wheel AUDI R8 SPYDER 2015 Workshop Manual

Tires and wheels
All-wheel drive
Only the wheel/tire sizes specified
by the manufacturer may be used
on vehicles with all-wheel drive. For details see¢
page 139.
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to
loss of control, a crash and seri­
ous personal injury!
-Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
-Worn tires are a safety hazard,
they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of
"hydroplaning" and loss of
control.
-Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such
as grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
-Tires age even if they are not
being used and can fail sud­
denly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can only be
used in an emergency and
then with special care and at lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on
your vehicle if you are not sure
of their "previous history." Old
186
used tires may have been
damaged even though the
damage cannot be seen that
can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
New tires and replacing tires
. and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be
broken in.
Fig. 150 Tire specification codes on the
sidewall of a tire
No Description
•
@ Passenger car tire (where ap-
plicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in mil-
limeters

.... N
" N ": ... IO "? N
"' ....
No Descript ion
•
® Ratio of height to width (as -
pect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rating
(j) U.S. DOT tire identification
number
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and ma-
terials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and tern-
perature grades
@ Maximum permissible infla-
tion pressure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the vehicle's design. The
tires and rims approved by Audi
are specially matched to the char­
acteristics of the vehicle and can
make a major contribution to
good road holding and safe han­
dling when in good condition and
properly inflated ¢
&.
We recommend that all work on
tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer. They
are familiar with recommended
Tires and wheels
procedures and have the necessa­
ry special too ls and spare parts as
well as the proper facilities for
disposing of the old ti res.
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about
technical requirements for insta l­
ling or changing tires and rims.
Replacing tire s and wheel s
Tires should be replaced at least
in pairs and not individually (for
example both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the in ­
formation to the tire pressure
monitoring system¢
page 190.
Always buy replacement radial
tires that have the same specifica­
tions as the tires approved for
your vehicle by Audi . Replacement
tires must always have the same
load rating specification as the
original equipment or approved
optional tires listed in the table
i=> page 176 .
Audi-approved specification tires
are specially matched to your ve­
hicle and its load limits, and can
contribute to the important road­ holding, driving characteristics,
and safety of the vehicle. The .,.
187

Tires and wheels
table( ¢ page 176) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for the
Audi models covered by your
Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label located on driver's s ide 8-pillar
(¢page 176,
fig. 148) lists the specifications of
the original equipment tires in­
stalled on your vehicle at the time
it was manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufac­
turers to place standardized infor­
mation on the sidewall of all tires
¢ fig .
150 . This information iden­
tifies and describes the funda­
mental characteristics, the quality
grade of the tire and also provides
a tire identification number for
safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire spec ifications
makes it easier to choose the cor­
rect tires. Radial tires have the
tire specifications marked on the
sidewall, for example:
P235 / 35 R 19 91 Y
This contains the following infor ­
mation:
P I ndicates the tire is for passen­
ger cars
1 88
235 Nominal tire width in mm of
the tire from sidewall edge to
sidewall edge . In general, the
larger the numbe r, the wide r
the tire
35 Height/width ratio in percent
(aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
19 Rim diameter code (in inches)
91 Load rating code
Y Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF") indicates that the tire is
a"Reinforced" or an "Ext ra
Load" ti re
M+S (o r "M/S") Indicates that the
tire has some mud and sn ow
capability
The tires could also have the in ­
formation of direction of rotation
¢page 170.
Tire manufacturing date
The manufactur ing date is a lso in­
dicated on the tire sidewa ll (pos ­
sibly only on the
inner side of the
wheel) :
"DOT .. . 2213 ... "means, for ex ­
ample, that the tire was produced in the 22nd week of 2013. .,.

.... N
" N ~ .... \D U'
N U' .....
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on
the wheels indicates the maxi­ mum permissible road speeds
¢ .&. in Winter tires on page 194.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
1
)
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)1
)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)1
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)1
)
Your vehicle is normally factory
equipped with tires, which pos­
sess excellent driving characteris­
tics and give your Audi optimum driving comfort
c:::> &..
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
This is the tire's "serial number".
It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
l) For tires with a maximum speed capa­
bility over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufacturers sometimes use the let­
ters "ZR."
Tires and wheels
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac­
tured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of
manufacture. For example, the
numbers 2213 mean that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
2013. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may
not be used by the tire manufac­
turer. This information is used to
contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
Tires with the identification "AO"
or "RO" have been specially
matched with your Audi. We rec­
ommend using only these tires
because they meet the highest
standards regarding safety and
driving characteristics when used
correctly. Your authorized Audi
dea ler will gladly provide you with
more information. ..,.
189

Tires a nd wh eels
Tire ply composition and
materials used
The number of plies indicates the
number of layers of rubber-coat­
ed fabric in the tire. In general,
the greater the number of plies,
the more weight a tire can sup­
port . Tire manufacturers also
must indicate the materials in the
tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester, and others .
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maxi­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the
tire .
Tire quality grading for
treadwear , traction , and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and tempera­
ture grades ~
page 192.
Maximum Permissible
Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest
amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire un­
der normal driving conditions .
190
Replacing tires or rims on
vehicles equipped with tire pressure monitoring sy stem
The wheels on your vehicle are
equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pres ­
sure inside the tire, and then
transmits this information to the
tire pressure monitoring system.
If you are go ing to replace the
wheel rims on your vehic le, make
sure the new rims also have these
sensors. The sensors must be
compatible with the tire pressure monitoring system on your vehi­
cle.
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then
the tire pressure monitoring sys­
tem will not work properly . In this
case, the tire pressure monitoring
system would not be able to mon­ itor the tire pressure or warn you
if it is necessary .
-The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
-Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted . We rec­
ommend using factory installed ""

Tires and wheels
valve stem caps. Ask your au--Tires age even if they are not
thorized Audi dealer to replace being used and can fail sud-
lost valve stem caps .
denly, especially at high
The installation of replacement speeds
. Tires that are more
tires with steel cord body plies in than 6 years old can only be
the tire sidewall may cause mal- used
in an emergency and
function of the tire pressure man- then with special care and at
itoring system, and is not recom- lower speeds.
mended (cord material informa- -Never mount used tires on
tion in molded on the tire side- your vehicle if you are not sure
wall). of their "previous history." Old
Always check your tire pressure used tires may have been
damaged even though the
monitoring system indicator after
damage cannot be seen that
replacing one or more tires on
can lead to sudden tire failure
your vehicle. If the tire pressure
and loss of vehicle control.
monitoring system indicator
-Only the wheel/tire sizes
flashes, or is on, your system is
specified by the manufacturer
not working properly.
may be used on vehicles with
A_ WARNING all-wheel drive.
-Using incorrect or unmatched -Never drive faster than the
tires and/ or wheels or im- maximum speed for which the
proper tire and wheel com bi -
tires on your vehicle are rated
nations can lead to loss of because tires that are driven
control, collision and serious faster than their rated speed
personal injury. can fail suddenly.
-Always use tires, rims and
-Overloading tires cause heat
wheel bolts that meet the build-up, sudden tire failure,
specifications of original fac- including a blowout and sud-
tory-installed tires or other den deflation and loss of con-
combinations that have been trol.
... .... N
" specifically approved by the N ": ...
vehicle manufacturer. IO "? N
"' ....
191

Tires and wheels
-Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and not over or underinflated.
-For technical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some
cases not even wheels from
the same vehicle model.
-Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle. Using run-flat
tires can lead to vehicle dam­age or crashes.
(D Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the
wheel rims from other
vehicles. This can hold true for
wheels of the same vehicle
type.
-If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehi­
cle (e.g. winter wheels and
tires), you must be certain
that the wheels and tires are compatible with the tire pres­
sure monitoring system. Oth­
erwise the system will register
a malfunction and a fault message will be displayed. For
more information, contact
your authorized Audi dealer.
192
(D Note
-When installing new tires, be careful not to damage the
valves or tire pressure moni­
toring system sensors.
-Never drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
damaged.
-If the sensors must be re­ placed, then the valve must
also be replaced at the same
time.
@) For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accord­
ance with the local require­
ments.
(D Tips
Tires with the identification "ROl" have been specially matched with your Audi. We
recommend using only these
tires because they meet the highest standards regarding
safety and driving characteris­
tics when used correctly. Your authorized Audi RB dealer will
gladly provide you with more information.
· Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Traction AA AB C
- Temperature ABC

..... N
r-­N "': ..... \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 .....
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum sect ion w idth
r::!:> page 186, fig. 150.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Tem­
perature
A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a spec ified gov­
e rnment test course.
For example, a t ire graded
150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern­
ment course as a tire graded
100 .
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving hab its, serv ice practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and
C. Those grades represent the tire's
ab il ity to stop on wet pavement as measured un­
der controlled condit ions on specified govern­
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
r::!;> .&. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
h eat when tested under controlled cond it ions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the mate­
rial of the tire to degene rate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure
r::!:> .&. .
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un­
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety S tanda rd
No.
109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
Tires and wheels
of performance on the laboratory test whee l than
the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
-
-
The traction grade assigned to th is tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include accelerat ion, cor­
nering, hydroplaning or peak traction charac­
terist ics.
A WARNING
= -
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice . At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C)
we recommend changing to winter tires .
In some heavy snow areas, local gove rnments
may require true wint er or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should on­
ly be used in pairs and be installed on a ll four
wheels. Make sure you purchase snow tires that
are the same size and construction type as the other tires on your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with all-whee l drive *,
this will improve traction during winter driving,
even with the standard tires. However, we strong­
ly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fitted win­
ter tires or all-season tires, when w inter road
condit ions are expected. This also improves the
vehicle's braking pe rformance and reduces stop­
ping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow .
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on
all four wheels.
Compatible t ire pressure monitoring sensors
must be installed on all four winter tires for the
tire pressure monitoring system to function prop- erly
¢ page 190. ..,.
193

Tires and wheels
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted
winter tire sizes. Use on­
ly radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 0.157 inch
(4 mm).
Only drive with winter tires under winter condi­
tions. Summer tires handle better when there is
no snow or ice on the roads and the temperature
is above 45 °F (7 °().
Please always remember that winter ti res may
have a lower speed rating than the tires originally
installed on your vehicle at the time it was manu­
factured . Please see¢ page 189, Speed roting
(letter code) for a listing of the speed rat ing let­
ter codes and the maximum speed at which the
t ires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code(¢ page 174) is on
the side wall of the tire ¢page 186.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that
may be lower than your vehicle's maximum
speed. Always know the maximum speed be­
fore driving off . Never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific winter tires .
This will cause damage to the tires leading to
an accident and serious personal injury to you
and your passengers.
A WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for
which the winter tires on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation, loss of contro l,
crashes and serious personal injuries. Have
worn or damaged tires replaced immediately.
- Winter tires have maximum speed rating that may be lower than your vehicle's maxi­
mum speed .
- Never drive faster than the speed for which
the winter or other tires installed on your
vehicle are rated.
194
-
A WARNING ,_ -
Always adjust your driving to the road and
traffic conditions . Never let the good accelera ­
tion of the winter tires and all-wheel drive
tempt you into taking extra risks. Always re­
member:
- When braking, an all-wheel drive vehicle
handles in the same way as a front drive ve­
hicle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy
and slippery roads, even winter tires cannot
help under black ice conditions.
@ For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions
permit . They are quieter, do not wear as
quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
, Snow chains
Snow cha ins may be fitted only to the rear
wheels , and only to certain tire sizes. Ask your au­
thorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes snow
chains can be used.
The snow chains must have low-profile links and
must not be thicker than 0.53 inch (13 .5 mm) ,
including the lock.
Remove wheel center covers before putting snow
chains on your vehicle ¢Ci) . For safety reasons
cover caps must then be fitted over the wheel
bolts . These are available from authorized Audi
dealers .
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle
or installing them incorrectly can increase the
risk of loss of control leading to serious per­
sonal injury .
- Snow chains are available in different sizes.
Always make sure to follow the instructions
provided by the snow chain manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains, never drive
faster than the speed permitted for your
specific snow chains .
- Always observe local regulations.

..... N
r-­N "': ..... \!) 1.1'1
N 1.1'1 .....
CD Note
-Remove snow chains before driving on roads
not covered with snow to avoid damaging
tires and wearing the snow chains down un­ necessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct contact
with the wheel rim, can scratch or damage
it. Therefore, make sure that the snow
chains are suitably covered . Check the posi­
tion of the snow chains after driving a few
yards and correct if necessary. Follow the in­
structions from the snow chain manufactur­
er when doing so.
(j) Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain
roads, this normally also applies to vehicles
with all-wheel drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque .
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the fac­
tory installed rims. If different rims are fitted,
the correct wheel bolts with the right length and
correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This
ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that
the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use wheel
bolts from a different vehicle -even if it is the
same model ¢
page 217.
A WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose causing loss of con­
trol, a collision and serious personal injury.
-
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hubs clean so the wheel bolts
can turn easily and be properly tightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs. They can become
loose while driving if greased or oiled, even
if tightened to the specified torque.
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim
being installed.
Tires and wheels
- Never use different wheels bolts on your ve­
hicle.
- Always maintain the correct tightening tor­
que for the wheel bolts to reduce the risk of
a wheel loss. If the tightening torque of the
wheel bolts is too low, they can loosen and
come out when the vehicle is moving. If the
tightening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged and the
wheel can become loose.
CD Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90
ft lb (120 Nm) with a tolerance of± 7 .4 ft lb
(± 10 Nm) . Torque wheel bolts diagonally. Af­
ter changing a wheel, the torque must be
checked as soon as possible with a torque
wrench -preferably by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ra­
tio tires. These tires have been thoroughly tested
and been selected specifically for your model for
their superb performance, road feel and handling under a variety of driving conditions . Ask your au­
thorized Audi dealer for more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated by
a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size designa­
tion. The numeral represents the ratio of the
tire's sidewall height in relation to its tread width
expressed in percentage. Conventional tires have
a height/width ratio of 60 or more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is par­
ticularly sensitive to improper inflation pres­
sure. It is therefore important that low aspect
ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Tire pressures should be checked at least once a month and always
before a long trip
c> page 179, Checking tire
pressure.
195