Guys, I'm seriously thinking about getting some nice hubcentric 20mm spacers (all 4) for my 18" 9-spoke wheels - just for looks.

Is there any negative effects? I've heard that spacer's wear the bearing out faster (myth?), but we're only talking about 20mm here. Plus I think it can't put any more load on the bearings than say a wider/larger set of rims anyway (ie, 20's).

My purchase awaits the answers of the collective wisdom...

-Bruce

Also, how long have you had them on your ride and what size(s)?

As for the longer wheels bolts can you recommend a source?

Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks!

-Bruce

Spacer bolts to hub and the wheel bolts to spacer using original lug bolts; available starting with 20MM size and up. This also allows use of the Audi factory wheel locks.

See my post below too. I started with a pair of H&R 20mm DRA's on the rear. I use them with factory 20 x 9's (the RS4 9 spoke style) with a 46mm offset. Definitely looks better in terms of pulling the rears out of the fenderwell better. Having fit them, I can see 25mm would be even better, so I plan to move the 20's to the front where the wheels are a bit further out to start. For reference, arguably just doing the rears dresses the car look up nicely; the rears are where the tires sit more deeply in the fenderwells.


Doesn't seem to affect handling, though presumably at the upper limit it might stick a bit more. But fronts are where the difference is more likely to be felt given the understeer nature of Audi's and heavy front weight loading.

Bearing loads--maybe a bit of concern, though more so in the front given the car weight and steering loads.

Finally, having owned a C5 A6 4.2 with the factory flares and a 35mm offset, do realize as you move the wheels outward, you definitely get more crud on the side of the car in winter, particularly off the front wheels. Maybe another argument for just rear spacers.

Finally, the H&R DRA product is top notch. Blends right in with the factory wheels to where someone has to point it out to you to even notice it is bolted in there. I love the way it is just permanently bolted in, so there is no explaining, no excuses, no nothing if you need to get a wheel changed or new tires. For reference, a lot of sites don't show an A8 application. Just use the C5 A6 application and you will have it right.

I was under the impression that these type of spacers were not recommended because you have to be concerned about twice as many bolts?

-Bruce

I came across a website which totally confused me.

I thought 25, 20 etc. spacers meant EACH wheel? Is this right?

Also, where did you buy yours - can you recommend a decent website - from the positive responses, I think I'm going to go for it...

- Bruce

The H&R part number uses total offset for the two sides combined. Thus their part number 40555712 starts with "40" and is 40mm total offset, or 20mm each side. Similarly for the 50/25mm ones.

Achtuning or ecstuning both should have them. The 25's were out of stock last month but I think are back available.

In what way? That the bolts come loose? More weight?

The spacer to hub bolts are "trapped" by the wheel flange, so they can never come all the way out, unless all 5 simultaneously come out--either really bad wrenching or a meteor strike scenario to me. And presumably if you torque the inner bolts and the lug bolts correctly, they will never come loose. The inner bolts can be checked and don't need removal except when replacing rotors or doing suspension work. In hundreds of wheel changes and removals across about 10 Audi's, I have never found one lug bolt loose as a general matter.

Outer bolts of course are Audi OEM in this aplication. Audi OEM on the A8 in turn has the separate floating ball washer; allows more accurate torque in theory than a non-OEM, non-washered bolt that would probably be bought for a standard spacer.

As far as weight, relative to adding longer lugbolts, that is talking about the weight of five more bolt heads (flat heads in the H&R set) and about five x 12 mm of thread (the added depth of threading in a second bolt instead of just one). Irrelevant compared to the mondo piggish weight of Audi OEM wheels and major heavy brake rotors.

H&R's are TUV approved as well.