Lets talk 3-piece wheels

[2mAn]

Tempted to venture into the 'baller' arena with some 3-piece wheels. This isn't because I'm a baller, its because I'm stupid. A dreamer.

Anyways, a few questions I have that Im hoping the pros can help answer.

(1) The centers.. can the offset of the wheel be manipulated by lips that are used?
(2) The lips... Is there any difference between inner and outer lips? Can they be used interchangeably?
(3) Stepped lips... Is there a limit as to how I can 'upsize' a wheel? IE 17"-> 19" or is it only a +1 option? IE 17" can only be 'stepped-up' to an 18" ?
(4) Wheel width... Is it simple math? 2" Lip + a 4" lip = 6" Wide wheel?
(5) Retailers... Where are you guys getting your lips from? What should I be looking for?


Hoping to get some answers before I start wasting money

[rudy]

A new desire for an engine coffee table and three-piece wheels...I assume the auction for the wagon went good?

[moatilliatta]

1. Yes to a limit
2. The outer lip has a hole for the valve stem
3. Stepped lips are usually found on smaller centers
4. RS wheels are built with the center in the center, could effect width calculations
5. Elrich wheel works I'm sure sells them, and sure you could get them strait from BBS

I'm just chiming in because I'm stupid also lusting for a set of E50 wheels.

[2mAn]

A new desire for an engine coffee table and three-piece wheels...I assume the auction for the wagon went good?

A RENEWED desire for the coffee table, and thats more because Im tired of staring at the old SSR wheel and want to do something with it finally. Need an excuse to practice welding so... there it is...

And the 3-piece wheels... well... Im a dreamer and the daily could benefit from some new shoes

[Mike36]

(1) The centers.. can the offset of the wheel be manipulated by lips that are used?
-Yes

Every 1.0" you add/subtract to the lip or barrel adds/subtracts 13mm from the offset. If you add larger lips then you effectively lower the offset. Adding a larger barrel increases the offset. 0.5" increments add/subtract 6.5mm to the offset. I usually round up to 7mm to calculate my offsets when doing 0.5" changes.

For example.

BBS RS005 16x7.0
1.5" Lip 5.0" Barrel ET11

BBS RS006 16x8.0
1.5" Lip 6.0" Barrel ET24

The RS006 uses a 1.0" larger barrel.

(2) The lips... Is there any difference between inner and outer lips? Can they be used interchangeably?
- Yes. No, barrels have a different shape from the lip.

(3) Stepped lips... Is there a limit as to how I can 'upsize' a wheel? IE 17"-> 19" or is it only a +1 option? IE 17" can only be 'stepped-up' to an 18" ?
- There is single step (BBS RS001) 15", double step (BBS RS003) 15" to 16" with 15" center, and triple step 15" to 17" which is always custom made. There is also slant vs bubble stepped lips to consider whenever you're double stepping. Anything to the 4th degree will look silly but I'm sure it exist somewhere

(4) Wheel width... Is it simple math? 2" Lip + a 4" lip = 6" Wide wheel?
For rear and front mounted centers yes, anything that is sandwich mounted the you add and 0.5" to the width.

For example.

BBS RS005 16x7.0
1.5" Lip 5.0" Barrel = 6.5" plus sandwich center = 7.0"


(5) Retailers... Where are you guys getting your lips from? What should I be looking for?
Back in the days, AMC would supply most Triangle lips and barrels. Once RBmotoring became VRmotoring then VRwheels, they were main source for a lot of local and nationwide builders, even Elrich at some point from what I was told. I have no idea no who controls the market for lips and barrels now but VR is probably your best source on the West Coast. Also Wheelswap can make custom lips, thats were I sourced my 15" to 17" BBS RS build. FMwheels, LAX, and 3piecewheels are also options.


"Hoping to get some answers before I start wasting money"
- Use half of the E46 money on some BBS's