Q5 wheel help

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Hi. Need some expert eyes here.

These wheels were on my car when I purchased it at 16k miles. It was a VW buyback car, out of NC.

I had two bent wheels on my Q5. I bought a spare set, and decided to have the damaged wheels repaired and powder coated. When I received them back, I discovered that two of the wheels have some type of shim. It appears to be pressed into the bore of the wheel. I’ve never seen these before.

It is thick enough that the lug bolts are not long enough to adequately secure the wheel. GOK how they held on pre-removal. Not safe to use. It was discovered while installing the refinished wheels/new tires. The installer actually stripped the threads On 4 wheel bolts because they didn’t thread deep enough. We had to reinstall the old wheels/tires to get hole.

I never looked at the inside of the wheel pre-repair.

The wheel shop denies these shims, and said they noticed them pre-repair.

Two different tire shops say they have never seen this before.

Two different Audi dealerships swear they are not from Audi.

All four wheels have the part# 8R0 601 025 BN. SPEC is e-8.0J x 19H2 ET39.

Pictures below. I have included one photo of an unrefinished wheel.

If anyone has seen these spacers before, please tell me what they are and why they are there. I would also like to know if they can be removed. If not, I’m out a bunch of $$ for the repair.

Thanks, Bruce





 
Last edited:

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Can't tell much from your pics, but lots of wheel spacers are out there. People use them I assume to make the car look "wider", not really sure.

Just google "VW 112 wheel spacer" and you can see. I'd never use them. But that is probably what you have. And normally they would be used in conjunction with longer wheel bolts.
 

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Thanks for reply.

I’m unwilling to use two different offsets with the Quattro setup. Obviously, whoever did this prior to my ownership ran these wheels without extended wheel bolts.

Biggest question. These appear to be “pressed” onto rim. Or glued. Not welded. However, they don’t move. Is there any downside to carefully using a punch to remove them?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I'd try and knock them off, I've never known any that were attached somehow to the wheel. They usually just float there. Someone may have glued them in place to make it easier to install, since with bolts instead of studs you'd have another thing to line up.
 

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Thanks Brian. I have no experience with the spacers.

A short pry bar with a 90 degree tapered end, a few taps with a brass mallet, and the spacer popped right off. There was a bit of aluminum corrosion holding them in place.

Now to get the wheels rebalanced without the spacer.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I figured they'd probably just be stuck on there. You should have no problem cleaning up the hub of the wheel and putting them into service.

Those spacers are dumb, annoying, and as you've seen.... quite dangerous with standard wheelbolts.
 
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