Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Mon 16 May 2011 11:05
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - ugeddit

Thinking about getting a set of winter tyres and steel wheels. Went to Mytyres.co.uk and put in make and model, but its when i get to "Car Type" that i am confused .

I chose B 8 1968ccm 105 kW BJ.: 04.2008-04.2010 as I have a 143BHP diesel engine and this gives me a steel wheel of

7½ x 16 5 x 112.00 x 66.50 ET: 45.00 5-hole steel wheel (9707)

but a very poor choice of tyres.

If I choose say B 8 1968ccm 100 kW BJ.: 04.2008-04.2010

I get

7 x 16 5 x 112.00 x 66.50 ET: 39.00 5-hole steel wheel (9537)

and loads more choice.

I cannot understand why engine size should affect the choice of wheel, would it be ok to go with option that gives more tyres ?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 16 May 2011 20:16
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - daveyjp

More powerful engines often have lower profile tyres - your suspension/speedo will be set up for the correct wheel/tyre combination.

First choice is 7.5 inches wide, second is only 7 inches. The ET is the length of wheel stud which affects offset.

You do need the right ones one for your car.

Some general info:

www.brick-yard.co.uk/VehicleSpecific/T3/info/mods/...m

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 16 May 2011 20:32
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - unthrottled

More powerful engines often have lower profile tyres - your suspension/speedo will be set up for the correct wheel/tyre combination.

Big fat wheels are more show than go.

It's only the outside diameter of the tyre that affects the accuracy of the speedo. Spacesavers are grossly mismatched to normal wheels, yet they are still (just about) driveable.

Why would you want wider tyres? Narrow tyres generally perform better in snow. I would pick the option that gives you the most choice. For winter driving, suspension set up is a moot point-you're not exactly going to be caning it into corners and worrying about body roll or lateral grip like magazine testers do on a skid pan.

For winter driving you want skinny wheels and a rubber compoud that stays nice and soft at low temperatures.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 16 May 2011 20:59
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - daveyjp

The tyres are less than half the story - having the correct wheel is far more important, particularly if offset is different - which judging by the different ET figures they are - this can affect wheel bearings, suspension and handling.

In snow and driving slow it may make little difference, but in the UK snow and very cold temperatures for months on end is still a rare event. Most winter weather does not equate to a huge change in how you drive so the wheel/tyre needs to be correct for high speed driving.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 16 May 2011 22:27
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - unthrottled

A small change in Offset is not critical-it's more of a problem when one goes from a narrower wheel to a wider one-even then most of the issues relate to clearances.

But going to a narrower wheel does not present clearance problems. The tyres might even be a bit cheaper too.

Most tyre rubbers start to harden markedly below 7C-which is not a rare occurance in the UK. This is where much of the gain in winter tyres is found-they stay softer to lower temperatures. This can give a useful improvement in grip.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 16 May 2011 22:35
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - oldtoffee

Check out the car's manual you may find reference to winter tyres, sizes and speed ratings and you can tell your insurance company you're following manufacturer instructions.

I'm doing the same with my Passat and going for 6J wheels with 195/65/15s instead of the 205/60/15s I have on the 7J alloys. The offset choices are 37 or 45 and checking out VW owner forums and OEM steel wheel sizes shows 37 as the right offset.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 May 2011 10:14
Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI 2010 - Help needed with MyTyres steel wheels for winter - ugeddit

I cannot see anything in my manual. Where did you find out the offset choices?

also the comment about length of stud worries me.

Still not sure if I can safely go with the smaller wheel ( I want to because of the greater tyre choice and narrow means better in snow)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link