[RElias21]

I have a 2010 335 Xdrive Msport.

Two of the things I hate are (1) how it sits like an SUV and (2) the offset of the wheels (they sit too far in IMO)

I will be buying KW V1s in the near future, and I also want to buy spacers to pop the wheels out a little. I can't afford new wheels right now.

So, i have two questions
(1) Are spacers harmful?
(2) What size/brand spacers to get for the front and back. If anyone has pics, I would love to see.

Thanks.

[Nonecure]

I can try and post pics this weekend, but I have a 1" drop and use spacers on stock rims. Saving up for nice rims and tires, performance first then looks. I have 5mm front and 15mm on the rear. it looks much better. There is 10mm extra room in the rear before rubbing, so you can go more without rolling the fender. I didn't check the extra room in the front, but I'm sure you can go more. I don't recommend 10mm, so the next step from 5mm is 12mm.

I used the ECS brand, but I don't think it really matters. Just use a wire brush to clean off the mounting surface and your good to go.

[Delusive]

1. Spacers can be harmful since they put more stress onto the bearings but I wouldn't worry since you'd have to be running like a 60mm spacer to cause crazy harm/damage.

2. I got BMS since they come with the extended lugs but others like ECS, RS Technik, Verstrabe, Macht Schnell are good also and about size it'll depend how much clearance you have before hitting the fender.

I can't stress this enough but don't go buying cheap no name brands or eBay spacers, buy quality spacers for your safety.

[CWysong]

The "norm' seems to be 10-12 in the front and 12-15 in the back. But everyone seems to run differen spacers, and it probably depends on your wheels and drop also. Do different stock wheel have different offsets for the same car? Would it make a difference on the e90 vs e92 (I wouldnt think so)?

Originally Posted by Nonecure

I don't recommend 10mm, so the next step from 5mm is 12mm.

Why is it you do not recommend 10mm on the front? I have kwv1s and am getting spacers, is there just simply not enough clearance? Does 5mm do much?

[Nonecure]

Originally Posted by CWysong

Why is it you do not recommend 10mm on the front? I have kwv1s and am getting spacers, is there just simply not enough clearance? Does 5mm do much?

People get away with running 10mm, but I don't recommend it. The hub is 10mm, so some people have had issues with such a tight fit. If the spacer does not sit perfectly flush you can get wheel vibration. Just get the 12.5mm and don't worry about it.

[RElias21]

I was actually thinking of just going with 15mm all around so that the ratio between the front to back stays the same. Is 15mm too much for the front?

[Nonecure]

I hope this helps you see the difference. The first picture is the before, and the others are after 5mm front and 15mm rear. Remember the LCI sticks out around 8mm more than the pre-LCI. When I had the front jacked up, I can still put a finger between the fender and the tire. Therefore I feel you could go 10mm more and not rub, not sure what that would look like with stock wheels though. I was just trying to make it look better until I got better wheels.

[CWysong]

the spacers look good! the fronts dont need as much as the rears do. I just oredered 1 pair of 12mm spacers from BMS to see how they fit on the fronts and rears, then deciding what to go with to compliment that. Ill have pics in a few days when I recieve them!

[RElias21]

Yes, please post pictures. You also have v1s, which is what I will do as well, and so I really would like to see how they look. Loving your v1s?

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by JS-NA.E92

1. Spacers can be harmful since they put more stress onto the bearings but I wouldn't worry since you'd have to be running like a 60mm spacer to cause crazy harm/damage.

2. I got BMS since they come with the extended lugs but others like ECS, RS Technik, Verstrabe, Macht Schnell are good also and about size it'll depend how much clearance you have before hitting the fender.

I can't stress this enough but don't go buying cheap no name brands or eBay spacers, buy quality spacers for your safety.

I also got some BMS, they were having a sale, 99 a set per axle, incl proper lugs. 12/15mm F/R (09 e92 xi) looks great on OEM 18" staggered 189's. I do not think spacers put any more stress on bearings than different offset wheels. HAve Koni/Eibach pro kit and something was bugging me about the way it looked, it was the wheels too far tucked in. Anyway now looks prefect, flush w/fender and no rubbing, plenty of clearance.

[Delusive]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

I also got some BMS, they were having a sale, 99 a set per axle, incl proper lugs. 12/15mm F/R (09 e92 xi) looks great on OEM 18" staggered 189's. I do not think spacers put any more stress on bearings than different offset wheels. HAve Koni/Eibach pro kit and something was bugging me about the way it looked, it was the wheels too far tucked in. Anyway now looks prefect, flush w/fender and no rubbing, plenty of clearance.

Putting spacers and wider wheels are basically the same that's why I said you'd need like 60mm spacer to cause harm, I know that's a little over exaggeration but you get the idea

I have 12mm in the front and 10mm in the rear lowered on ST Coilovers.

[Macker335]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

I also got some BMS, they were having a sale, 99 a set per axle, incl proper lugs. 12/15mm F/R (09 e92 xi) looks great on OEM 18" staggered 189's. I do not think spacers put any more stress on bearings than different offset wheels. HAve Koni/Eibach pro kit and something was bugging me about the way it looked, it was the wheels too far tucked in. Anyway now looks prefect, flush w/fender and no rubbing, plenty of clearance.

Any pics of your 12/15mm setup?? I'm going to pull the trigger soon on some spacers and debating between 10/12 and 12/15 BMS

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by Macker335

Any pics of your 12/15mm setup?? I'm going to pull the trigger soon on some spacers and debating between 10/12 and 12/15 BMS

Not any good ones, but there are good ones on the BMS website, which is what led me to purchase 12/15. Looks like their sale is still going on

http://www.burgertuning.com/BMW_wheel_spacers.html

[ajsalida]

Before and after, 12/15mm e92 Xi, OEM 189's staggered

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

This was right after install, driveway has a steep slope at that point but you get an idea of side wheel gap before/after. Koni Sports/Eibach prokit. Outer face of each wheel is now close to flush with flat vertical portion of body around each wheel well. Looks perfect to me, you'd need to have OEM offsets for this to work right. No rubbing.

[thegrinchboy]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

Before and after, 12/15mm e92 Xi, OEM 189's staggered

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

This was right after install, driveway has a steep slope at that point but you get an idea of side wheel gap before/after. Koni Sports/Eibach prokit. Outer face of each wheel is now close to flush with flat vertical portion of body around each wheel well. Looks perfect to me, you'd need to have OEM offsets for this to work right. No rubbing.

Nice bikes and E36 M3!

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by thegrinchboy

Nice bikes and E36 M3!

Thanks. There are even more bikes in there...it's a sickness.

[Macker335]

Yeah that "sale" I think is a permanent thing - I've never seen them at any price other than that. Thank-You for posting pics and pointing out the examples on the BMS site are actually 12/15 setups. I've been to the website before, but forgot or didn't notice all their examples were 12/15 - it looks great - I think you've really helped me make my decision

I have the same sickness as you - I have the desire, but my sickness just lacks the means at the moment - lol. I have a CBR600RR and looking to add to the stable with a 2013 Triumph Street Triple R

Originally Posted by ajsalida

Not any good ones, but there are good ones on the BMS website, which is what led me to purchase 12/15. Looks like their sale is still going on

http://www.burgertuning.com/BMW_wheel_spacers.html

[Nonecure]

The burgertuning spacers look nice, I have ECS and they look the same except for the pry tabs. Sometimes they can get stuck, so the pry tabs would help. I have 5/15 setup on my E90 LCI, but I think 12/20 would be nicer on my car with stock wheels. Since I plan on getting new wheels, I probably wont buy more spacers. Just posting my thoughts for others.

Nice toys ajsalida!

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by Macker335

Yeah that "sale" I think is a permanent thing - I've never seen them at any price other than that. Thank-You for posting pics and pointing out the examples on the BMS site are actually 12/15 setups. I've been to the website before, but forgot or didn't notice all their examples were 12/15 - it looks great - I think you've really helped me make my decision

I have the same sickness as you - I have the desire, but my sickness just lacks the means at the moment - lol. I have a CBR600RR and looking to add to the stable with a 2013 Triumph Street Triple R

Speed Triple is nice, test rode one a few years ago. Since moving out to the high mountains and living on a dirt road, got more into adventure/dirt riding and mild single track/jeep trail type stuff. BUt there is still a CBR1100XX Blackbird in there to blow out the cobwebs when needed.

Funny thing happens when you get into bikes vs cars. Your standard late model liter sportbike is a consistent low 10 sec 1/4 mile machine. Find them all day used for 7-8k. Hell even a big sport tourer like the FJR1300 is a high 10 sec machine off the showroom floor.

The Blackbird will rip your face off all the way to 300 kph. It costs maybe 3500 used. Back when I rode that bike a lot I went to test ride a Kaw ZX-14. Was tooling around in the burbs outside of Longmont, near Boulder. Decided to crack it open just a bit in 3rd gear, see what's what. Super fast, thought I was going maybe 90 MPH. Looked down I was doing 140!

Yeah so 10k+ turbo kits for e9x to not even break 10 sec does not get my heart pumping. 10k will get you most of a s1000rr which is a mid-low 9 sec 1/4 mile right off the showroom, good rider. Plus as you know the visceral sensation of speed and accel is twice as much or more on a bike than in a car.

So sometime about 8-9 years ago I stopped spending giant money on cars to go a little bit faster, and started buying & wrenching bikes. Not to say I don't love Stage 2+ Cobb on my car, and tweaking it. Or the Koni/Eibachs and spacers. etc. But 7-8k for a Stage 3 Vargas with no tune or supporting mods, or Vishnu ST for 10k plus, both needing 5-10k more in various things to use all that power? Nah. It is waay cool and I'm glad people are pushing the envelope, but I could buy 4-5 more bikes for that, cash.

Anyway good luck on the Triumph should you go that way, CBR600 is a great bike too.

[CWysong]

I have experimented! Ordered 12mm BMS spacers, and put them on the same side, front and rear. The fronts could even use a little more!! and the back should definitely at least be 15mm. But Im not spending any more money on the spacers, saving for the wheels so Im keeping these. I can post pics of the 12mm on the front and back for comparison sake, I dont have the 15mm yet as I just ordered them Monday after the test.

but I highly recommend 12mm front and 15mm back. No rubbing, and with the kw's it looks perfect!