My Dinan/Fikse small-bore 18" wheel build thread

[BMWBergy]

UPDATE!!!

INSTALLED!!! Here's one of the 'installed' pics for those who don't want to go to page 3 for them...



Specs, for those with short attention spans:
Front
18 x 8.5"
2.5" lip, 6" barrel
Measured offset 24.6mm
Tires are 245/35 Bridgestone Potenza S-04

Rear
18 x 10"
3.5" lip, 6.5" barrel
Measured offset 18mm
Tires are 285/30 Bridgestone Potenza S-04

Centers are Fikse/Dinan (Dinan serial numbers) with Dinan center caps. Front wheel halves are Fiske, rear halves are aftermarket parts. Valve stems are BBS 35mm (56.15.001), purchased from SFX Performance.


--------Original original post begins--------

All, I am very happy with the gorgeous set of Dinan/Fikse FM5s I recently purchased, and like Asim and Larry, and countless others out there, I really want to build my wheels to perfect specs...

Currently these are square - 18x9 all around (6" barrel, 3" lip). I took measurements to calculate the offset myself, but from the PO, it is close to +23mm.

I'm not going to go any wider than 10" for the rear wheels (3.5" lip, 6.5" barrel), and will run a 275/35 18 tire.

For the fronts, I was planning on 8" wide (2" lip, 6" barrel), with a 245/40 18 tire.

HOWEVER... I just test-fitted one of the front wheels as currently-configured, and here's what I found (photos below):

Running 0 camber, the rim sticks out about (EDIT) 3/4", which is 3/4" too much (end EDIT - previously read 1/2"). Running full negative camber (this is on TCKline coilovers and camber plates, so -3*), the rim is perfectly flush with the hood. I'm not running an incredible drop, and I think that -3* camber is a bit too aggressive for the street (and my tires), so as cheeky as it would be to run 9" wide wheels with 3" lips, I think I may have to re-configure the fronts in addition to the rears.

Unfortunately, it looks like 2" lips are the LEAST available option around, and the next best thing are 1.5" lips. Of course, 1.5" lips with my 6" barrels is a bit, well, stock, and probably wouldn't work great with a 245 section width tire. That of course means I'd have to buy new barrels (6.5") as well to maintain the 8" desired width with 1.5" lips. Man, it would be so much easier if I could just keep the wheels at the current 9" width!

So a question:
Who here is running max negative camber on a daily-driven car?

[IMG] Dinan FM5 (3) by BMWBergy, on Flickr[/IMG]

No camber:
[IMG] IMG_9503 by BMWBergy, on Flickr[/IMG]

Max Negative camber:
[IMG] IMG_9505 by BMWBergy, on Flickr[/IMG]

[f50nut]

These wheels look fantastic.

You should try to get the car a little lower for your test fit, looks like the suspension is not fully loaded.

Here's a picture of my rear setup when it was 18x10 et17. Perfectly flush but not at full droop. At full droop it was sunken in .5"



I still think you should rebuild these for an epic 9" and 11" setup, since you're taking them apart anyway. Might as well spend the extra couple hundred for 7" inners if that's what you need to make the fronts perfect.

It's not reasonable to run full negative camber to make that wheel fit. If you're going to do that, might as well go 9.5". You can easily run a 9" wheel at your minimum camber setting, that's what I'm doing. Guessing you'll need a 2" and 7" setup? Unless the offsets are wrong.

Don't forget you can sell your old step up setup

[Amuro Ray]

Why so narro in the front?

Why so narrow in the front?

[BMWBergy]

Why so narro in the front?

Why so narrow in the front?

I don't think 8" width is really all that narrow... It's certainly not WIDE either, but not narrow.

These wheels look fantastic.

You should try to get the car a little lower for your test fit, looks like the suspension is not fully loaded.

Here's a picture of my rear setup when it was 18x10 et17. Perfectly flush but not at full droop. At full droop it was sunken in .5"

I still think you should rebuild these for an epic 9" and 11" setup, since you're taking them apart anyway. Might as well spend the extra couple hundred for 7" inners if that's what you need to make the fronts perfect.

It's not reasonable to run full negative camber to make that wheel fit. If you're going to do that, might as well go 9.5". You can easily run a 9" wheel at your minimum camber setting, that's what I'm doing. Guessing you'll need a 2" and 7" setup? Unless the offsets are wrong.

Don't forget you can sell your old step up setup

My jack had already disengaged the jack point, so it was loaded.

Based on current supply (multiple sets of 6" barrels, but only one set of 7" barrels available), I can go 8.5 front and 9.5 rear OR 8 front and 10 or 10.5 rear.

David

[StarReaver]

No more Kinesis?

[f50nut]

My jack had already disengaged the jack point, so it was loaded.

Based on current supply (multiple sets of 6" barrels, but only one set of 7" barrels available), I can go 8.5 front and 9.5 rear OR 8 front and 10 or 10.5 rear.

David

Yeah I hear you, but same thing was happening to me even with the jack fully disengaged. The wheel binds on the wood blocks.

Have you checked with both Thatcher and Paul (336motorsports)? They should be able to get you what you need.

[BMWBergy]

No more Kinesis?

They are going to be in my garage, and I'll be listing them for sale. I really like them, but these FM-5s will be very unique.

Yeah I hear you, but same thing was happening to me even with the jack fully disengaged. The wheel binds on the wood blocks.

Have you checked with both Thatcher and Paul (336motorsports)? They should be able to get you what you need.

Yes on Thatcher. Paul only had kinesis halves, which won't work. I think I may have convinced thatcher to sell me the 2" lips, so I may have snagged the 2+6 combo for the front and 3.5 + 6.5 for the rear!

[hexagone]

They will look great, I'm sure.

But when you are putting in all this time and money, why go with a setup that leaves a lot of room for improvement? Why compromise? It's like buying a new M3, but making sure to uncheck all the boxes to get the most basic model.

Really though- 18x9 & 18x11 - et27/13 is wonderfully perfect for our cars. No Stretch or much camber required. The parts are there, and Rotiform can get you matching halves too supposedly.

FWIW: I'm running -3* camber on swapped hats, and with 18x9 et27, I could probably easily go another .5" outward to remain flush with my fenders using 245/40/18s. Substantial tire wear really comes much more from bad toe, than camber alone.

[jajou318]

They will look great, I'm sure.

But when you are putting in all this time and money, why go with a setup that leaves a lot of room for improvement? Why compromise? It's like buying a new M3, but making sure to uncheck all the boxes to get the most basic model.

Doesn't the basic model M Coupe have no sunroof? Isn't that more valuable now?

[hexagone]

Doesn't the basic model M Coupe have no sunroof? Isn't that more valuable now?

Perhaps. But I don't think anyone would've guessed that evergreen or certain coupe color combos would be very desirable now ceither.

[Thatcher]

Looking forward to seeing these finished and on the car!

[BMWBergy]

Looking forward to seeing these finished and on the car!

Me too. This is not a cheap process, but the result should look pretty fantastic!

[2000mkoop]

if those are indeed 18x9 et23, then that's nearly identical outer position to my 18x9.5 et30 front setup i had on my previous coupe (255/35 tires, GC coils+plates, not maxed out camber, set at -1.0 on the plate markings)

Honestly, i'd be willing to try an even more aggressive 10" front setup if it were street/show only, but this setup was also tracked quite a bit

so here's that for reference:

[BMWBergy]

if those are indeed 18x9 et23, then that's nearly identical outer position to my 18x9.5 et30 front setup i had on my previous coupe (255/35 tires, GC coils+plates, not maxed out camber, set at -1.0 on the plate markings)

Honestly, i'd be willing to try an even more aggressive 10" front setup if it were street/show only, but this setup was also tracked quite a bit

Well, if true, that would have saved me $700. I checked with the 1010tire wheel calculator, and your fitment would have been 1mm further in (2mm if the offset on these wheels is 22mm). It's funny, because I just don't see it... mine was just way too far out.

[2000mkoop]

hmmmm...maybe measure your backspacing and wheel width, make sure everything jives?

[clevertd]

if those are indeed 18x9 et23, then that's nearly identical outer position to my 18x9.5 et30 front setup i had on my previous coupe (255/35 tires, GC coils+plates, not maxed out camber, set at -1.0 on the plate markings)

Honestly, i'd be willing to try an even more aggressive 10" front setup if it were street/show only, but this setup was also tracked quite a bit

Hoping not to thread jack, but this helps give me a better idea of what to do with my fronts. Currently at 17x8.5 et12, if I put a 7" barrel on it and reuse the 2.5" lip, then I'lll be at 17x9.5 et24.7 on the front. If I got new 2" lips, I'd be at et31.1.

[hexagone]

Hoping not to thread jack, but this helps give me a better idea of what to do with my fronts. Currently at 17x8.5 et12, if I put a 7" barrel on it and reuse the 2.5" lip, then I'lll be at 17x9.5 et24.7 on the front. If I got new 2" lips, I'd be at et31.1.

If you're starting out at 17x8.5 et12, you're not off to an ideal start. That's e34/e30 m3 offset, which only works with a small tire and camber. SO while you can get some inside depth and run a slightly wider tire, it won't help that you'll still need noticable camber. The .5" smaller width would alleviate that- but who likes small lips?

[Mystikal]

If you're starting out at 17x8.5 et12, you're not off to an ideal start. That's e34/e30 m3 offset, which only works with a small tire and camber. SO while you can get some inside depth and run a slightly wider tire, it won't help that you'll still need noticable camber. The .5" smaller width would alleviate that- but who likes small lips?

Not true, even if he just moves to 7" inners the resultant 17x9.5 +25 will fit a 245/40 without more than -2.5 camber necessary.

[hexagone]

Not true, even if he just moves to 7" inners the resultant 17x9.5 +25 will fit a 245/40 without more than -2.5 camber necessary.

As I said, not ideal. It's possible, but I don't know if I'd do it personally.

For accurate reference, the below is 18x9 et27 with -3.1 degrees of camber on 245/40/18.

Doing any setup that starts with 17x8.5 et12 pushes the below out another 9mm. So yes, it'll fit. But if you're looking to drop it significantly, I imagine you'll start rubbing (which I don't).

[BMWBergy]

As I said, not ideal. It's possible, but I don't know if I'd do it personally.

For accurate reference, the below is 18x9 et27 with -3.1 degrees of camber on 245/40/18.

Doing any setup that starts with 17x8.5 et12 pushes the below out another 9mm. So yes, it'll fit. But if you're looking to drop it significantly, I imagine you'll start rubbing (which I don't).

Asim, what kind of camber do you normally run up front? Are you typically at -3.1*?

[clevertd]

The .5" smaller width would alleviate that- but who likes small lips?

Exactly Dunno if I should stick with these or throw them on my E34 and find something else for the shoe. Interested in what camber you run as well, as stated by Bergy.

[stamosenvy]

For accurate reference, the below is 18x9 et27 with -3.1 degrees of camber on 245/40/18.

I thought you had been running 245/35/18 tires on your fronts?

[hexagone]

Asim, what kind of camber do you normally run up front? Are you typically at -3.1*?

According to my most recent alignment, I'm at -3.1* with swapped hats. It's aggressive, and yes I'm driving around like this every day. But it's still within spec to what TCK's track camber spec is.

And my bad, it's 245/35/18, not 40. oops.

[Mystikal]

As I said, not ideal. It's possible, but I don't know if I'd do it personally.

For accurate reference, the below is 18x9 et27 with -3.1 degrees of camber on 245/40/18.

Doing any setup that starts with 17x8.5 et12 pushes the below out another 9mm. So yes, it'll fit. But if you're looking to drop it significantly, I imagine you'll start rubbing (which I don't).

With a 17x9.5 +25, the outside edge of the wheel will be 9mm further out but the tire's centerline is only 2mm off. Combined with the slightly wider section width that the 9.5" provides, the fitment will be 4-5mm further out. There is plenty of space for that miniscule difference, as setups such a 2000mkoop's (18x9.5 +30 255/35) show.

[jajou318]

Perhaps. But I don't think anyone would've guessed that evergreen or certain coupe color combos would be very desirable now ceither.

I was just busting your balls, I understand what you are saying though. If it were me though... I'd make them a size to where you can afford the tires.