Installing spacers on wheels?

[Digitalwave]

Originally posted by Digitalwave
If you could find out your tire size and the rim offset, we could definately let you know what size you need.

I found the offset!! It's 38. The tire size is 215/40 R17.

How do I calculate the size spacers needed to bring my wheels flush with the fender/body. Also, I imagine the back will need more than the front being that they are visibly different as far as closeness to being flush.... (front is closer to being flush than rear)

What Mystikal said is right. You could probably run 20mm spacers all around but it doesn't give you a lot of room to play with. You might want to consider 20mm in the rear, and 15mm spacers in the front. It'll make a nice difference and give you the look you are going for.

[erik325i]

I'm not sure if he could use 20mm spacers without rubbing the fenders. I have 17x7 et40 rims with a 20mm spacer and 205/40-17 tires, and they are really close to the fenders. I'm not sure if I could fit 215s in there without it rubbing.

Just get 15mm spacers, and you will be happy.

[Digitalwave]

I'm not sure if he could use 20mm spacers without rubbing the fenders. I have 17x7 et40 rims with a 20mm spacer and 205/40-17 tires, and they are really close to the fenders. I'm not sure if I could fit 215s in there without it rubbing.

Just get 15mm spacers, and you will be happy.

He has the early model high rear arches though.

[Maluco]

Check this out though, if you look at the pic on page one, it seems that the front is out more than the rear already. Do you see it? Am I tripping?:loco: I want both the front and back to be equal.

In regards to the tire scraping the fender, I plan on installing the Bilstein/H&R setup everyone is talking about that's lowers the car 1.25". Is 1.25" enough to make the tire scrape the fender?

[Digitalwave]

Check this out though, if you look at the pic on page one, it seems that the front is out more than the rear already. Do you see it? Am I tripping?:loco: I want both the front and back to be equal.

In regards to the tire scraping the fender, I plan on installing the Bilstein/H&R setup everyone is talking about that's lowers the car 1.25". Is 1.25" enough to make the tire scrape the fender?

You can hit the fender without even being lowered, it depends on a lot of variables.

I think E30's have a wider front track than the rear. You can tell that it looks like my front sticks out more than the rear in my sig pic as well, and they all have a 20mm offset.

[Maluco]

You can hit the fender without even being lowered, it depends on a lot of variables.

I think E30's have a wider front track than the rear. You can tell that it looks like my front sticks out more than the rear in my sig pic as well, and they all have a 20mm offset.

Than maybe I'll just go 20 in the back and 15 in the front? You have 20s all the way around? Do your tires rub the fender?

[Digitalwave]

Than maybe I'll just go 20 in the back and 15 in the front? You have 20s all the way around? Do your tires rub the fender?

Yeah, I have ET40 rims with 20mm spacers all around. I don't rub, but my suspension is quite stiff. Another big factor is my car is so low that all the camber I have gives me more clearance on the fenders. My tires are about as close as it gets though.

My spacers and studs:


The gaps from the fender to the top of the rear tire is 2-3mm.


Front:

[erik325i]

Hey TJ, what size tires are you running?

[Maluco]

Yeah, I have ET40 rims with 20mm spacers all around. I don't rub, but my suspension is quite stiff. Another big factor is my car is so low that all the camber I have gives me more clearance on the fenders. My tires are about as close as it gets though.

My spacers and studs:


The gaps from the fender to the top of the rear tire is 2-3mm.


Front:

well if your wheels are ET40 and your spacers 20mm, then I should be fine going 20mm all the way around since my wheels are ET38... Done!

(I got to get those bumpers/valances on my ride!)

[erik325i]

well if your wheels are ET40 and your spacers 20mm, then I should be fine going 20mm all the way around since my wheels are ET38... Done!

(I got to get those bumpers/valances on my ride!)

Well, your wheels will be about 2mm closer to the fenders than mine and TJ's (Digitalwave). TJ said he has about 2-3 mm of clearance between the tire and fender, therefore, you might rub slightly.

[Maluco]

Well, your wheels will be about 2mm closer to the fenders than mine and TJ's (Digitalwave). TJ said he has about 2-3 mm of clearance between the tire and fender, therefore, you might rub slightly.

ok, I forgot "the higher the offset the more inside, the lower the offset the more outside"

uhm...? So........ 15s!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes? It's the second to the largest spacer, that I've heard talked about, it will pratically guarantee I don't scrape the fender, and it should be enough to give me the "look"?

[Digitalwave]

Hey TJ, what size tires are you running?

They are 205/50-16 BFG G-Force Sports. They run slightly wide... nice tires for the money!

84 318i (what's your real name?): 15mm spacers would be playing it safe and they will definately make an improvement. I still think you could run 20mm spacers in the rear though. It's up to you if you want to run 15 all around, but even if you rub in the rear you can roll the inner lip of the fender very easily.

Just make sure that you order hubcentric H&R spacers and that you are running hubcentering rings on your rims or you might get some bad vibrations with those spacers. It's going to cost $250-300 for the spacers and longer studs, but it's worth it!

[Maluco]

They are 205/50-16 BFG G-Force Sports. They run slightly wide... nice tires for the money!

84 318i (what's your real name?): 15mm spacers would be playing it safe and they will definately make an improvement. I still think you could run 20mm spacers in the rear though. It's up to you if you want to run 15 all around, but even if you rub in the rear you can roll the inner lip of the fender very easily.

Just make sure that you order hubcentric H&R spacers and that you are running hubcentering rings on your rims or you might get some bad vibrations with those spacers. It's going to cost $250-300 for the spacers and longer studs, but it's worth it!

My name is Carlos bro. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want to push it as much as possible. By rolling the inner lip, do you mean bending it updwards?? Pic? So you are saying I could do 20 in the rear and 15 up front? Here's another question, I was looking on TMS.com, they sell the longer "bolts" needed for the spacers. Do those bolts screw in from the inside outwards or from the outside inwards? If outside inwards I can't use bolts, I will need studs because I want to use my wheel locking lugnuts.

[Digitalwave]

My name is Carlos bro. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want to push it as much as possible. By rolling the inner lip, do you mean bending it updwards?? Pic? So you are saying I could do 20 in the rear and 15 up front? Here's another question, I was looking on TMS.com, they sell the longer "bolts" needed for the spacers. Do those bolts screw in from the inside outwards or from the outside inwards? If outside inwards I can't use bolts, I will need studs because I want to use my wheel locking lugnuts.

By rolling, you take a bat or a pipe and push the thin metal on the inside of the fender lips up/out. I think you could run 20mm in the rear because you have higher rear arches and you won't be lowering the car that much. TMS sells both bolts and studs. The bolts are the stock style setup where you hold the rim up to the hub and slide the bolt through into the hub. Studs screw into the hub and stick out, and then you slide the rim over it. I'd recommend studs because you can mount the spacer on before you even put the rim on. With bolts, its really hard to line the space and the rim up to the hub and then slide the bolt through.

[Maluco]

Hubcentering rings??? this is new.. what are those?