05A632

I am trying to find a set of aftermarket wheels that are similar to my stock 18 x 8.5 et29. No luck, can anyone point me in the right direction? Some factory replicas would be ideal.

Tifosi

Achtuning/Hartmann : http://achtuning.com/

05A632

no luck there, could not find any 18 x 8.5 et 29 wheels.

bilbo47

..but Hartmanns are basically factory replicas?!? If you have stock Audi rims then they'll probably be listed on that site, and will fit perfectly like stock.

Hartmann's website is at http://hartmannwheels.com/audi-wheels

I'm confused. You didn't find your stock rims, or didn't find any with ET29? Is there a specific reason why you need a +29mm offset, because that number is really dependant on the rim design, and not the car?!

JD15

What's your make and model? I don't know of any current Audis that have an 18 x 8.5 wheel.

05A632

2010 A5. I believe it is a 18 x 8.5 wheel.

Marshall Placid

It's incredibly tough to find wheels that do not need spacers when changing wheels.

Even if you find one, there is a very small chance they are not the ones you want due to looks, price, colour, material, etc.

I wish you luck though.

bilbo47

Hey.. Are you confusing "spacers" with "centering rings" (aka hub-centric rings)?

Spacers push the wheel out from the hub (towards the outside of the wheel well) and are an entirely different beast than centering rings, which shrink the center bore of the rim so it sits on the hub with no gaps.

Tifosi

If you are looking for replica wheels that are of the exact OEM dimensions, then your best bet will be findings used wheels in CL or the classifies here on AW or over at AZ.

I do not know of any replicas that are of the same dimension as the OEM wheels.

Marshall Placid

Just a question:

So, to clarify, spacers would adjust the fitment of a wheel on a car? Because, as I understand it, there are different offsets for different wheels and they all fit differently on the same car. Spacers are used to adjust this offset difference in order to make sure the wheels don't rub against the brake/calipers and the centerline? And, the spacers also "space" the wheels so that they fit flush with the body of the car.

The centering rings are:
Quote:
"centering ring system to reduce the bore size to match the hubs of different vehicles. These rings help to keep the wheel precisely centered on the vehicle hub"

Per:
http://www.tirerack.com/FAQ/results....gory=Wheels#70

So, as I understand it:
Spacers will adjust the offset of the wheel and spacers come in "hub centric" varieties but this is different than "centering rings".

Centering rings are use for the wheel latching onto the hub, but does not adjust the horizontal distance/space between the wheel and the centerline.

So, I believe you are right about the centering rings: "which shrink the center bore of the rim so it sits on the hub with no gaps". But, this does not answer the question about the offset as per the OP's subject thread line.

By no means am I definitely 100% sure on what I am saying. I am just going by what I read from forums, tirerack, and my local tire/wheel shop.