unequivalent wheel weight & traction

[Ingo Rautenberg]

Yeah, but in reality this really is for a few other reasons:

One:  If the traction/grip of tires is dissimilar, this can certainly
compromise the car's handling and performance.

Two: Really only "bad" for the stress on the awd system when engaging the
lockers

Our cars have a built-in "slop" factor which prevents the chugging on turns
from the rear diff of a locker rear end -- try locking the rear and then
making a nice, sharp turn at low speed :-)

Of course, the biggest question is why?  Unless you're just waiting to
replace things because the car is in repair mode of some sort...

Just my $0.02

Ingo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kneale Brownson" <kneale at coslink.net>
To: "Chuck Pierce" <cpcycle at earthlink.net>; "Schaible, David"
<David.Schaible at jrspharma.com>
Cc: "200 20V List" <200q20V at audifans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 6:54 PM
Subject: Re: unequivalent wheel weight & traction


> Audi's Type 44 universal donut spare (5k, 100, 200, V8) is a 17" wheel,
but
> the aspect ratio of the skinny tire is such that it matches the OEM OD (of
> 15" wheels with "60" ratio).   You definitely don't want to run different
> OD wheels on a quattro system.  Every model manual says not to do this
> because of unacceptable stresses it would place on the drive system.
>
> At 02:20 PM 12/6/2005 -0800, Chuck Pierce wrote:
> >I would think the biggest concern would the rolling diameter. If I
> >understand the Q system correctly.
> >The believe the quattro system demands tires of equal diameter so as not
> >to burn up the center diff.
> >The strange wheels are bound to cause the car to handle in a strange
> >manner, but the biggest concern is the diameter of the tires.
> >I drove home (45mi) once on a space saver spare. Kept it to 50 mph or
> >so( damn that was hard, I have not been passed so much since I had a VW
> >transporter)
> >No problems with the drive train. I checked out the dia. of the spare
> >and it was pretty close to the 16" tires I run.
> >
> >Chuck Pierce
> >91 200tq Avant
> >Schaible, David wrote:
> >
> >>Does anyone have any experience, or wild theory, on running different
> >>wheels and tires,  such as is there any damage done by running a donut
> >>spare for extended periods or running a steel wheel on one location and
> >>the bbss' on the others?????  What is better, a donut spare, or a full
> >>size spare of 25% more mass but similar traction?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>My experience to date makes me think you could drive around on
> >>practically anything like a rim with no tire on the rear and only effect
> >>is reduced handling ability, which is magnified at high speed.
>
>
>


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