ECS Tuning Wheel Studs and Spacers

[rubicant5x]

I threw these on this afternoon. 8mm up front and 12mm in the rear. The spacers pull the wheels out to the perfect spot. The wheel studs were a breeze to install and worth it for putting wheels back on.

[SteveYem]

Thanks for the photos. I'm thinking about going this way too. Did you have any problems installing such as excessively tight fit between the spacer and hub or spacer and wheel? Any vibrations while driving at any speeds?

[14S4GWM]

After reading all the bad about the 8's I think I might be going with the 10's. Looks good though OP. Curious to hear of anything bad about the fronts.

[rubicant5x]

Thanks for the photos. I'm thinking about going this way too. Did you have any problems installing such as excessively tight fit between the spacer and hub or spacer and wheel? Any vibrations while driving at any speeds?

No issues on the installation. I put red Loctite on the studs, anti-seize on the spacer and then on the stud threads for the lugs. The bolt caps fit back on but I expect the front to fall out after a few bumps. No vibrations after install.

[rubicant5x]

After reading all the bad about the 8's I think I might be going with the 10's. Looks good though OP. Curious to hear of anything bad about the fronts.

I wasn't aware of any issues with the 8s. Do they not fit as well being thin because of the less pronounced hub mounting surface?

[14S4GWM]

I wasn't aware of any issues with the 8s. Do they not fit as well being thin because of the less pronounced hub mounting surface?

That's exactly what it is and people are having vibration issues and returning them for the 10's with the bigger lip. If you look on ECS website you can see the big difference between the two.

[rubicant5x]

That's exactly what it is and people are having vibration issues and returning them for the 10's with the bigger lip. If you look on ECS website you can see the big difference between the two.

I am gonna venture to guess having the wheel studs has eliminated this problem. I am still dumbfounded that Audi went with bolts over studs. Anyway, no issues on my end.

[eurotic]

I loved my stud conversion for my B6. I want to do it for my B8 but I want to find closed end ball-seat nuts and really can only find conical seat versions. I want the closed end to prevent corrosion...about the only thing I like about the wheel bolts is that they never corrode on like open end nuts on studs can do.

Anyone know where to find different options for closed end ball-seat nuts?

[KRS Aaron]

I had issues with the 8mm flush kit spacers and had to return them and ECS was nothing but accommodating on the return. The one issue I had with the studs is they started to look like crap after about 2 years and I could never keep them looking nice. I switched back to lugs for this reason.

[rota92]

Good luck with those 8's :P

Studs FTW, it's one of the reasons I love going back to a Honda as the weekend car every now and then lol

[rubicant5x]

I had issues with the 8mm flush kit spacers and had to return them and ECS was nothing but accommodating on the return. The one issue I had with the studs is they started to look like crap after about 2 years and I could never keep them looking nice. I switched back to lugs for this reason.

If the plastic caps were a little deeper, it wouldn't be a problem. If you find some lugs that are closed, let me know.

[JeriQo]

im running ecs 10-15 on mine -- can easily go 20mm on the rear.

[968Reckless]

I've had vibration issues with thin spacers but as long as they are hubcentric and wheel centric you should be fine.


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[jokingjimmy]

I had that 8/12 kit on my car with the longer replacement bolts. Absolutely no issue with vibration. The issue I had was with rubbing because my car is a bit slammed. Planning to raise her back up a bit and reinstall the spacers. Got the kit that includes the longer replacement bolts (rear set is a tad longer than the front set FYI)

[SteveYem]

I had that 8/12 kit on my car with the longer replacement bolts. Absolutely no issue with vibration. The issue I had was with rubbing because my car is a bit slammed. Planning to raise her back up a bit and reinstall the spacers. Got the kit that includes the longer replacement bolts (rear set is a tad longer than the front set FYI)

How bad was the rubbing with the 12mm spacers? And what are your wheel+tire specs? I am asking because this week I will be installing a set of 19x8.5 et43 wheels with Michelin PSS 255/35-19, am lowered on coilovers to about 1 'finger' fender to tire gap all around and am debating getting the 12mm spacers for the rear. But something tells me that the rubbing with 12mm spacers will be pretty severe.

[KRS Aaron]

If the plastic caps were a little deeper, it wouldn't be a problem. If you find some lugs that are closed, let me know.

Yea I gave up on it and went back to longer lugs. One thing I will say is that when you get those studs in, getting them out is a very difficult task.

[rubicant5x]

Yea I gave up on it and went back to longer lugs. One thing I will say is that when you get those studs in, getting them out is a very difficult task.

I can imagine getting those f'ers out is gonna be tough.. When I go with the big brake kit, I might just buy new studs rather than trying to extract them from the two piece stock rotor.

[rubicant5x]

Forgot to mention, ECS Tuning was great to do business with! I highly recommend them and these to anyone wanting to get a more aggressive look out of their stock peelers.

[jokingjimmy]

How bad was the rubbing with the 12mm spacers? And what are your wheel+tire specs? I am asking because this week I will be installing a set of 19x8.5 et43 wheels with Michelin PSS 255/35-19, am lowered on coilovers to about 1 'finger' fender to tire gap all around and am debating getting the 12mm spacers for the rear. But something tells me that the rubbing with 12mm spacers will be pretty severe.

Steve - my spec when I was having the issues were:

Tires: OEM ContiProContact 255/35ZR19 w/ 2/32:" Tread.
Wheels: OEM RS Rep Wheels 19x8.5 et 43 (21 lbs I think).
Susp.: KW Variant 3 (fender to axle center) Front: 33cm Rear: 33cm

Pic of current ride height (different tires now, fyi):



Two major places of rubbing at this setup.

1. Wheel liner - freeway dips and bumps, speed bumps going slow. Worse when there were others in the car (side note - makes me want to get ride height leveling airbags lol).
2. Rear wheel well piece of metal. There's a spot on each side behind the tire (you can see it and feel it with your fingers pretty easily) where the rear quarter panel meets in a seam with the lower rear body panel. That thing was rubbing almost cutting into my tire. and since it was behind the tire, camber adjustments didn't help. I was going to have them grind it down, but on closer inspection, it looks like it might be holding the lower panel to the upper so I decided to try other things. See pic:





My recommendation, if it's not too late, I'd consider a little more stretch, like 235's instead of the 255's. If you're going to lower it and want to bring them out for the flush fit, you'll need those tires a little rounder - esp. the PSS (which I understand are a tad more square than Kumhos or Contis). Also, make sure to play your alignment to adjust camber to compensate as well. And watch that back little nub sticking out. I hate that thing!

FYI I am going to go with PSS 235's and raise her up a tad then put the spacers back on during my next iteration.

Hope this helps!

[SteveYem]

Steve - my spec when I was having the issues were:

Tires: OEM ContiProContact 255/35ZR19 w/ 2/32:" Tread.
Wheels: OEM RS Rep Wheels 19x8.5 et 43 (21 lbs I think).
Susp.: KW Variant 3 (fender to axle center) Front: 33cm Rear: 33cm

Pic of current ride height (different tires now, fyi):



Two major places of rubbing at this setup.

1. Wheel liner - freeway dips and bumps, speed bumps going slow. Worse when there were others in the car (side note - makes me want to get ride height leveling airbags lol).
2. Rear wheel well piece of metal. There's a spot on each side behind the tire (you can see it and feel it with your fingers pretty easily) where the rear quarter panel meets in a seam with the lower rear body panel. That thing was rubbing almost cutting into my tire. and since it was behind the tire, camber adjustments didn't help. I was going to have them grind it down, but on closer inspection, it looks like it might be holding the lower panel to the upper so I decided to try other things. See pic:





My recommendation, if it's not too late, I'd consider a little more stretch, like 235's instead of the 255's. If you're going to lower it and want to bring them out for the flush fit, you'll need those tires a little rounder - esp. the PSS (which I understand are a tad more square than Kumhos or Contis). Also, make sure to play your alignment to adjust camber to compensate as well. And watch that back little nub sticking out. I hate that thing!

FYI I am going to go with PSS 235's and raise her up a tad then put the spacers back on during my next iteration.

Hope this helps!

Thanks very much for the descriptive reply. At the moment I have a set of 5mm and 10mm spacers which I plan to install right off the bat (5mm front, 10mm rear). If the results are good, I may try my luck with the 12mm rear spacers but based on your experience that might be a losing proposition.

[jokingjimmy]

Hey sent you aPM.

[jokingjimmy]

Thanks very much for the descriptive reply. At the moment I have a set of 5mm and 10mm spacers which I plan to install right off the bat (5mm front, 10mm rear). If the results are good, I may try my luck with the 12mm rear spacers but based on your experience that might be a losing proposition.

The biggest issue I had was the rubbing of the spot little metal piece sticking out the back. If you don't drop as low as I did, go 235s I think you'll be OK with the 8/12 assuming you get that little metal piece figured out lol. I'm probably going to have my local guy smoosh or grind that thing in the back down. I hate it so much. It's like a pimple on a super model's face.

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Looks great OP!

Closed end ball seat bolts will be tough to come by unfortunately as most vehicles that use studs are conical seat.

Jason

[SteveYem]

The biggest issue I had was the rubbing of the spot little metal piece sticking out the back. If you don't drop as low as I did, go 235s I think you'll be OK with the 8/12 assuming you get that little metal piece figured out lol. I'm probably going to have my local guy smoosh or grind that thing in the back down. I hate it so much. It's like a pimple on a super model's face.

I'm going to take a look at that today. I do not know my ride height off-hand, other than it's approx. 1 index-finger's worth of gap between fender and tire, both front and rear. I currently have a set of PSS 255/35-19 that have a lot of tread left, so I will be 'stuck' using them on these wheels. I ran these tires at net +33 offset on an 8.5" wide wheel on my B8 lowered on H&R OE Sport springs and did not have a problem, but the ride height on my B8.5 is lower so I may not be as lucky without dialing in some extra negative camber. But that little metal nub is interesting, I'll check it out this afternoon.