Wheel Spacers.
 

I have decided to try and fill my wheel arches a little more by using wheel spacers. As I have 315 tyres on the rear and 275 on the front, wider tyres were not an option and I already had the 20" E70 wheels on anyway.

So this was how it was done:

Firstly, the car was jacked and supported on one side.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0195.jpg

Next, the rear wheel was removed together with the hubcentric ring. Then the hub was thoroughly cleaned with a wire brush

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0201.jpg

Before fitting the new 15mm rear spacer, together with the original hubcentric ring seen as blue

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0203.jpg

The wheel was now refitted with the new, longer 50mm bolts.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0205.jpg

Similar procedure with the front, removing the (orange) hubcentric ring

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0196.jpg

and installing the new 5mm spacer

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0197.jpg

followed by the original ring

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0198.jpg

and the wheel with new 40mm bolts, this time, the original locking bolt being long enough to use.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0199.jpg

So here is the kit we started with

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0192-1.jpg

and here, in order are the before and after result.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0184.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0209-1.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0183.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0210-1.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0181.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0207-1.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0182.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0208.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0180.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0206-1.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...w/IMG_0191.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0213-1.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMG_0214-1.jpg

I feel that the 15mm spacers are a little too wide seeing as I am using the E70 wheels and may really need the extended arch trims to look right. I now need to decide whether to reduce the rears to 10mm or get some arches.

Decisions, decisions!

X5Girl, xxx

wow! that looks absolutely awesome

I vote for the wheel arches. Looks great but ummm...those look like E53 4.8iS wheels not E70 :dunno:

:iagree:

What do you have from ACS?

Nice writeup. You forgot one thing. Be generous in putting antisieze on the backside of the spacer as well as both hubs....

Makes removing wheels and spacer considerably easier

Nice. :)

Looks sweet :) so you went with an even longer bolt (50) in the rear? I think i saw 45mm for a 15mm spacer... So there is more room for longer thread, could you of have done 55mm? I am trying to decide what im going to do after I install my lemans fenders, but your thread helped out. Thanks!

:iagree: very important. I always do that.

:thumbup: Wow! Very nice! Excellent post.

where did you get the spacer kit? looks sweet.

I measured my stock bolts at 32mm so adding 15mm spacers gave me 47mm. 45mm will obviously reduce the thread contact, something you do not want to do with spacers so I tried 50mm and tried them for brake shoe clearance. All OK but I suspect 55mm would foul.

X5Girl, xxx

where did you get the 55mm bolts?

X5GIRL,
Great write up..Thanks for sharing with us.

I would go for the rear 4.6/4.8is extended fender flares!If you have driven you car in the wet and seen the state of the rear bumper,you will know what I mean ;)