Difference between ET 31 Alloys on ET 38 car

[Kyle86]

From any of your experiences, will I be able to put these new alloys on my 96 A3... ???

The new wheels are 16" and have an ET offset of 31 ..... My A3 requires an ET of between 38 to 42.

Will I get away with this 7mm ... I bleeding hope so cos I already bought and got the wheels.

Item found here : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...#ht_537wt_1139

Any advice or previous experience with this would be really appreciated !

Thanks, Kyle

[NickPicks]

Since you've already bought them, there's only one way to find out if you'll be reselling them.

Fit the wheel, then turn it gently by hand to check that the wheel doesn't fould any of the brake or suspension components. Ideally, this is best done by removing the suspension spring so that you can move the suspension through its full range from rebound to bump, but it's not very practicable.

So long as the metal of the wheel doesn't foul anything (try it at ful lock aswell), then you won't damage anything badly by driving it. If the tyre rubs slightly on the inner wheelarch, then you might have to get some spacers for it.

7mm isn't that much for the tyre, What size tyres have you got on them? if you compare this to how far back the inner edge of the widest tyre available as original on an ET38 wheel, then that'll also give you an idea about any rubbing problems. (if half your width minus 31 is less than or same as half of the maximum width minus 38, then it should be OK) - what that means is if you've got 195 tyres on ET31, and a 205 was available on ET38, then you'll only be 2mm in from original.

Do check my figures with a diagram (google for the wheel and tyre bible), as I might have got plus and minus mixed up (positive / negative offset)

More information about wheels / tyres than you can shake a stick at:
http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg4.html

[Kyle86]

Ahhh... only two years later

Cheers for your advice! Wheels have been on there nice and snug for two years now... time flies when your having fun. Got a much larger issue to do a new post about now though!

Thanks Nickpicks!