Wheels and Tires

[aerobat]

Now I know this has been covered before, and I have tried searching the forum, but there is just too much new experience and expertise to let this go to waste.

I have a 1994 S4, that I'm always looking to improve. I am considering next season to replace my wheels (and tires, although I'm pretty set on the Goodyear Eagles F1 GS-D3's). I am considering either HRE after-market wheels, or the OZ crystal titanium Nova's available through SJS. I can't find any good close ups of the Nova's however. Are they polished like chrome, or more of a matted surface? Are the fronts 8.5 x 17" and the rears 10 x 18"? I can't tell the sizes from the SJS website. I know I'd have to have the rears milled to fit my hubs, and I'd need the adjustable top links as well.

Would I need wheelarch extensions to fit these V8 wheels onto my S4? And if so, where can you order them from, and what style - 300 Sport, Sport 350, or V8's? How big of rear tires has anyone put on? The 300 Sport came with 315/ 35 - 17", I believe, and the Sport 350 came with 295/ 35 - 18" rears. But again, it makes a difference whether to order 17 or 18" rear wheels. What is anyone's experience with changes in drivability etc, with the changes in geometry?

Of course, I expect there to be more than one opinion, but I'm open to all experience and suggestions.

Thanks all. I hope your Christmas was as good as mine was, and that 2007 exceeds all your desires.

JJ

[Vulcan Grey]

First of all it is the front wheels that have to be bored to fit on an SE Esprit with the Toyota brakes.

If your S4 has the Brembo brakes, then you do not need to modify the V8 wheels to fit on your car.

If your S4 has the Toyota front brakes then you will need to have the front wheel hub center I.D. bored out 2mm to fit over the larger hub spigot diameter.

The rear V8 wheels will fit on no problems.

Check your wheel bolt length, as some wheels require longer or shorter bolts to hold the wheel securely. I know that standard 89 bolts are too short to safely hold an S4s wheel for instance.

Second, you will need adjustable rear upper suspension links to correctly adjust the camber to work with wider wheels. I'm fairly sure your S4 already has these but not positive. They look like this.

Third. The OZ Nova wheels are "crystal titanium" which means that they are painted a slightly darker silver, which is glossy. They are not polished aluminum or chrome.

The OZ Novas are 17x8.5 and 18x10". The standard V8 tires are 235/40-17 & 285/35-18, but you could use a 295/35-18 in the rear. The extra 10mm will not show a noticeable gain in performance, but the 295 tire may be harder or easier to find.

I would recommend the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3, so far I like mine. I had a serious problem with my Pirelli PZero Rossos, so I can't recommend those.

I also went with a mix of SE and V8 alignment settings, and my SE handles much better than it did with the stock SE wheels and tires. I use V8 rear camber and front toe-out, the rest is stock SE.

[aerobat]

Thanks, Travis. You're what I meant when I spoke of knowledge, experience, and expertise !

Oops - I knew it was the front wheels, too. I've picked this up from LEW, and your pictures.

My car is pre-Brembo. I have upgraded my brakes with a mix of PUK from Marcus, and WC's from John Welch. I'm also considering upgrading to John's 6-pot front brakes. Have you added wheelarch extensions to your car? Won't these V8 wheels and tires extend beyond my body trim?

I'll check on the top links and bolt length. As far as the OZ Nova's go, I wish I could see a close-up picture. I'm having a hard time imagining glossy dark silver, and what it would look like on a Calypso red body. Thanks for your endorsement of the Goodyears.

Thanks again for your help.

- JJ

[karmavore]

Check it ouuut.

Edited December 28, 2006 by karmavore

[Vulcan Grey]

Yeah Lucas' links show how the wheels are flush with the uper half of the body so no wheel arch extensions are strictly needed. I prefer the SE with V8 wheels and no arch extensions IMO. And those pictures show how good they look on an SE and S4. I've seen the white SE in California in person, and it looks really good.

Though the lower half of the body curves under and is exposed to rock chips. Though it is with the stock wheels as well. You can always use some of the 3M clear bra.

You can see here how flush with the body the V8 wheels are on my car. The Novas will be the same.

The Novas should fit over just about any brakes you want to put on. As will the AWI's like mine. SOme of the other wheels have trouble fitting large brakes.

not the best picture with all the mud...

[aerobat]

Those look fantastic, guys - thanks for the pictures. It's true, what they say, about it being worth a thousand words. The white one and your car, Travis, show how well the cars look without the wheelarch extensions, and I do have the 3M clear tape. I have a new suspension in my S4, from Marcus, and the car is lowered, so the tires will fill the wells nicely. The red one (isn't it an early V8?) shows well what the Nova's would look like on my car.

And Lucas, your car looks fantastic !! How do you keep it so pristine all of the time? And where did you get your CF front splitter?

All it takes now, is more money !

Edited December 28, 2006 by aerobat

[jfitz981]

I too like the look of the car without the extensions.

[Vulcan Grey]

The red car in Lucas' post is an S4, but with canards (front mudflap looking things) similar to the X180-R.

[karmavore]

The red car also has molded-in flares, but they protrude far LESS then they do an a V8.

My car is far less pristine then you may think, but thanks...

Lucas.

[sanj]

First of all it is the front wheels that have to be bored to fit on an SE Esprit with the Toyota brakes.

If your S4 has the Brembo brakes, then you do not need to modify the V8 wheels to fit on your car.

You should not need to bore the wheels to fit any S4, as the reason they made the bore smaller in the first place was to prevent installation of the rear S4 wheels on the front.

[Vulcan Grey]

AH I see what you mean Sanj. Since he already has S4 wheels... then he must have S4 hubs.

I was confused by this from the Esprit factfile though

Dual S.l.R. for USA and LHD Export: September '93

Esprit S4 (USA & LHD Export): VIN: R 1163

Introduced as legal requirement for USA cars, and as option in some LHD markets.

S.I.R. equipment as driver only S.I.R. with following changes:

Passenger side inflator module mounted in place of glovebox.

Passenger side knee bolster.

New DERM and dual pole arming sensor.

Revised Wiring Harness: December '93

Esprit S4 LHD: VIN: R 1242

Esprit S4 RHD; VIN: R 1250

Sport 300; VIN: R 8030

As previous with following changes:

Wiring harnesses rationalized.

Electrical components resited inc. engine bay components to RHR wheelarch.

Addition of sensing switches to front bonnet and tailgate for alarm and illumination.

Addition of front luggage compartment lamp, and 'lights on' buzzer (non-USA).

New type inertia switch RHF engine bay, and Elan type electric aerial for some markets, LHR quarter.

New engine coolant header tank, with incorporation of chargecooling system.

Brembo Brakes: June '94

Esprit S4 Non-USA: VIN: R 1443 (+ R 1377) July '94

Esprit S4 USA: VIN: S1391 June'94

(Not applicable to Sport 300)

Introduction on USA cars coincides with intro. of otherwise unchanged '95 M.Y. USA S4.

Changes include the following:

Front brakes: four piston calipers and larger discs.

Rear brakes: new calipers and larger ventilated discs.

Rear circuit pressure limiting/proportioning valve deleted.

Revised front hubs and rear hub carriers.

16" spare wheel supplied to clear new brakes.

Since it only mentions the revised hubs after S/N S1391, though there were S4's prior to that, which is what Aerobat has.

[aerobat]

Ya - I'm S/N 1325. Obviously, it would be less hassle if I didn't have to machine down the rims.

Thanks, guys. Travis - you've got a PM.

Edited December 31, 2006 by aerobat

[sanj]

AH I see what you mean Sanj. Since he already has S4 wheels... then he must have S4 hubs.

I was confused by this from the Esprit factfile though

Since it only mentions the revised hubs after S/N S1391, though there were S4's prior to that, which is what Aerobat has.

It is a bit confusing, but the revision you quote refers to the redesign to accomodate the Brembo brakes, not the change to the hub diameter. The service bulletin introducing the S4 refers to the change to a 58mm spigot to prevent numpties from installing the rear wheel on the front of the car.

Aerobat, you should already have 58mm hubs.

[Riddlemr2]

Is there any reference anywhere that will list what wheel size, offset, and bolt patterns will fit (particularly on an S4)? I would like to install aftermarket wheels pretty quickly to show off the Brembos but I'm not sure what will fit.

[ragingfool35]

quote name='Riddlemr2' date='Dec 31 2006, 01:33 PM' post='77950']

Is there any reference anywhere that will list what wheel size, offset, and bolt patterns will fit (particularly on an S4)? I would like to install aftermarket wheels pretty quickly to show off the Brembos but I'm not sure what will fit.