Mo-S3 Posted March 19, 2003 Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 Im thinking of fitting some spacers on the rear of my S3. Something around 10-15mm, I know AMD sell them and H&R make them too and can also get some professionally made to any thickness i require. The only ones im considering are going to be hubcentric so as to not cause any wheel vibration at speed. What i want to know from any current owners of S3s or A3s who have these fitted already is whether they are any good? Do they alter the handling in any way ? Do they cause stress to the suspension components as ive heard that they can be and also heard that they are perfectly ok, and lastly if they are worth meatl they are cut from ?? Shall i get them ?? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVon Posted March 19, 2003 Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 I'm getting those spacers very very soon too! Thinking of (2x)15 mm front and rear or at least (2x)15mm at rear only! Unfortunately can't answer your questions about handling - I read that as long as you are widening your axle till 2% (S3's axle is 1503mm) everything is O.K. Of course you'll have to get longer wheel bolts too (as you probably know). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo-S3 Posted March 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 If you dont mind me asking ... how much you paying for yours (a pair) ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brabus Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Here you go Mo, this was discussed only last week: Spacers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVon Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 If I'll go for original H&R's then 160 € for all 4 wheels (15mm) - bolts included! If I decide to go for "homemade spacers" about half of the price. I spoke to a guy that sells these things and he said that it's not a bad spacer even though it's a "homemade" as long as the "manufacturer" has this CNC machine for cuting metal(supposed to be very very precise) and as long as those spacers have the litle neck around the hole! Besides that, original spacers are only little more shiny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaiaresearch Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Hello Folks I have had spacers on my S3 for about four months. I have H&R drop-springs and 12mm Cromec and 15mm H&R spacers on the front and rear respectively. The Cromecs are very professionally manufactured in South Africa and in collaboration with myself, the company have produced improved bolt neck profiles superior to the H&Rs to enhance safety and reduce rim damage. The Cromecs are also lighter, with well-spaced and expertly chamfered lightening holes. I find handling to be improved to the extent that there is perceptably less lift and lightening on really hard cornering. They also enhance the looks of the vehicle beyond what you would expect for a mere 24mm and 30mm widened track front and rear. Problems. Any mis-alignment and wheel-buckling or unbalanced wheels are severely accentuated. Not a bad thing, since it makes you aware of any problems in this regard, but it might take some work to get rid of the resultant vibration at speed. I have a couple of pics on my website at: http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/S3/Tyres%20&%20Spacers.htm and some pics of the car at: http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/S3/Car%20Poses.htm most of which are with the spacers on. Regretably the text for this page is not yet up, since I am waiting to fit my Bilstein Sprint high pressure gas shocks, to slot the rear swing arms, to adjust the control arms with diminished negative camber and then to expertly set the wheel alignment, followed by the fitment of new tyres, well balanced to minimise any likelyhood of vibration. Regards Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wikkus Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 [ QUOTE ] I have a couple of pics on my website at: http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/S3/Tyres%20&%20Spacers.htm Regards Stuart [/ QUOTE ] Stuart, changing the subject, with respect to this, what exactly are you querying? The tyre looks like the front RE-040s did on my (then utterly stock) S3 after about 10k miles of use. Wik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaiaresearch Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 Hello Wik Thanks for the interest. Yest that is my stock RE-040. I was asking if anyone knew what the serations on the groove edge were. Did you ever establish the cause and what suspansion setup were you running? Thanks Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wikkus Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 [ QUOTE ] Hello Wik Thanks for the interest. Yest that is my stock RE-040. I was asking if anyone knew what the serations on the groove edge were. Did you ever establish the cause and what suspansion setup were you running? [/ QUOTE ] I'll be honest and say I don't know but I'll hazard a guess: Heat. That and flexing of the tread-blocks combined with extreme loading under acceleration and/or cornering. Couple this with minute bits of grit or gravel present on most all roads I've driven/ridden and you get anomalies like this. My -040's "feathered" quite badly and you could see a distinct "blue" band around the outer edges about an inch in from the edge and approximately 2.5 to 3" across with, between the tread blocks, a kind of lumpen, orange-peel effect where clearly, they'd got a tad warm. This was, as I mentioned before, on stone stock, straight from Ingolstadt suspension. I binned them at first opportunity and replaced with Bridgestone PP S-03, though the next time I fully intend to give the Toyo Proxes T1-S a go. Wik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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