BMW Z3 Wheel spacers

Sorry Lexybhoy,

Don't mean to scare monger, i just thought some people would like a bit more information on fasteners, i keep meaning to do a wiki for the forum, but when you think that fasteners hold all the safety items of the car together that protect you when driving, then a little more consideration should be given to their properties and application. Its why i buy oem fasteners from the dealer when ever i am replacing them on the car, because they have been made to a process and checked to a specification.

Besides at £40 for spacers and bolts, i would be more worried that the bolts have actually come over in a container from some deep sea source in a far off jungle, so the chance they are actually the correct material and grade to be susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in the first place is perhaps slim at the most. :whistle:
 
zedonist said:
Sorry Lexybhoy,

Don't mean to scare monger, i just thought some people would like a bit more information on fasteners, i keep meaning to do a wiki for the forum, but when you think that fasteners hold all the safety items of the car together that protect you when driving, then a little more consideration should be given to their properties and application. Its why i buy oem fasteners from the dealer when ever i am replacing them on the car, because they have been made to a process and checked to a specification.

Besides at £40 for spacers and bolts, i would be more worried that the bolts have actually come over in a container from some deep sea source in a far off jungle, so the chance they are actually the correct material and grade to be susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in the first place is perhaps slim at the most. :whistle:
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Zedonist, no need to apologise at all. I'm confident the wheel won't fall off. I've purchased all manner of dodgy stuff over the years, i'm still here. I have however tested the eBay seller and requested either an MSDS or evidence as to the bolts suitability for the application. Lets see what, if anything, he comes back with.
 
Lexybhoy said:
Hi Dino, I've simply clamped the bolts in a vice and gave the threads and chamfer a going over with a wire brush, then dipped the bolts in rust sealer.

Despite what I've done, I've also got a C200 Merc with 4 spacers on, electroplated bolts fitted, for over 2 years, after a few miles attempted to re-tighten and they didn't require it.

All that said, wire brush them/don't wire brush them, as long as you re-check them as the guys have said, all will be fine.
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I agree, but I used a wire wheel on my grinder and then sealed them. Just found letting the machine do the manual labour was easier for my old body. JIM
 
Lexybhoy said:
Well that shut me up !

In my usual gungho manner, I will be the testdummy and crack on with them, no pun intended.

If the worst happens, my younger, higher division wife will get 10 times my salary. First come first served gents.
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Please send pic of your pay slip! JIM
 
Wow! Only been offline 12 hours and all hells broken loose! Sudden change to the thread I posted a week ago! There is no chance of all 5 wheel bolts failing In one go. If one should fail myself and I'm sure Lex will source some better quality ones.
I used to run an artic and trailer on alloys which looks lovely but in practice is bloody useless. Under strain (44 tonnes) I used to pop bolt heads off like eating sweets. It's all just a matter of common sense. If something doesn't work replace it. All the wheels where changed to steels and I never had a problem again. If these bolts supplied turn out to be crap......replace them!
 
It's usually a batch problem, if one pops they all pop unless they have mixed a number of batches up, I personally don't think there will be a problem, but I prefer to avoid the risk, especially if the only way I know I need to change bolts is when the wheel goes down the road on its own, hopefully you get chance to fit new ones.
 
Oooh you featured the thread Gaz! What makes you decide what to feature rather then let it slip away into the big black hole that is tinternet?! Oh and recieved my sticker yesterday tar. :)
 
I've had a wheel come off because o broken bolts,on our old pickup lucky slow speed around a corner.do I like taking a risk ? Yes I do but I like to be in charge pay your money take your choice
 
zedonist said:
It's usually a batch problem, if one pops they all pop unless they have mixed a number of batches up, I personally don't think there will be a problem, but I prefer to avoid the risk, especially if the only way I know I need to change bolts is when the wheel goes down the road on its own, hopefully you get chance to fit new ones.
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Haha, brilliant ending Zedonist, you should get into the writing industry ;). When alls said and done, I'm alright with having a wheel come off and go down the road, as long as it ends up face up. Don't want the polished lip scratched, ye know.
 
Lexybhoy said:
Haha, brilliant ending Zedonist, you should get into the writing industry ;). When alls said and done, I'm alright with having a wheel come off and go down the road, as long as it ends up face up. Don't want the polished lip scratched, ye know.
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Lexybhoy said:
Zedonist, no need to apologise at all. I'm confident the wheel won't fall off. I've purchased all manner of dodgy stuff over the years, i'm still here. I have however tested the eBay seller and requested either an MSDS or evidence as to the bolts suitability for the application. Lets see what, if anything, he comes back with.
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Ok, ebay seller has responded with the following word for word text......he sounds like an idiot to be fair but here it is....

"Any supply that has aftermarket wheel bolts will supply Zinc coated bolts, who ever told you they were unsafe is talking rubbish we have been selling these for 15 years aswell as normal nuts and bolts and dont have any problems, even OE bolts are Zinc Plated"

FTR Zedonist, I do not think you are talking rubbish.
 
S
Lexybhoy said:
Ok, ebay seller has responded with the following word for word text......he sounds like an idiot to be fair but here it is....

"Any supply that has aftermarket wheel bolts will supply Zinc coated bolts, who ever told you they were unsafe is talking rubbish we have been selling these for 15 years aswell as normal nuts and bolts and dont have any problems, even OE bolts are Zinc Plated"

FTR Zedonist, I do not think you are talking rubbish.
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Shall i send him a message as well and see if we can really p*** him off lol! Mind you sounds like you've done a good job all by yourself!!! =)). He sounds confident in his product tho so I'm sure everything will be just hunky dory! :nailbiting::D
 
GazHyde said:
Anything that's an interesting read - like this thread.
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"Anything that's an interesting read"

Wheel spacers will be fitted this afternoon. There will be pics henceforth.

On offer folks at my funeral will be a choice of steak pie or Haggis neeps and tatties.

Drink of course will be limited.
 
I once had a new tyre fitted on my 2.8 Capri back in the day and after a 100mile trip to wales (on the way down a mountain!) one of the bolts sheared off after some nuts coming loose also I was towing a trailer with a tent in it at the time but somehow managed to keep control but I can tell you there is not much else in this world that makes your heart sink like seeing your wheel speeding off down the road without you :eek: and not one miserable sod stopped to help :(, still after a hours walk to retrieve the wheel I fixed it back on using a bolt from each wheel, and went to the nearest village to get it fixed, I know its not relevant and I'm sure the bolts will be ok in spacers I just wanted to share a story :)
Just one thing though I had spacers on my Mk3 Cortina and was told at the time they may shorten the life of my wheel bearing and from a engineering point of view I can kinda see where he was coming from but then the ones I had were a bit extreme ;)
 
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He is right they are safe, if processed correctly, I would assume as a minim order batch is about 60,000, he is still using the same batch of bolts after 15 years, so yes you could consider them safe.

I have not seen many OEM wheel bolts specified in a electro zinc plate in my 20 years in the industry.

Alternatively perhaps no ones complained because there mangled in their car wreck, only joking...

Like I said if they torque up and are holding the torque after a week they will always be fine. The other thing one should bear in mind is thread rolling laps, these are not allowed in HT bolts as they cause a stress raiser and ultimately fatigue failure, someone ask him if they are tested ISO 6157 part 3.
 
zedonist said:
He is right they are safe, if processed correctly, I would assume as a minim order batch is about 60,000, he is still using the same batch of bolts after 15 years, so yes you could consider them safe.

I have not seen many OEM wheel bolts specified in a electro zinc plate in my 20 years in the industry.

Alternatively perhaps no ones complained because there mangled in their car wreck, only joking...

Like I said if they torque up and are holding the torque after a week they will always be fine. The other thing one should bear in mind is thread rolling laps, these are not allowed in HT bolts as they cause a stress raiser and ultimately fatigue failure, someone ask him if they are tested ISO 6157 part 3.
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I can predict his response to that question. In fact, I'll write it just now.

" "
 
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Just as a matter of interest, the extra long bolts supplied with my spacers are "black" like the original BMW ones. What type of treatment do these have?

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
Just as a matter of interest, the extra long bolts supplied with my spacers are "black" like the original BMW ones. What type of treatment do these have? Tony.
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They would most likely be grade 8 which is a hardened steel, and have a UTS of 64kg/mm2, but as wheel bolts are in "shear" rather than in tension this wont be too critical.
 
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