Wheels 17" to 15"

Hi!

I have the standard Audi alloy (6x15) with ET 37. Will the 195/55R15 tyre fit on that? ET is out of the range that you have mentioned. (FSD already fitted)

Norbert
 
Hi!

I have the standard Audi alloy (6x15) with ET 37. Will the 195/55R15 tyre fit on that? ET is out of the range that you have mentioned. (FSD already fitted)

Norbert

Hello Norbert,

yep your combo 6x15ET37 and 195-55R15 fits perfectly. Together with the FSDs you should get one of the most comfortable A2s out there :)

Please post your experiences with that combo in the large FSD-thread by Mr. humps.

As for correct ETs, my 35 to 25 - "instruction" was just a recommendation. Because within this ET range nobody will ever encounter wheel rubbing problems with the before listed wheel widths.

So you could also mount all tyre sizes except for 205-55R15 in combination with often used ET 38 rims (= maximum feasible ET) without any inner side wheelhouse rubbing issues.

Generally I suggest a minimum ET of about 28 at the front. A lower ET than 28 at the front will potentially harm straight-ahead tracking performance. Mounting thicker wheel spacers at the front than at the rear is not recommended (also illegal over here).

Cheers.
 
Apologies for bringing this thread back to life.

Does anyone know if the A2 can handle a 185/65 - 15'' tyre ??? Has anyone used a tyre in this size before? I think this may be important in the near future.... possibly.
 
It's not in the definitive tyre type thread. So I guess it won't without rubbing or modification
 
Based on a few rough calculations, you'd get away with it as long as the ET number of the wheels (offset) is quite small. In other words, the face of the wheel would have to be at the extreme outer edge of the wheel arch, otherwise the tyres would argue with the arch liners on full lock.
At the back you could get arguement if the car was loaded with a full boot or adults sat on the back seats.

185/60/15 is fine, by the way, but 65 is pushing it...

Tom
 
If you are interested in a wider choice of tyres, why not look at 175/65R15? Michelin Energy Savers etc are available in that size.
 
Mike,

I think energysaver+ and ecocontact5 are my next choice of tyre (175-65-15). However due to the season both are low of stock and expensive, i can get away with summer tyres all year round.

Anyway if you read the links, michellin has designed a new tyre with a new compound that beats the energy+ handsdown. The downside being 1) the size is only available in 185/65r15 (or bigger) and 2) the load rating i think was 100mph.

''the MICHELIN ENERGY™ E-V tires increase the ZOE’s range by up to 6%, depending on the type of use.
These tires are the result of 4 years of R&D collaboration between Michelin and Renault, which has created a product that improves electric vehicle autonomy. Michelin announced that the ZOE gains up to 6% extra autonomy with the ENERGY E-V, depending on the driving conditions.''

Just cant see a date as to when you can buy them individually.
I thought it was interesting, anyway :)

P.S i note that pirelli also has a 'AA' tyre about to release, but again the sizes are way to big for the A2!
 
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I note 'upto' 6%..... so in other words downhill with a following wind.... and 100mph speed rating is unrealistic. Personally I find ecocontact tyres are a good compromise on low rolling resistance, grip, noise and handling.
 
Mike,
...Anyway if you read the links, michellin has designed a new tyre with a new compound that beats the energy+ handsdown. The downside being 1) the size is only available in 185/65r15 (or bigger) and 2) the load rating i think was 100mph.

...P.S i note that pirelli also has a 'AA' tyre about to release, but again the sizes are way to big for the A2!

Yes, it's true that Energy Saver + is only B/A rated, and the E/V tyre is A/A rated. However you need to also consider that as width increases, I think that the actual rolling resistance also increases linearly, whereas that is (deliberately) not taken into account in the labelling system.

If (for example) both the 175 and the 185 were A/A rated tyres, then the rolling resistance of the 185s is 5.7% worse. Now in this case, the + are only B/A. What this means in practice is that the +6% improvement in rolling resistance for A/A tyres is counteracted by the extra rolling resistance due to the increase in width.

What we would like instead are A/A tyres in 175/65R15 :)

The Pirellis are the first to be available in A/A, but a bunch of other A/A tyres will be coming onto the market shortly. I don't know their sizes/costs/etc yet.
 
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i suspect in 12 months the market will be much more competitive with more products available to choose from.
 
'By employing a softer compound, lighter carcass and an optimised tread pattern, the Energy E-V offers 20 per cent lower rolling resistance than the Energy Saver+, Michelin’s mainstream eco tyre. The company says this equates to a six percent improvement in range per battery charge.'

Sorry that was the quote i was meant to post - 20% better than the + seems a lot to me?
 
I agree 20% is a lot and I wonder how the tyres perform in the real world. Sorry for sounding like an old cynic but if they carry on with 20% here and 6% there soon we will have tyres which are totally void of any rolling resistance and cars which produce petrol or electricity rather than consume it. Somehow if you add up al the supposed percentage improvements over the past 20 years they do not seem to work out in practice.
 
'By employing a softer compound, lighter carcass and an optimised tread pattern, the Energy E-V offers 20 per cent lower rolling resistance than the Energy Saver+, Michelin’s mainstream eco tyre. The company says this equates to a six percent improvement in range per battery charge.'

Sorry that was the quote i was meant to post - 20% better than the + seems a lot to me?


I googled that quote to find the link:

http://www.greenmotor.co.uk/2012/07/will-euro-labels-make-it-simple-to-spot.html

I also note that they say:
... It would be natural to suppose that the Energy E-V would therefore make a great choice for any car owner seeking improved miles per gallon, but Michelin cautions against this, emphasising that the tyre is optimised for EVs and is not suitable for conventional cars. Instead it recommends the Energy Saver+, which scores an A for wet grip but only a B for economy. ...
 
Thanks Mike, also i noted that (should of posted it). Im just very curious as the electric vehicles produce a good wave of torque and are as nippy as the A2 - plus the extra 400 kilos (guess) of battery, why would they then be unsuitable for other cars hmmmm?
 
Yes, I was wondering the same thing. Probably the tyre would only be rated for a low top speed, and possibly lower centre of gravity could affect the handling in some way?


Like Adrian says, next year there will be a lot more choice of A/A tyres on the market.
 
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Sorry to drag this up again.

My A2 1.4TDI Sport (90Hp) has two trashed front alloys (17" versions) done today in potholes filled with water. I thought this was an opportunity to replace all the wheels with 15" versions and taller tyres for a better ride and better protection in case of any further pothole hits. The size would have to have the same rolling radius so it will not effect the speedo etc, and seeing as I will need 4 new wheels, I am plus thinking of winter tyres too. Therefore the wheels will need to be a size that winter tyres also fit.
Any suggestions would be great appreciated. I would like to try to keep the wide look of the 17" alloys although this is not a priority. Thanks
 
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Get 15 inch A3 alloys then (or possibly A1). Although you won't need any more than a 205 on the 15inch rim.

My winters are 15 inch A3 alloys with 195 section rubber

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J
 
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