Wheel Offset Sticky Discussion and Wheel Fitment Questions.....

[Terry F.]

Ok, it's time for a separate wheel offset thread. What should we include? Stock offsets for M, wide Z3s and narrow Z3s? What about associated tire sizes?

Please discuss.

Thanks,
Terry

[Eyebrakel8]

Pics and specs by pics.

[Kyle Anderson]

Ok, it's time for a separate wheel offset thread. What should we include? Stock offsets for M, wide Z3s and narrow Z3s? What about associated tire sizes?

Please discuss.

Thanks,
Terry

Stock wheels sizes, offsets, and tire sizes.

Explanation of offset/backspace with pictures.

Links to tire size calculator and offset calculator.

[Jeremy]

I say we ask JonesMechanical to write it, as he's the guru for wheel fitment around these parts.

[Terry F.]

All good suggestions, keep them coming.

I say we ask JonesMechanical to write it, as he's the guru for wheel fitment around these parts.

Sound good if he is up for it.

I've got this to start, please add your Known Working Packages.


================================================== ==========

Stock Offsets:
Narrow-body Z3. = (Front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x8.5 et41
Wide body Z3. =
M-Roadster and coupe.= (front) 17x7 et41, (Rear) 17x9 et8
　
　
Known Working Packages
1) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+32 235/40-18 (rear) 18x10.5 et+14 295-35-18 tire. Fender roll might be necessary.
2)
3)
4)

[StarReaver]

Wheel offset calculator would also be helpful:

http://www.1010tires.com/WheelOffsetCalculator.asp

[BenFenner]

More useful links:
http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp
http://www.willtheyfit.com/

Useful image:

[PlanZ]

This is a great idea. Thanks for putting up the links.

[2000mkoop]

I used to have a bookmark to a big picture database of wheel/tire fitment; not specific to any car, just pictures of how tires look on different wheels so you can see how much "stretch" a setup will have

anybody else have the link?

[SunzOut]

Stock Offsets:
Narrow-body Z3. = (Front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x8.5 et41
Wide body Z3. =
M-Roadster and coupe= (front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x9 et8

With any "know working" combo. The suspension is needed (e.g. is the care lowered)

Known Working Packages
1) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+32 235/40-18 (rear) 18x10.5 et+14 295/35-18 tire. Fender roll might be necessary.
2) M-Roadster (front) 17x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (5mm spacer) (rear) 7x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (30mm spacer) . TCKline SA coilovers. Will Rub the front Fender liner a bit!
3)
4)

[BimmerBreaker]

So glad somebody is deciding to sticky this... I am far from a wheel guy myself but I do like the look of "proper fitment" and had to do TONS of digging to find some information I needed. Having this all ready to go in one thread would save me, and many others, countless hours perusing through threads looking for offsets and whatnot.

[CanuckMCoupe]

Here's what I'm running on my M Coupe. No rubbing, no rolling fenders, no spacers, no hub rings. I've got a H&R coilover setup so am slightly lower than stock.

F: 8.5" x 18", 38mm offset - 245/35/18
R: 10.5" x 18", 19mm offset - 295/30/18

Wheels are CCW LM20's, Tires are Hankook V12 Evo.

[hexagone]

What I'm running on my M Coupe: No rubbing, no rolling fenders, no spacers, no hub rings. Ground Control coilovers. Flipped hats up front.

F: 9" x 18", 27mm offset - 245/35/18
R: 11" x 18", 13mm offset - 295/30/18

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19960910/Rando/_MG_3902.JPG

[BimmerBreaker]

Yeah I also think adding wheels that fit fine could be a good addition to the thread.

Regarding flipped hats - I installed a new suspension and seemed to have added a bit of caster, is this because of my hats being installed the wrong way?
(edited, meant caster not camber)

[cantfixitall]

I would include definitions of common terms at the top. As a former noob I had no idea what ET41 meant, what hubcentric meant, center bore, camber, spacers etc. The search function solved it quickly, but it would have been nice to see it all in one place.

[Terry F.]

All,

Please add your set-up to the list if it isn't already there. See post 10.

Thanks,
Terry

Edit: Not sure about the links as we aren't supposed to link to other commercial sites without permission.

[ZGator]

This!
http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/

it's german but awesome, like bmws, browsers like chrome can tanslate to english..

[Kyle Anderson]

Stock narrow body (1.9's with Z-stars) is 16x7 et46 with 225/50/16.

[OregonDude1]

I would like to purchase the following wheels and tires for a S54 M Roadster with stock suspension:
18"x8.5" with 225/40-18
18"x10" with 265/35-18
Based on what I have read, I believe these wheel and tire sizes are a popular +1" upgrade for the M roadsters & coupes.

After searching postings for countless days, the question that remains is what are the offset ranges for both front and rear that will allow these wheels and tires to fit without any spacers or rubbing of suspension components or fenders?

Thanks for any feedback!

- Jason

[aggsquirrel]

I think the "will they fit" question is inevitable. Along with known working setups a form that a prospective wheel shopper can fill out to give all the information needed to answer. I am not really a wheel person but if it followed a layout like; wheel size, offset, spacers, camber, tire brand, and tire size, that might give enough of an idea to roughly see if a setup will fit or not. Sure some one could use the offset calculators and do the math, but by and large the point of this forum is to learn from the specialty of others.

[2000mkoop]

It would be nice if everyone contributing their setup specs could follow that up with a few detailed pics to show their ride height, fender/suspension clearance, etc...

Great idea for a sticky though, lot of guys on here running some pretty spot-on setups

[DrSasha]

I'm running the following on a wide 2.8 1998 roadster:
F 17x8.5 et35 225/45/17
R 17x8.5 et 35 + 20mm spacers 245/40/17

No rubbing, looks great.

[dion]

Stock Offsets:
Narrow-body Z3. = (Front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x8.5 et41
Wide body Z3. =
M-Roadster and coupe= (front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x9 et8

With any "know working" combo. The suspension is needed (e.g. is the care lowered)

Known Working Packages
1) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+32 235/40-18 (rear) 18x10.5 et+14 295/35-18 tire. Fender roll might be necessary.
2) M-Roadster (front) 17x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (5mm spacer) (rear) 7x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (30mm spacer). TCKline SA coilovers. Will Rub the front Fender liner a bit!
3) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+43-10mm spacer to +33mm et, 255/35-18, (rear) 18x10.5 et+30-18mm spacer to 12mm +et, 295/30-18, TCKline D/A with TCK camber/caster plates, slight rub on front liners.
4)

[Terry F.]

Could I get confirmation of stock offsets? Also, can anyone add the wide bodied Zs numbers?

Thanks

Stock Offsets:
Narrow-body Z3. = (Front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x8.5 et41
Wide body Z3. =
M-Roadster and coupe= (front) 17x7.5 et41, (Rear) 17x9 et8

With any "know working" combo. The suspension is needed (e.g. is the care lowered)

Known Working Packages
1) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+32 235/40-18 (rear) 18x10.5 et+14 295/35-18 tire. Fender roll might be necessary.

2) M-Roadster (front) 17x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (5mm spacer) (rear) 7x8.5 et+40 255/40-17 (30mm spacer). TCKline SA coilovers. Will Rub the front Fender liner a bit!

3) M-Roadster (front) 18x8.5 et+43-10mm spacer to +33mm et, 255/35-18, (rear) 18x10.5 et+30-18mm spacer to 12mm +et, 295/30-18, TCKline D/A with TCK camber/caster plates, slight rub on front liners.

4)

[Z3speed4me]

Imo.... We should concentrate more on flush setups as much as possible and not those with spacers. I know not every rim is perfect and optimal for our cars, but a lot more guys are getting rims made now than before.

For people buying wheels, most important thing when getting a custom setup at least is to make it fit perfect from the start.

When I see 30mm spacer...that is not a wheel that was ever intended for the car it is on, downright scary to me having a spacer that large.