Quote Originally Posted by sprix! View Post
I know you know a lot about your cars, and I have seen a few of them around the site, but I find this statement problematic. Most awd systems are designed to have all four wheels and tires to have identical overall diameters. If he goes to the trouble of installing staggered wheels with staggered tires- he will end up with differing overall diameters. If he installs staggered wheels with matching size tires, he will likely end up with differing overall diameters. The only way to be certain there is no damage to the system is by installing identical dimension front and rear wheels and tires. Sure, there won't be overnight damage, but I don't think that your statement is accurate.
Correct, which is why I said as long as the overall rolling diameter is CLOSE to the same front and rear you will not see any problems.

Take this setup for example.

Front: 19x8.5 w/ 235/35/19
Rear: 19x9.5 w/ 275/35/19

Front has an overall diameter of 25.476''
Rear has an overall diameter of 25.496''

That means the difference between front and rear is roughly 0.08% in overall diameter. Running different brand tires front and rear in the SAME size (which people often do when replacing just the front or just the rear) could account for more of a difference as all tires are a little different. Uneven wear could account for more of a difference.

I am not saying to go run extremely difference sizes front and rear, but I have read that as long as they are within 1% of each other (which as proven above is very easy to do, and very easy to make them damn near identical) the car will be fine. Staggering as you know changes the width, keep the diameter the same and you will be fine.

I am sure some will still disagree, however, I personally see no problem with it and know people who have done years on properly done (which again is key) staggered setups on AWD cars, Audi especially with no problems.