Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 09:55:49 -0800
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: audi wheels on vanagon,
was Re: Call for .Actual Vehicle Weight info / all years
In-Reply-To: 6667
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
> i just checked on the quattro list.. the empty weight for a Audi turbo
> Quattro, late 80's, is 3600 lbs.. curb weight (no cargo or passengers). GVWR is
> 4200 for my Audi turbo nonQ, so for a Q is would be more, say around 4500 as
> the diffs and driveshaft of a Q weigh more.
> so here you have a '91 Vanagon carat that weighs 3600 with no load or
> passengers
> and you have a ('86-'91) audi quattro that weighs 3600 with no load or
> passengers.
> numbers dont lie..
The numbers don't lie but they don't represent reality either since none of us drives around in an unloaded vehicle. The real number you need to include is the amount of payload each vehicle is designed to carry. The Audi Turbo nonQ has a payload of 800-lbs, while the Vanagon Carat is 1,500-lbs (3/4 ton).
Automobile manufacturers design components for a 'worst case' scenario, in terms of tires/wheels/brakes and suspension components, that would be the GVWR. Some of us Vanagon owners might not use all of that payload daily, but I know I use a good part of it a couple times a year.
> the big audis use the 5x112 bolt pattern.. the late 80's type 44's
> (5000TQ/200TQ) are very heavy cars. So are the A6, and V8/A8, even heavier. i have used
> just about every Audi wheel on a vanagon (some of my pics are on BenT's wheel
> page) and never had an issue with damaging a wheel. in fact, the "Fuchs"
> wheels that were offered as an option on the '86-'88 audi 5000TQ are
> Forged...and they use them for UrQ rally cars..forged wheels are stronger than any steel
> or aluminum cast wheel that was ever offered on the vanagon. the V8/ A8
> wheels are a 38mm offset and are good choices too.
> i did not give the curb unladen weight for a Audi V8 or A8, but it is
> SUBSTANTIALLY heavier than the 5000/200. Listmember Hans Achter has 1990 Audi V8
> wheels on his syncro.
It would be nice to see some real GVWR numbers for these particular vehicles instead of speculating about their particular weights (i.e. "SUBSTANTIANALLY heavier" to my wife is around 15-20lbs:>). Aftermarket alloy wheels should be stronger than stock wheels, but in checking with BBS on the load rating of my particular wheels, they would only rate them at 1320-lbs. I believe the can handle more weight than that since they were used on some pretty large 'Benz sedans, but I don't have the GVWR numbers for these vehicles to compare to so I wouldn't recommend there use on a Vanagon but have no problem using them myself.
> as with any audi wheels, they are a direct bolt on for the syncro with no
> mods, but you will need to machine the centers and if you are using them on a
> 2wd. All audi wheels have different offsets..most are 45mm but the heavier V8
> audis use a lower offset 35-38mm.
> the vanagon stock alloys will bend, just like any other wheel. i have a pic
> of a bent carat alloy if anyone wants to see.
I have seen bent steel wheels too, so I am not sure what that proves. I haven't bent my BBS wheels either, but haven't ever hit anything hard enough to make me get out and check them.
Good luck,
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge, FC-33
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wanderlodge
FAVOR website: http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon
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