BMW Z3 Wheel spacers

Grumps

Grumps

Always happy, apart from when I'm not 🤬
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British Zeds
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Apr 27, 2014
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226
Location
Forest Town, Mansfield
Model of Z
Z4 e85 2.5i
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Hi all, I keep looking at the rear wheels on Reggie and thinking does it want spacers on the back. Was going to change the wheels altogether but having had them refurbed and it has excellent tyres I've decided to keep them. The question is the rears to me look like they sit a bit far in and I keep getting drawn to them. I've looked on ebay and seen there's different mm's. Some seem to be fixed stud holes while other have slats to make them universal.
So my dear friends :D, 1, do I add spacers? 2, if so what mm should I go for? and 3, fixed stud or universal?

Thanks for reading! :wacky:



Cheers
Dave
 
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Yes I think you need to fill those arches a little more.

You want 5x120 pcd hub centric spacers. The width you need depends on your rim size, and how much you want to fill the arches.

On my 8.5x18 rims with et40 offset I needed 15mm spacers which brought them perfectly in line with the arches. Be interested to see what prices you come up with because I want to buy some more soon.
 
GazHyde said:
Yes I think you need to fill those arches a little more.

You want 5x120 pcd hub centric spacers. The width you need depends on your rim size, and how much you want to fill the arches.

On my 8.5x18 rims with et40 offset I needed 15mm spacers which brought them perfectly in line with the arches. Be interested to see what prices you come up with because I want to buy some more soon.
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Gaz, there's 18's and 8.5j but I don't know the offset. I was thinking 15mm to bring in line but didn't want to go to big and them stick out like a tractor!
 
Offer a piece of wood vertical from edge of wheel arch to ground, then measure horizontal gap between middle of tyre wall and inner edge of wood. This will give approximate size of spacer required.
 
DavidM said:
Offer a piece of wood vertical from edge of wheel arch to ground, then measure horizontal gap between middle of tyre wall and inner edge of wood. This will give approximate size of spacer required.
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Super, thanks very much. Just how I like things. A nice simple explanation! :thumbsup:
 
It's 20mm so I need 5x120pcdx20mm?
 
Davejue1 said:
It's 20mm so I need 5x120pcdx20mm?
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Hi Dave, as you know I've just fitted 8.5" 18's.

I too need 20mm and T-Tony recommended 5X120 hub centric spacers however they were pricey. But they do look good quality and you don't want to mess about with quality when you start going over 5mm in thickness.
 
Dave, I put some on mine last year which I brought home from the US. If you check out the write up its on here.

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
Dave, I put some on mine last year which I brought home from the US. If you check out the write up its on here.

Tony.
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Thanks Tony. Looked up the hub centric ones. Not cheap are they! But it's like Lex says, they need to be of a good quality. I'll search hard and hopefully knock a few quid off! :eek:
 
15-20mm spacers is what you need. Use a level against the top of the arch and measure from the rim edge to the level.

I used 15mm iirc on my old 2.8 Zed with 18s
 
Not so much the spacers you have to worry about, it's the longer wheel bolts. Do not scrimp on the quality of these. I have 15mm on my car with 17x8.5j et 41 wheels, the wheel just sits inside the arch.

If you are careful, take off a rear wheel and put washers between the wheel and the hub, add as many washers as you need to get the look you want. Measure the washers and hey presto this is the spacer you will need. I know I should not need to say this but do not drive with the washers installed :bashhead:.
 
will be going down this route myself very soon, am thinking a 20mm spacer for the back and 15 for the front, look forward to seeing your results Dave
ive been looking at options and seen a guy selling 5X120 20mm with studs and are hubcentric for 65 euro here, this seems to be the best price i can find bar finding a second hand set, which seem to be non existent....
 
David Cullen said:
will be going down this route myself very soon, am thinking a 20mm spacer for the back and 15 for the front, look forward to seeing your results Dave
ive been looking at options and seen a guy selling 5X120 20mm with studs and are hubcentric for 65 euro here, this seems to be the best price i can find bar finding a second hand set, which seem to be non existent....
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That's by far the best price I've come across Dave. Please can you give me the details?
 
Hi Dave, I had 20mm on the rear end and 12mm on the front and they fit the arches spot on. 019.webp 020.webp
 
I know what you're saying mate, but I thought that 20mm was about as far as I could push it.;)

Tony.
 
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