get a set but am throwing around that question. Also is it normal to just get the same size spacers all around front/back? I just wouldn't want my tire tread thrown off differently?
Thanks

 

I put 16mm on the rear and 11mm on the front.
They are hubcentric (57.1mm), but not 'bolt-on'.
20mm is the thinnest I've seen in a bolt-on configuration that will allow sufficient thread engagement.

Mine are made (or at least branded) by Forge and I got the spacers plus new, longer lug bolts as sets, one for front and one for back. Both kits combined with shipping was $199.92 off of eBay (FL to GA).

The vendor:
http://www.forgemotorsport.com/content.asp?inc=search

Similar eBay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Forge...item45f466a860

Recent thread with pics of my setup:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2810795


I chose my size after searching through various threads on here. Having them on for a week now, I think 15-16mm would work fine up front, if you want to keep front and rear equal. IMO, 20mm on the rear or especially front is just too wide. However looks are subjective, and I'm pretty conservative.

Technically your track is wider for better lateral stability, but your wheelbase/width ratio is smaller so perhaps your straight line tracking is worse similar to having wider tires. My bet is the change is so small it's imperceptible. Thus as a daily driver A8, it's 100% aesthetics. Plus you are adding another tolerance stackup of the bore eccentricity which can affect wheel balance. I haven't noticed any issues on mine. I did have a pre-existing minor vibration after I installed the new tires, but the spacers didn't make it worse.

Added: This is the stock 19" sport setup so 255/40YR19 and 19x9 5-spoke "RS6 style" wheels.

 

Advantages: 90-100% aesthetics. Others sometimes cited are around cornering capabilities, since it increases the track width on the affected axle. In theory you could also play with oversteer/understeer, though probably in practice you won't get into pronounced effects unless you really exaggerate it like a Smart car (which had oversteer problems in its early design) or something. Can also open up wheel area spacing to the brake calipers some, but that's a real stretch in terms of how exactly the air flows in a given car and wheel design.

Negatives: Principle one cited is probably increased bearing load and thus greater wear. If you use the C5 though as an example, Audi itself varied the offset by as much +/- 25 mm when you compare the 6 cylinder sedan and the allroad (with the V8 models in between), and the axles/bearings underneath weren't really changing--again back to basically aesthetics to move the wheels out, in that case with the faux fender extensions. Sometimes aggravating wheel balance issues are mentioned. Also increases unsprung weight, which figure is about a pound/wheel. Seldom mentioned, but a practical issue: as you move the wheels outward, tire spray increases (assuming you don't use mud flaps). That reduces to the trailing edges of the bodywork (front doors and rear fenders) getting more road grime. I first realized this on my C5, where the 4.2 has those flared fenders and less offset--effect is similar to spacers and the flares don't really wrap down low--car gets a little dirtier with rain. Haven't noticed that much w/ D3 though, even with its black color.

Sizing in general: On Audi's anyway (but probably many cars), rears are commonly spaced more than the fronts. On at least their traditional designs (D3 included) the front track has been greater than the rear for starters. More practically, the fronts have to accommodate turning movement that the backs don't. As a design matter, the front part of the wheel well in the front of the car usually tapers in more quickly than the rear portion of the rear wheel well; thus aesthetically as you reach the limit, the fronts will seem to "stick out" too far before the rears do.

Sizing on D3's: Net if you want to "max" it but avoid rubbing issues, as follows. Getting lost in the responses is the wheel width and offset. This matters, and the "max" spacer is NOT the same across all D3's with various OEM wheels and tire sizing. If non OEM, you really need to be specific on the widths and offsets involved to get decent advice as you approach the limits. Meanwhile, on the D3's with the factory 9" wheels (like mine), it will likely net to 12mm in front and 20mm in rear. Particulrly if you have the 20's with the 275's. You can push it to 15mm front w/out rubbing and 25mm in rear with only theoretical risk of rubbing a small part of the felt fender liner (under extreme single side compression only, and in the 275/35-20 factory tire size that goes with it). Having tried both of those greater width combo's front and rear, it's just a bit too much aesthetically in my estimation if your goal is hunkered down but still mostly OEM look. The leading edge of the front tires is getting out a bit much and arguably the rears get to where the fitment no longer passes as "stock." With the 8 1/2" OEM wheel fitments and more generally the 255 tire width fitments, folks who are more aggressive are still comfortable at 15mm front and 25mm rear. Some over the years report having gone as much as 20mm front and 30mm rear. Posts are often vague though on which wheels are involved, but knowing the offset and width calc's, I would bet the 8 1/2 inch fitments only. You could probably simplify this in the 8 1/2's to the same 12 front 20 rear for a milder look, and 15 front and 20-25 rear for more aggressive but not too overdone stance. Again, all only with OEM wheel and tire sizing as parameters for the advice.

 

I'm running the OEM 20's

 

OEM 20's, likely the "new" style RS4's--twin 7 spokes.

Thus, 12mm front, 20mm rear is my preferred set up. H&R DR style in my case, and hubcentric--in 12mm they have two styles; above that and they are always hubcentric in H&R for Audi 5x112 patterns. The outer diameter of the H&R DR spacer as well as the finish all blend right in w/ the factory wheel. Even up close staring right at the spacer at the hub and rotor interface they are hard to pick out.

15 front and 25 rear is about the max w/ that wheel/tire combo (assuming the 275/35 stock), but it starts to look a bit like it wouldn't be stock even if the factory had tweaked it in an ultra sport package. See my other replies here for much more info. I think Modest W12 just went w/ these spacer sizes too (IIRC), also with the factory 20's and may have pics; or see if he checks in or search for a post from him. Be sure to realize that when others mention wider spacers, they probably are with either or both of 8 1/2" wheels and/or 255's, assuming stock offset wheels that is. The 20 x9's w/ the 275's make the optimum on the car a little different (less) because the wheel and tire width increases at the given ET and have already combined to move the outside edge of the tire further out in that fitment.