2016 A4 winter tyre advice - spacer?

[rosseaglesham]

First post here so please bear with me.

Got a 2016 S-line A4 2.0tdi and last year it was a disaster in the snow so I want winter tyres.

It is PCP though and I will be changing it in 9months so I don't want to spend £600+ on new tyres so was looking for tyres and wheels to take to my next vehicle.

After a failed trip to Perth for the wrong centre bore, I found and bought some yesterday in Glenrothes and tried to fit them tonight.

The offset must be wrong because when I fitted the passenger front tyre and went to move it over in my driveway for the driver side it is catching against the brake calipers.

Summers are 245-40-R18 and the winters I bought (2nd hand) are the ones listed on the side of the door (225-50-R17) but they don't fit over the brakes.

Can you fit a spacer in between the brakes and the alloy? Is this sensible? I am better just biting the bullet and getting tyres fitted/changed twice a year and keeping the same rims? and also, how do you find the offset required for your particular set car with whatever brakes I have fitted?

I did a search on here and found some advice about spacers and will speak to my garage tomorrow about it but wondering if it is a good idea at all? Especially considering it is only a lease car.

Thanks a lot and sorry if this has been asked before

[silentbrown]

rosseaglesham said:

Summers are 245-40-R18 and the winters I bought (2nd hand) are the ones listed on the side of the door (225-50-R17) but they don't fit over the brakes.

Those are tyre sizes. It's wheel specification that's important here.

Have a look here. The figures may/may not be accurate, but it's a good place to start. https://www.wheel-size.com/size/audi/a4/2016/

[rosseaglesham]

So this must be the tyre/rim I have fitted at the minute

245/40R18 97V 8Jx18 ET40 5x112

(with the offset of 40mm)

whereas checking the winter rims downstairs, they have an offset of 46mm (ET 46 on the inside of the rim) which obviously is the problem

Can you add a spacer to "bring them out further" or is it a case of trying to sell them on?

Thanks

[RammyMP]

silentbrown said:

rosseaglesham said:

Summers are 245-40-R18 and the winters I bought (2nd hand) are the ones listed on the side of the door (225-50-R17) but they don't fit over the brakes.

Those are tyre sizes. It's wheel specification that's important here.

Have a look here. The figures may/may not be accurate, but it's a good place to start. https://www.wheel-size.com/size/audi/a4/2016/

Check this website, I’ve got a A5 with a set of Audi winter wheels, they are a different offset from A4 wheels, 15mm difference I think from memory. If you fit spacers get longer bolts as well.

[silentbrown]

7.5Jx17 ET38 is what you'd usually need. If yours are ET46(!) then 8mm spacers would do the job, which isn't too extreme.

Get decent ones, and consider that your insurer may think they're a modification, along with the non-OEM size wheels...

[rosseaglesham]

Thanks for the help above.

Ordered spacers and they arrived today. I’ve fitted the passenger side one and the tyre now spins nicely, just went for a test driver round my estate and all seems good.

2 new questions, the bolts tightened after approx 5 turns and I measured the amount of grease on the bolt beforehand to see how deep they have been going into the disc previously. Both showed about 10mm and the spacer is 5mm. Think this is ok?

Also, there’s not a lot of space between the spikes of the new rims and the caliper... about 1mm.

Am I trying to make a square peg fit a round hole?! Only option I have left is to buy tyres and stick them on the rims of my summer tyres and try to sell these ones.

Thanks

[Condi]

Whats the issue if they clear the brakes? As long as there is some clearance there you should be okay.