nicros01

Hi,

So here's the scoop- I have a 2010 Q5 with 18" aftermarket wheels. I didn't put them on, they were there when I bought the car lightly used.

So, brake pad warning light comes on, so I take it to the dealer. They replace the front brakes and rotors (for $650) and I drive away.

Around 70mph on the road, the car starts to shake- a lot. I immediately turn around and go back to the dealer and tell them something is wrong. They take it for a test drive and confirm, yep, something is wrong. Problem is they tell me they can't fix it.

The explanation is that the aftermarket wheels were 'lug centric' and don't have the correct lug nuts, vs the wheels that the vehicle was sold with were 20" hub centric wheels. Therefore, they are unable to align the wheels properly onto the axle without the tapered lugs, and so the car shakes above 70mph. To their credit, they tried to balance the wheels as best they could, at no charge.

It didn't do this when I drove it in. And the explanation sounds sketchy. Googling shows that MOST aftermarket wheels are lug-centric (?)... I cant believe everyone has this problem.

So what do I do? Shell out $$ to take it someplace else and hope that the dealer has it wrong? Save up for legit hub-centric wheels? I can't drive it like this for very long...

Thoughts? Advice?

ozfst

I would discuss this further with the service manager. The fact is it did NOT do this prior to your visit so, the wheel reasoning is BS.

What ever you do... do not let them sway you or push you around.

nicros01

I came down pretty heavy on the service guy- as his first response to my question of what happened was, 'There's nothing we could have done to make it do this'. Which is basically him telling me I'm lying. Which made me angry (to put it mildly). Then he wanted to charge me for the wheel balance. Like $75. I told him he had lost my business, and was it worth it for $75? He backed off and did the balance for free.

I do believe they did everything they could think of to get things right- but the car still shakes above 70mph. And now I'm not sure what to do.

Is there anything at all to this lug-centric vs hub-centric stuff?

Camrudy

I was under the impression Audi wheels where lug centric because they do take a special ball seat lug nut to center the wheel on the hub. Could be they are hub centric but at any rate, I do know they take the special nut to seat properly. Most aftermarket dealers will use a tapered lug nut which has been known to cause the wheel to seat eccentrically on the hub.
Basically, the wheel probably runs out fine on the balancer but since they can't center the wheel when it is installed on the car it shakes.

nicros01

That's pretty much what the service guy said. Except he said pretty clearly that the audi rims were hub centric.

So how does this work with lug-centric wheels then? When my wheels were put on, it is possible some part was not used or used properly?

There must be some way to make sure that lug-centric wheels are properly centered.

Your car looks almost exactly like mine btw

NABS4

You need centering rings. The size of ring required is the OD measurement (whatever you measure on the existing wheel) and the ID (66.1 mm = Q5's hub size). The rings are just plastic and ensure the wheels are centered.

MonzaA5

Aftermarket wheels are often lug-centric by design, but they come with plastic or aluminum inserts (sized specifically for your vehicle's hub) that make them hub-centric. This is basically a cost saving measure. Instead of making wheels in many different hub sizes, they use a standard, oversized hub size and then make centering rings to fit different cars.

Driving a car with wheels that are not centered on the hub is never a good idea. In addition to vibration, there's a risk of lug failure. The hub is there for a reason. Perhaps the dealership damaged or lost your centering rings when they were removing the wheels?

nicros01

Sorry for being a moron- what is OD, original diameter? I have no idea what brand the wheels on my car actually are... maybe if I took one off there is a manufacturer mark on the back or inside rim? No idea what to order or ask for...

nicros01

Certainly possible... I will ask and see what they say. But my guess is they will say no, there were no rings or they have no idea, etc.

Bottom line seems to be I need to get those rings but dont know what to order...

MonzaA5

You may be able to get some from tirerack. The B8 hub bore diameter is 66.6 mm, not 66.1 as stated by one of the posters above.