H&R Spacers comments please

[Kev]

Hi guys,
I'm just about to order a set of DRA50 (front) and DRA60 (rear) spacers to bring my 9"/255 and 10"/285 style 132 19" rims out to fill the arches after the front and rear arch extensions go on.

The DRA50 will add 25mm each side and the DRA60 30mm each side (reaching similar sizes to the staggered 20" setup). I'll stick 20" staggered 168 on when the tyres need replacing but for now the 132s are fine.

I found this : http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...ter-setup.html which shows how effective the spacers are. Anyone got any similar pics or comments on the possible handling difference with the spacers fitted.

Cheers

[TriX5]

Do you have the arches on already? If not I would buy them and fit them first before deciding the spacers.

On my 4.8iS (168s) I am running 15mm spacer in the front with an e48 offset (US version has no arch extension on front) and 20mm on the back, the 168s have an e30 for the rears. With arches and 168s the 25 and 30 will fit but just note there are a number of variables including the tire width, the e number/offset and the wheel width. They all change when you change the rim/tire combo you suggest.

The 132 IIRC are e48 for the front and e45 for the rears. So changing the wheeels and fitting arches will change the equation a lot.

On my 4.4 (no arch extensions) I just fitted 132s 9s/10s with 255 tires all around, 15mm spacers front and 30mm in the back seems to be about the max without extending beyond the fenders. It is on blocks as the trans is out and the V-pan fix is underway but I will try to snap a photo of it later today and post them for you.

Good luck!

[Kev]

Brilliant! Thanks in advance for the photos Trix, that will really help me to see the effect of the 30mm spacers with the 132s, (even though mine are 285 at the rear so in theory will protrude slightly more).

I didn't order the arch extensions but I probably will - I had them on my last one and just prefer the X with them - same with the running boards.

Hope you get your tranny fixed mate. A week before I sold the last X5 (in the UK), mine went into Trans.Fail.Mode and ended up costing me $2000 to fix. That one had 125k miles.

Now I have a slightly newer (facelift, 6speed) with 85k miles and am really thinking of gettin the tranny oil changed even tho its running perfectly. I know they (BMW) advise against it in case metal particals/shavings get dislodged, but look where I ended up by following that advice last time.

Thanks again mate...

[TriX5]

It it horribly dusty from sitting in the garage while stuff happens all around it but I hope this helps. The front sit high cause the AT and TC are out as well as all the coolant.

[Kev]

Great, thanks Trix, now I see what you mean. The 25mm front might just be a bit too much, but with the arch extensions is should look fine. The 30mm rear will be fine by the looks of it.

So no discernable effects to the handling or the car after the spacers were fitted?

Cheers. K