15" steel wheels - what to look for

Hi, in the next 6 months or so, I want to put on 15" steel wheels with some highwalled tyres.
Would rather buy used wheels, so I need to know what other VAG cars used a wheel that would directly fit an A2, so I can broaden my search on all the usual sites.
Thanks very much
 
Anything that's 5x100, centre bore 57.1, ET38 for 5.5Jx15, ET 40ish for 6x15.
Which means A3 (8L), Golf IV, Octavia I, Beetle. Don't remember if 6N Polos had 4 or 5 bolts, I think it's four.

Not A3 8P or Golf V onwards, nor Octavia II (1Z), A4, A5, A6 - these are all 5x112.
 
It depends what width and offset you want...which in turn will partly depend on what size tyres you want.

Do you want standard A2 15" tyre sizes such as 165/65R15 and 175/60R15, or non-standard sizes such as 175/65R15, 185/60R15, 185/65R15, 195/55R15, 195/60R15, 205/55R15.

A good starting point could be 185/60R15 fitted to 6Jx15 ET29 steel rims from the Audi A1. These rims are a 20 hole design like the standard Audi A2 steel rims. The ET29 offset means that these wheels will be pushed out to the edge of the wheelarches like it does on the Audi A1. Also consider 5.5Jx15 ET40 if you like your wheels a little more tucked into the wheelarches...less chance of kerbing them, etc.

If you want to consider non-standard 15" tyres, then you might also want to consider 14" tyres such as 185/65R14 fitted to either 5Jx14 ET35 or 6Jx14 ET38 steel rims.

6Jx14 ET38

1616454673742.png


Here's a list of 15" steel rims that will fit (they are all 5/100 57.1):

5Jx15 ET28 (20 hole design)
5.5Jx15 ET34 (20 hole design)
5.5Jx15 ET40 (18 hole design)
6Jx15 ET29 (20 hole design)
6Jx15 ET35 (18 hole design)
6Jx15 ET38
6Jx15 ET43

You can find out the OEM numbers for these rims on VW online parts catalogue websites such as http://www.oemepc.com/

5.5Jx15 ET40

1616454379380.png



6Jx15 ET29

1616454465786.png


6Jx15 ET38

1616454847775.png

Some tyre sizes tend to be more expensive than other sizes. 165/65R15, 175/65R15, 185/60R15, 185/65R15 and 195/60R15 tend to be cheap sizes. 195/55R15 and 205/55R15 tend to be expensive sizes.

mytyres are listing 5.5Jx15 ET40 steel rims at £34.30 and 6Jx15 ET29 steel rims at £36.40

oponeo.pl is a good website for viewing photos of these steel rims.
 
Last edited:
I bought these (link) to replace my 17" alloys - two of which had been badly repaired, hence the replacement - with 175/60R15 tyres. I can honsestly say that I haven't regretted the purchase.
The link above shows genuine Audi A2 5.5Jx15 ET34 steel rims with OEM part number 8Z0601027 03C as shown here

28Z0601027steel rim5,5JX15H2 ET34
5/100
Model data: PR-C3V
8Z0601027 03Crally black
Period: 0400 - 0805


The genuine Audi steel rims are about £75 each, and unfortunately Alcar and other aftermarket brands appear to have stopped making the two Audi A2 sizes, ie. 5Jx15 ET28 and 5.5Jx15 ET34 leaving only the genuine Audi ones available.
 
The link above shows genuine Audi A2 5.5Jx15 ET34 steel rims with OEM part number 8Z0601027 03C as shown here

28Z0601027steel rim5,5JX15H2 ET34
5/100
Model data: PR-C3V
8Z0601027 03Crally black
Period: 0400 - 0805


The genuine Audi steel rims are about £75 each, and unfortunately Alcar and other aftermarket brands appear to have stopped making the two Audi A2 sizes, ie. 5Jx15 ET28 and 5.5Jx15 ET34 leaving only the genuine Audi ones available.

My reasoning behind swapping my bad alloys to steel wheels was that a new alloy from Audi would set me back more than 4 new steel wheels with four new tyres... Easy choice in the end.
 
My reasoning behind swapping my bad alloys to steel wheels was that a new alloy from Audi would set me back more than 4 new steel wheels with four new tyres... Easy choice in the end.
I expect that you've still got a decent level of grip going from 205/40R17 to 175/60R15.

As the A2 originally came with either 175/60R15, 185/50R16, or 205/40R17 it's easy to think that the 175/60R15 won't have much grip.

However, if Audi had sold the A2 with 165/70R14, 175/60R15, 185/50R16 then it would be easier to think of the 175/60R15 option as having a decent amount of grip.

With any tyre, grip levels depend a lot on having the right type of tyre for the weather conditions. For example, an UHP (Ultra High Performance) summer tyre doesn't work very well in cold weather conditions and certainly not the snow.
 
My reasoning behind swapping my bad alloys to steel wheels was that a new alloy from Audi would set me back more than 4 new steel wheels with four new tyres... Easy choice in the end.
Which is exactly why I did it, too. Will be going for cold-biased summer tyres this year (not all-season) and taking the spikes off a little earlier than the other cars, I think. The steels got binned 'cos they don't look good and were rusting. I could probably justify Crossclimates but I like my lateral grip too much and that car doesn't do much high-speed gravel.
 
I expect that you've still got a decent level of grip going from 205/40R17 to 175/60R15.

As the A2 originally came with either 175/60R15, 185/50R16, or 205/40R17 it's easy to think that the 175/60R15 won't have much grip.

However, if Audi had sold the A2 with 165/70R14, 175/60R15, 185/50R16 then it would be easier to think of the 175/60R15 option as having a decent amount of grip.

With any tyre, grip levels depend a lot on having the right type of tyre for the weather conditions. For example, an UHP (Ultra High Performance) summer tyre doesn't work very well in cold weather conditions and certainly not the snow.

They are perfect for all normal driving conditions. Indeed, if you plan on going to the Nordschleife there are better option out there :)
 
Which is exactly why I did it, too. Will be going for cold-biased summer tyres this year (not all-season) and taking the spikes off a little earlier than the other cars, I think. The steels got binned 'cos they don't look good and were rusting. I could probably justify Crossclimates but I like my lateral grip too much and that car doesn't do much high-speed gravel.

My car is black, so the steel wheels even without the covers don't look bad at all. Haven't had any rust issues so far (touch wood), have had the wheels on there for just over two years now, probably covering 15,000 miles more or less.
 
Thanks for your advice, it's greatly appreciated. i know what to look out for now. I'm not sure I can afford a new set of genuine Audi ones - but ebay has a few options
 
This is what one of mine is currently running on,165 70 14, I personally don't like them but as I said I will keep as spares/winter wheels
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210324_170544.jpg
    IMG_20210324_170544.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 214
  • IMG_20210324_170601.jpg
    IMG_20210324_170601.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 166
This is what one of mine is currently running on,165 70 14, I personally don't like them but as I said I will keep as spares/winter wheels
The problem with the 5Jx14 ET35 5/100 57.1 steel rims is that they are an unattractive design without wheel trims. Notice the seven square holes for the wheel trim clips.

5Jx14 ET35 5/100 57.1 Steel Rim
1616633547872.png


However, those lucky enough to have a 1.2TDI can fit the following 5Jx14 ET35 4/100 57.1 steel rims

5Jx14 ET35 4/100 57.1 Steel Rim

1616633636632.png
 
Back
Top