New Wheels

[Huff]

Damn it!! Why didn't you label that post NWS? I hate seeing those pictures in the office, now I have to sneak out and hide the wet spot to the bathroom... Jerk

[Jb325is]

hmmm... interesting. I can't find the post I am thinking about either. Either way, I'm def with you on the turbines now, they look so much better on a staggered set than square 8's

[8380 Labs]

Edit: Now that i'm looking at it, I don't know if he had them removed at that point. I haven't seen pics of that car in a while, but I remember it looked amazing with the fins removed. I'll keep looking. Do your rear turbines look like that?

right on, interesting. i'd like to see pics if you can find them.

it appears the throwing stars have never been taken off, so i need to get a 6mm 12-point hex to get them off. i've heard it's a bitch, we'll see. in any case, just from the eyeball test i'm pretty certain the rear turbines will be recessed compared to the fronts, as they appear in the examples i posted.

[mikeedler]

sorry, but no thanks.
seems to me like trading a gourmet meal for a McDonalds happy meal. -- not that a happy meal is bad, but......

It will still look really nice.

[StereoInstaller1]

right on, interesting. i'd like to see pics if you can find them.

it appears the throwing stars have never been taken off, so i need to get a 6mm 12-point hex to get them off. i've heard it's a bitch, we'll see. in any case, just from the eyeball test i'm pretty certain the rear turbines will be recessed compared to the fronts, as they appear in the examples i posted.

They were not recessed back when they were new. I worked on quite a few E34 M5s that had turbines, none were visually staggered. AFAIK, that was the first car from a major manufacturer with staggered wheels.

[Jonny Cash]

50 posts, and 4 days later still no pics of these mounted. Premature thread startage..

[Eric]

i'm pretty certain his setup was not altered in any way. the cooling fins are fairly tall, like an inch and a half. without them in there 1) i don't know if you can still even mount the covers 2) if you could, they'd be tucked in there to the degree you wouldn't be able to see any space behind them, as you can on both cars.

Sexy as Fug with the BBS center cap, why o why didn't I do that with the green turbines??? the blue in the BMW logo threw it off too much :(

I ran the green turbines without the rear fan, it would be even more pronounced on the 9J rims I've never messed with the stock bolts that hold the covers on, but it's just a standard M8 bolt if my memory is correct. I had to buy new hardware for the green turbines and it wasn't difficult to source different lengths to run with and without the vanes.

To offset the difference even more, you could add a little bit of a spacer between the fins and the wheel to poke the turbine cover out just a little bit.

Just remember... Loctite!


Luke - they were never staggered in turbine form on US spec E34 M5's. Actually, I don't think any "turbine" wheels came with the 9J rear, it was only later with the throwing star cover that the nurburgring spec option was available, or it was a touring... neither of which made it stateside through BMW NA.

Ethan - If you happen to come across another set of Turbine covers, drop me a line!

[8380 Labs]

luke, according to the e34 M5 FAQ page all the north american M5s through 1992 (the vast majority) came with turbines and 17x8s all around, with the 9" rears being an optional upgrade outside of NA.

according to the site the turbines were never offered in the US with a staggered 17x8/9 setup.

in 1993 they switched to the throwing stars and as far as i can tell the 9" upgrade was then also available in NA.

so unless you worked on 1 of the 261 1993 US M5s made, that also happened to have the optional 9" rear upgrade and then decided to swap the throwing stars for the turbines, chances are you've never worked on an e34 M5 that had a staggered setup of turbines.

[8380 Labs]

50 posts, and 4 days later still no pics of these mounted. Premature thread startage..

get yer head outta yer arse man.

[StereoInstaller1]

luke, according to the e34 M5 FAQ page all the north american M5s through 1992 (the vast majority) came with turbines and 17x8s all around, with the 9" rears being an optional upgrade outside of NA.

according to the site the turbines were never offered in the US with a staggered 17x8/9 setup.

in 1993 they switched to the throwing stars and as far as i can tell the 9" upgrade was then also available in NA.

so unless you worked on 1 of the 261 1993 US M5s made, that also happened to have the optional 9" rear upgrade and then decided to swap the throwing stars for the turbines, chances are you've never worked on an e34 M5 that had a staggered setup of turbines.

No, it would have been pre-'93, that was when BMW NA cracked down on aftermarket installers working on new cars. There was a lot of grey market stuff, but I distinctly remember seeing different tire sizes front and rear on at least 3 cars...and all were pre-TS.

I still think they are ugly as fuck though....

[Philo]

sorry, but no thanks.
seems to me like trading a gourmet meal for a McDonalds happy meal. -- not that a happy meal is bad, but......

Maybe in Deutschland, but here in the states, that was a fair trade.

[325ix]

I love turbines soo much! I think the throwing stars are a little cooler, but either way it will look great.

[Eric]

No, it would have been pre-'93, that was when BMW NA cracked down on aftermarket installers working on new cars. There was a lot of grey market stuff, but I distinctly remember seeing different tire sizes front and rear on at least 3 cars...and all were pre-TS.

I still think they are ugly as fuck though....

BOOOO. no way they are ugly!!! Turbines, Naked or even throwing stars, it's a good looking wheel. Light & strong too, these wheels can take abuse!

The M5 did get staggered tire size, but the wheel size stayed the same. I believe it was 235/40/17 front & 255/40/17 rear

[StereoInstaller1]

BOOOO. no way they are ugly!!! Turbines, Naked or even throwing stars, it's a good looking wheel. Light & strong too, these wheels can take abuse!

The M5 did get staggered tire size, but the wheel size stayed the same. I believe it was 235/40/17 front & 255/40/17 rear

Yeah, they were something like that...mega-badass back then.

[Stephen]

Every set of turbines ive staggered turbines i've seen ever has been recessed in the rear. No vodoo magic as far as i know.