Lowered A4, will 225/50ZR16 tires fit without any rbbing or clearance problems? Info & Experiences.

[Ryan]

[BCA4]

I just did this plus zero upgrade last week. No rubbing! I have H&R coilovers, lowered 1.25" F and 1" R from sport pkg height. I was concerned about clearance in the rear - the suspension component comes very close to the tire. Basically, it is very tight - probably less than a centimeter of clearance but it isn't rubbing. I was told that the Pirelli P7000SS has a relatively narrow section width for a 225 so depending on the brand and model of tire...
I am very happy with the results. There is significantly more rubber on the road, the car looks considerably more agressive, handles better etc. The new tires did not feel any heavier than my OEM tire (Michelin MXV4 Energy Plus 205/55/16), in fact they might have been lighter - didn't weight them on a scale tho.

What are you thinking of doing?

Andrew
'00 1.8TQMSX Ebony Pearl/Onyx, Debadged, Tinted, H&R Coilovers, P7000SS, APR, Stebro

[E-Rock]

[Ryan]

However I don'tknow which tire to buy regardless of which size choose. I know for sure that I want to keep my factory seven spoke 16" wheels. What tire would you recomend?

[BCA4]

I will make sure to post pics when I get back. Feel free to email me a reminder if I haven't posted by then...

Andrew
'00 1.8TQMSX Ebony Pearl/Onyx, Debadged, Tinted, H&R Coilovers, P7000SS, APR, Stebro

[BCA4]

one thing to consider is that the 225 can be a couple of pounds heavier which can affect acceleration, rolling resistance is probably higher etc. However, I am very satisfied with the wider tire.

Tire choice in general is a very subjective subject (pun?) I wanted an all season tire as I travel occasionally to areas with snow. I used to live in Lake Louise, Alberta and would purchase dedicated snows for that environment but now that I live in Victoria, a much more temperate climate, an all season will suffice. I am travelling to LL next week on holiday and the highways have already had the odd snowfall, thus the need for all seasons... I am not interested in purchasing a second set of tires at this point so I compromised with the P7000SS. Thats probably the most important thing to remember, an all season tire is a compromise between a summer sport and a winter tire, with the P7000ss geared more towards the summer tire in my opinion.

I would check out the tirerack or other similar sites for more info and basically think about what your needs and budget dictate. Other tires I considered were the Dunlop SP5000 and Nitto NT450. In the end, it came down to availability and price - a local shop gave me good trade in on my OEM tires and a great price on the P7000ss.

HTH

Andrew
'00 1.8TQMSX Ebony Pearl/Onyx, Debadged, Tinted, H&R Coilovers, P7000SS, APR, Stebro