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      04-13-2006, 04:34 AM   #1
Paul330d
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DIY - rear spacers & wheel locks

EDIT: sorry, all the photos have been definitively lost following a HD reformat.
Like many members here, I found the rear wheels appeared not to completely fill out the wheel arches laterally. I therefore decided to invest in some fairly modest 15mm spacers to push them out just slightly, so as to 'line them up' with the front wheels while still retaining the OEM look.

Equipment needed:

- a jack & a 17mm wheel-nut spanner (these new-fangled automobiles with run-flat tyres don't come with either of these supplied);
- chocks to prevent the car from moving when jacked up;
- a set of extra long wheel nuts & locks (see below);
- two spacers

Most members seem to go with Rogue Engineering spacers made in the US, or H&Rs made in Germany. I chose REs because I found they were easier to get hold of online and the extra long bolts were supplied.

15mm Rogue Engineering spacers:



The bolts supplied with the RE spacers:



You will also need to replace the OEM security bolts (1 per wheel) with longer ones. I went with McGards, as they got good reviews on the net. The McGard reference you will need is 27013 (42mm), but this will of course vary depending on how thick your spacers are.



Preparation:

The first problem was that the bolts supplied with the spacers and the McGard locking bolts were both available in silver/chrome only. The OEM bolts are black, so if I was to retain the OEM look the only solution was to paint them before installing them.

I used ordinary black ferrous paint with a satin finish. Now I know what you're thinking: "all that paint is going come off when you install the bolts". Well yes, you will inevitably scrape off some of the paint, but 95% stays on and you can always touch up the bolt heads once they're on the car.



The 8 bolts, 2 lock nuts & spacers are now ready for installation:



Installation (total time approx. 45 minutes):

I was slightly apprehensive about this stage, as I don't think I have jacked up a car & changed a wheel for a good ten years or more. It all went smoothly, however, and the wheel came off without any hitches.

Align the spacer with the original bolt holes on the wheel hub thus:



Use this opportunity to clean the inside of the wheel before you put it back:



The only very slight difficulty was lining up all the holes, since the wheel is quite heavy and the spacer tends to move round as you turn the wheel. It was no big deal, however, and took less than a minute for each wheel.

The finished result.

Before:



After:




I'm sure somebody who didn't know I had fitted spacers wouldn't notice the difference, but that was the effect I was looking for. If I could start over, I would probably go with 10 or 12mm spacers for even greater discretion and certainly, IMHO, any more than 15mm would be too much. That is just down to personal preference, of course.

Hope this is useful
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Last edited by Paul330d; 04-03-2007 at 02:48 AM..
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      04-13-2006, 06:25 AM   #2
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Now its flush with the fender, you might want to drop it an inch for that cooler look. 370lb ft torque is enormous, I want the 330d engine too.
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      04-13-2006, 07:44 AM   #3
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Well, you're in Italy, so you could get the 330d if you wanted Personally, I don't really like lowered suspension: apart from the fact that it just makes the car look as if it's carrying 4 heavy passengers, ride comfort deteriorates, but like the spacers this is just my personal taste
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      04-13-2006, 08:26 AM   #4
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Whoa Paul...looking good. Thanks for the excellent write up and pics. I can see your hubs/suspension is still shiny new!! A fellow-friend e90poster of mine, Fletcher969 also went with your exact set up and he is very happy with them. You did know that they sell specific black lug nuts caps (you can find them on ebay among other places) that'll save you the trouble of painting each individual lug, right?
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      04-13-2006, 08:52 AM   #5
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I did search online before deciding to paint them, but couldn't find any like I wanted. Many on eBay seemed to be dome-shaped
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      04-14-2006, 01:04 AM   #6
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Do you mind where you ordered the McGard lock lug bolts?
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      04-14-2006, 09:16 AM   #7
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I found them in a local store.
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      04-20-2006, 01:33 PM   #8
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nice job! i'll be doing this soon too.
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      04-22-2006, 02:32 AM   #9
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It's probably one of the simplest mods around, but the car definitely looks the better for it, IMHO. It should have been like this when it rolled out of the factory.
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      04-29-2006, 09:27 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul330d
It's probably one of the simplest mods around, but the car definitely looks the better for it, IMHO. It should have been like this when it rolled out of the factory.

HY. Can you tell me the size of your wheels and the spacers exact number or ID? I have the M-TECH suspension (1.5'lower), 18" wheels and I want to know if I can go for the 20" spacers on the rear and 15" spacers on the front. THX
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      05-03-2006, 11:17 AM   #11
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20 inches?! I think you mean 20mm Well, I don't see a problem as it's only 5mm more than the ones I used, but Rogue only go up to 18mm I think.

See this page for a list of the different spacers available for BMWs.
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      05-04-2006, 09:14 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul330d
20 inches?! I think you mean 20mm Well, I don't see a problem as it's only 5mm more than the ones I used, but Rogue only go up to 18mm I think.

See this page for a list of the different spacers available for BMWs.

THX. I will go for the 18mm.
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      05-04-2006, 03:21 PM   #13
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that looks nicer
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      05-25-2006, 05:35 PM   #14
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Please excuse my ignorance, but I assume you are removing the old bolts. How do they come out?

With the spacers installed, will I need to notify anyone who will be removing the wheels (say to replace tires) that it is there for special handeling?
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      05-25-2006, 05:50 PM   #15
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The way the tire's attached to the hub isn't typical of North American cars. The bolts are as you see them in the DIY photos- they attach through the rim to the hub itself. There are NO lug nuts, if you will, just the bolts.

And, yes, it would be a smart move to let anyone know there's a spacer in there
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      05-25-2006, 06:20 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paullo
The way the tire's attached to the hub isn't typical of North American cars. The bolts are as you see them in the DIY photos- they attach through the rim to the hub itself. There are NO lug nuts, if you will, just the bolts.

And, yes, it would be a smart move to let anyone know there's a spacer in there
Thank you so much!!!!
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      05-29-2006, 06:45 AM   #17
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Does anybody in Holland (or close to) have a good contact for spacers and good wheelnuts...don't want the insurance company to have sleepless nights about some cheap Halfords products on my car!
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      05-29-2006, 09:25 AM   #18
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I though you had to clean the hub too?

And add some type of lube?
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      05-29-2006, 02:15 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter399
I though you had to clean the hub too?

And add some type of lube?
Good call. I was just about to post that you should apply an anti siezing lubricant to the hubcentric piece and the back of the spacer. They are prone to being extremely difficult to remove (nearly impossible), if left on for >6 months without the lube.

OP, good thread! I just picked up 5mm spacers for the front, and have 12mm on order for the rear. Since I lowered my 330i, I don't think I could get away with the 15mm spacers. The 5mm up front really take the tire out to the fender, but give it just enough room to not rub. (even at the track/autox w/255's on front).

One more thing.. if you could, could you please post how the paint stays on the lug bolts over time.. possibly in a couple months?
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      06-01-2006, 06:32 AM   #20
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No problems with the paint so far. I will report if & when.

Re. lubricant: I probably should have done this, but RE spacers are designed to be easier to remove. The angled lip in pic#1 has been machined in to allow you to get a screwdriver between the spacers & the hub... Not sure how effective it is, though.
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      06-01-2006, 11:35 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lni
Good call. I was just about to post that you should apply an anti siezing lubricant to the hubcentric piece and the back of the spacer. They are prone to being extremely difficult to remove (nearly impossible), if left on for >6 months without the lube.

OP, good thread! I just picked up 5mm spacers for the front, and have 12mm on order for the rear. Since I lowered my 330i, I don't think I could get away with the 15mm spacers. The 5mm up front really take the tire out to the fender, but give it just enough room to not rub. (even at the track/autox w/255's on front).

One more thing.. if you could, could you please post how the paint stays on the lug bolts over time.. possibly in a couple months?
Any pics?
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      06-01-2006, 11:44 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fw10ring
Any pics?
I can take some front pics, but the rear spacers are with the brown man right now, en route to my house still. 5mm up front looks cool though. Subtle, but noticable.
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