Winter tyre options for an S8?
 

My lovely, shiny, recently re-furbished 20" FE alloys are proving to have pretty much useless grip on snow with Michelin PS2 rubber.

I've been religiously working through the handbook and the only advice I can find about winter tyres is that 225/55R17 is the only tyre size approved for use on the car. No info on compatible/recommended wheels or even the basic wheel dimensions and offset?

Has anybody done any research on what wheels from the Audi range will accommodate that tyre size and fit the S8 with no brake clearance issues? The front brakes don't exactly look tiny under the 20" rims, so I'm a bit concerned whether 17" wheels will actually clear everything?

I'm hoping there's a fairly common run of the mill wheel option from elsewhere in the Audi range that I can pick up for not much money which will save the FE rims from getting a pasting from road salt.

Cheers

Adrian

I've had the same problem with my S8 and have just bought a second hand set of 18" wheels (I think you'd struggle to get 17" rims on the S8, but I'm not an expert. I'm waiting for some winter tyres to be fitted, but simply having more rubber has improved the grip. There was a post a week or so ago on tyres that included a link to a review on winter tyres. I'll see if I can find it and come back

Here's the link http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2359&page=3

I have17" wheels on my PF S8 with 225/55 winter tyres. Does make a whole load of difference.

Cool - thanks

I presume PF is pre-facelift? Should 17" rims fit over late S8 calipers?

You probably have the Teves 360mm brakes.

I have 22mm between the inside of my rims and the outside of the brake caliper that would indicate I could go down another inch maybe.

The facelift S8 came with 18" wheels as standard so should go down to that. Maybe 17s. Someone with 18s could measure up and see if they would fit.:rolleyes:

I have seen 245x45x18 M&S tyres.

just go with 245/45 R18 or 235/50 R18( this is the size for the D3 winter tires but they will fit the d2 without any problems)

These are not any ordinary tyres....

Cheers for that - presumably D2 and D3 wheels are largely interchangeable? Just wandering what wheel size and offset to look out for to suit the S8.

Obviously with winter tyres the narrower the wheel, the better - I'm guessing these are designed to go on an 8.5J rim?

I guess pre-FE Avus rims would be a good choice, or some off a D3?

just take regular d2 18" rims,they are 8x18 and will take both of the tire-sizes.

don't know how it is in the uk but over here in germany the d3 comes with 7,5x18 rims for the winter.they look like this

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7...00p1220836.jpg

225/55R18 or 235/55R18 on standard rims. Higher profile will give you a better ground clearance as well

Bit rubbery tho

Hi René - thanks for that. Do you happen to know the respective offsets for standard rims and the D3 winter rims?

Time for some ebay shopping!

Cheers

Adrian

the 8x18 d2 rims have ET48 , the 7,5x18 d3 rims have ET40 +++ from what i know every d3 rim will fit the d2 without any problems +++

The ET on your 20" wheels is 45. The ET for 7.5x18" winter wheels is 40.

Any 7.5 or 8J by 18" from 45 to 35 et would fit add a set of winter tyres and you are away. +++

Nice one - thanks chaps

Visited the local dealer today, after asking them the question on the phone and they've confirmed the 17" tyres quoted in the handbook are no use for my late car due to the brake size. The option they came up with is 7.5x18 ET39, 4D0601025AK - problem is they're £456 EACH, plus centre caps.....these appear to be intended for a W12 according to the Etka printout I have been given.

There may actually be a good reason to buy some of those cheap replica wheels off ebay - although they're generally too narrow for summer tyres they should be fine for winters. Can get a full set with cheap tyres for less than £500. Flog the tyres and fit something suitable and job's a good 'un.

Will see what second-hand Audi rims I can find listed that will fit.

Have a look through these. Most will do.

Tyres here

Check the tyre size as most of the tyre / wheel combo’s have 225x45x18 and they’re not worth all that much.
I had the RS4 style replicas on mine and found that when playing in the snow sideways the snow got packed on the inside of the rim, when I’d finished playing the weight of the snow had put the balance out so at 45 – 50 I had major wheel wobble.

I’m a little out of touch now but I used to be a tyre fitter and most winter wheels are steel because they are more resilient to corrosion from all the wet and road salt. I have only seen one 8 on steels and don’t know where you’d get them.
Have you tried A8 parts? They have a set of sport alloys listed at the mo.

I've got 18" wheels with 245/45R18 normal summer tyres fitted to my S8 (2001 D2). Would the best size for winter tyres fitted to these wheels be the 225 or 235/55R18s mentioned above or would 235/60R18s also be ok?

I know I'm going to struggle to get tyres now (my winter wheels are on my X5 :( which dumped all its oil out on Xmas Eve and is now parked up awaiting the recovery truck :-( ) but I'd like to start looking.

I suppose the D2 S8 with big Brembos will not manage a 17" wheel - My X5 4.8is is the same with brake clearance - pity, as 17"s are much easier to find and sooo much cheaper!!!

I do very long commutes and have to rely on my car, so advice would be much appreciated, I feel very vulnerable without winter wheels!!!!:-( although the S8 has managed all the slippy stuff around here with great aplomb......

If you can't fit 17s then 225/50-18 are your best choice to maintain rolling radius. 225/55-18 will see the circumference increase approx %4. However this would proably correct any speedo inaccuracy and give better mpg and ride comfort.

I can get hold of 235/50R18s......at a price!! :eek: Are these suitable? I'm also just presuming that 17" wheels will not clear the S8 brakes - does anyone have experience of trying to fit 17"s? Help appreciated!!!

There has been no one on here try. If you can wait untill the new year I may be able to try it out.

Size is secondary to rubber composition and tread pattern on a winter wheel.

I think I might go for the 235/50R18s ...particularly if the BMW is going to play up like this. I'm getting a company car in a few weeks and its being delivered with winter wheels (new Kia Sportage with top spec...don't laugh, I know I know...:o..)but the S8 would be great on winter wheels, anyway.

I presume the 235/50 profile will still suit the wheels I've got, which have 245/45R18s fitted at present:Confused:

235/50R18 is what I was quoted by Audi recently as the correct winter tyre size - however that was probably based on a 7.5" rim, which is the 'correct' winter wheel size.

Thanks for that. Perhaps I should wait it out for a few months and buy some in the summer - I have two sets of winter wheels to store already, one for the Beemer and one for our Merc A Class so room for another big set of wheels will be a nuisance, but at the right price I'll probably go for it. +++

I'm thinking the same to be honest - winter tyre prices are crazy at the moment as supply is so short.

Thinking I'll look to buy a set when everyone who lacks storage space advertises theirs in the summer :D

I'm on the look out for some suitable 7.5x18 rims in the meantime - I don't care how ratty they look - they'll look worse after a load of salt on them!

Are there ANY winter tyres out there for S8's?
 

Well I've got a spare set of wheels and winter tyres for my little runabout (Focus) but they're humble 195/60R15's. Going on next month probably.

Does ANYONE know of a supplier, with stock, of winter tyres that will fit 18" wheels for an S8?

Had a quick search and found these, any use?

http://www.ecrater.co.uk/p/12463071/...-part-worn-mud


http://www.camskill.co.uk/m103b428s4...V_XL_TL_/RS_GB

Thanks. I'd already looked at Camskill and everything was out of stock.
Missed those Toyos somehow, I think 235/50 is very close to 245/45 in overall diameter so wouldn't be a problem.

I am running 17" oem wheels for the winter om my S8 with Brembo's. at least i hope they fit since they came with the car:)

I would prefer new 18" tires for the S8 rims but £200+ each tire is hard to get approved by the wallet when the 17"'s has almost brand new Hakka 5's
:)

Willy be puttin on the 17" next week:)

should be ok -
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1318090352

Thanks for that. I've got a lower-spec (smaller!) version of those on my Focus! About half the price of course.

PS There's also a 100V XL version at the same price (no rim protection).
No information on stock; I'll phone on Monday.

So are those 8J or 7.5J profile?
And what size and brand of tyres?
There are some earlier posts saying that 17" * 7.5J is the "correct" winter wheel size.
My own car manual is not very helpful on such details (i.e. see your dealer who knows everything....especially how to charge)

There do seem to be a few 17" 7.5J wheels about from "lesser" Audi models with a suitable offset (43 or 45).:rolleyes:

But having gone through it again I finally found a sentence which says:
Looking at the front wheels there's maybe just over an inch clearance between the calipers (1998 S8) and the (18") wheel but not much more, so 16" would be very tight.....

Reffro had some cheap 18" wheels off an A8 that he had with him at ADI the other week - might be worth a PM if you wanted them? I'm led to believe the A8 Sport spoked rims will not fit over Brembos, but these were straight spokes and Reffro had test fitted over Brembos with no issues - think they were just surplus.

I'm still after some 18" Avus rims for mine to use for winter, but never quite manage to pin a set down :(

My S8 with 285 30 20 on summer tyres was unstoppable in the deepest of snow on the steepest of hills. Is it really worth the Benjamin with your fancy quattro system? I'm getting winters for my daily as although I reckon the RS 6 will be okay in the snow. I don't really want to take it out and have someone crash into the back of me.

Mine on 255/35R20s (Michelin PS2 with loads of tread) was bloody awful in snow/ice - ABS was going mental the whole time and I nearly wrote it off driving it home from the dealer!

My A6 is much better, probably due to extra weight and less panicky ABS!

I found the acceleration side of things no problem in the '8, but stopping was pretty scary stuff.

I'm just going to leave mine in the garage if it snows and take the Mrs to work in the A6 so I can use that if I have to. She hates driving in the snow anyway so it'll suit us both, apart from the silly early start to clear the car and get to her office....

Sounds like a good idea Adrian. +++