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[DieselDiner]

I have been running style 230 reps for the last 2 years, purchased from a vendor on the board, OEM Concepts. The wheels have been fine, no problems and look nice.

I decided I wanted a wider stance, and my local shop attempted to put 10mm H&R spacers on the rear. The spacer would not sit flush with the back of the wheel because the inside of the wheel is apparently not chamfered (or chamfered enough, not sure) to mate with the chamfering on the H&R.

I am very bummed, as the 10mm spacer bumps the wheel out a perfect amount.

Does anyone out there have experience with spacers, and can offer me some advice on how to proceed? I've read some anecdotal posts that the H&R's are not the best option for spacers, but I don't know if the H&R's are the problem.

The other aspect of this that puzzles me is that the wheels have been on the car for 2 years: given that they are hub centric, I am mystified as to how the wheels can fit on the car's hub, but won't mate properly with the H&R hub centric spacers.

I would really appreciate some advice, as I would dearly like to resolve this problem and get 10mm spacers on the car.

P.S. I have 12mm H&R's on the front, and for whatever reason, the 12mm don't have the same issue as the 10's. I'm currently running 5mm H&R's on the rear, but of course they don't have a hub ring, and I don't want to use them as my long term solution. Unfortunately, the 12mm are not an option for the rear, simply a bit too much offset.

[MonacoBlueE90]

The reason is that the hub collar (marked red at the picture) is so long on our cars and the 10mm spacer doesn't have enough room to make it deep enough for the hub collar. So spacer won't sit tightly against the wheel hub. Is there like 0.5-1mm cap??
12mm fits because it has the extra 2mm.



There is few solutions to this. I know people who have grind the ~1mm out of hub collar. Also i heard some 10mm spacers don't have that problem, but don't know what brands.

But why don't you just buy 12mm spacers it will solve your problem and i doubt you will notice 2mm difference.

[remmib]

My 10mm Macht Schnell spacers fits both front and rear on my e90 pre-LCI.

[DieselDiner]

Originally Posted by remmib

My 10mm Macht Schnell spacers fits both front and rear on my e90 pre-LCI.

Thank you remmib, the Macht Schnells will be on my short list.

[Dr. G]

Originally Posted by DieselDiner

Thank you remmib, the Macht Schnells will be on my short list.

Be careful with that though. Your problem isn't the spacer fitting the hub, your problem is that it uses a chamfered section to clear the 12mm hub lip. If the back of your wheels aren't also chamfered it won't seat up right, but I'm guessing that in order for a 10mm Macht Schnell spacer to fit onto a 12mm hub lip it was to have a chamfered section as well.

[forever_speed]

I had the same thing happen! I have LC818s and it wouldn't sit flush to the wheel. The shop installed and aligned my car... the next couple days it didnt feel right, so went back to shop. They told me and showed how the extra lip on the spacer effected the flushness.

[DieselDiner]

Thanks guys - I've pretty much decided to pull the spacers and go back to square one, which is to find a set of wheels with the proper offset that will not need spacers. I'm kicking myself for pi$$ing away the money, but I really should have known better to begin with. Damn.

[cbad335]

Pissing away money is part of modding your car, unfortunately. There's always trial and error. FWIW, I have run 10mm H&R spacers with OEM 230 wheels with no problems. Currently running 10mm front and 15mm rear with 230's.

[nitehawk]

Originally Posted by cbad335

Pissing away money is part of modding your car, unfortunately. There's always trial and error. FWIW, I have run 10mm H&R spacers with OEM 230 wheels with no problems. Currently running 10mm front and 15mm rear with 230's.

Wait, so is the problem here the replica wheels and not the 10mm spacers? You ran the 10mm H&Rs (hubcentric?) in the rear before moving up to 15mm?

[drm916]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

Wait, so is the problem here the replica wheels and not the 10mm spacers? You ran the 10mm H&Rs (hubcentric?) in the rear before moving up to 15mm?

I just installed my 230 reps. Tried 10mm spacers and I had the same problem. They are not champered enough. They need another 2mm removed from the back of the hub portion of the wheel or they wont sit all the way flush. So I threw some 12mm on there. The 12mm sit fine because they dont have the bulge.

Damn... Now I got 10mm, 15mm and 18mm un needed spacers. Guess I will throw them all on the forum.

[VMRWheels]

Originally Posted by DieselDiner

Thanks guys - I've pretty much decided to pull the spacers and go back to square one, which is to find a set of wheels with the proper offset that will not need spacers. I'm kicking myself for pi$$ing away the money, but I really should have known better to begin with. Damn.

Tough to find the 'proper' offset since everyone taste differs. You're looking for something more aggressive which can be subjective in different point of views.

Why not go with a 12mm? 2mm isn't much of a difference.

[drm916]

Originally Posted by VMRWheels

Tough to find the 'proper' offset since everyone taste differs. You're looking for something more aggressive which can be subjective in different point of views.

Why not go with a 12mm? 2mm isn't much of a difference.

I agree. 12 all the way around is the way to go. I put the 12s on the rear and I rub slightly. I am going to roll the fenders and call it done. then add a little bit of negative camber in the back. Problem solved. No need to buy new rims.

[DieselDiner]

I appreciate it guys, but I tried the 12's and they apparently cross the car's threshold, because they rub really bad. And that is after adding some camber to compensate as well. As I said earlier, Damn.