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Thread: 73.1 hub bore work with 72.5 hub bore?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
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    1998 BMW 2.5 Z3

    73.1 hub bore work with 72.5 hub bore?

    Got a 98 Z3 i6 I'm shopping wheels for and was told a hub bore of 73.1 wheels fits on the BMW 72.5 ?

    Is this correct or is the wheel shop pushing a sale? I know is only like a mm off but I feel like that's important.

    Car is a kinda daily/ but mostly weekend car.

    Ty for the help!

  2. #2
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    '97 BMW M3/2/5
    That is not ideal. They make hub spacers though that enlarge your hub size to fit the larger bore of the rim you are putting on. You can get them in plastic or metal. You are sure it's a hub bore of 73.1 and not 74.1? 74.1 is more common in 5x120 for BMW's since it's what E39's have.

    I've ran plastic ones for my winter set of Style 5's to get my E36's 72.5 hub size to the E39 74.1 for three years without having to replace them. The best route is to just buy the correct rims to begin with, having the correct bore size.
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  3. #3
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    Hey thank you! According to the site they are 73.1, I will call them, the retailer said the difference is so small it won't matter :/

    But it was just a customer service rep..

    Quote Originally Posted by Carpy2 View Post
    That is not ideal. They make hub spacers though that enlarge your hub size to fit the larger bore of the rim you are putting on. You can get them in plastic or metal. You are sure it's a hub bore of 73.1 and not 74.1? 74.1 is more common in 5x120 for BMW's since it's what E39's have.

    I've ran plastic ones for my winter set of Style 5's to get my E36's 72.5 hub size to the E39 74.1 for three years without having to replace them. The best route is to just buy the correct rims to begin with, having the correct bore size.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    2005 325Xi
    It will matter just enough to cause a vibration. Maybe.

    BMWs center their rims on the flange of the hub, and not by using the lug bolts. It might not matter, but it won't be because "the difference is so small". That 0.6mm difference may as well be a foot (sorry, a meter). A vibration caused by lug-centering the wheels can be because it is off-center by less than 0.6mm.
    Last edited by Critter7r; 08-25-2020 at 01:27 PM.
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  5. #5
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    Are you sure the wheels offered aren't 74.1mm?? 74.1 is the E39/X5 hub size, lots of aftermarket wheels use that hub bore as its easily corrected with hub rings and makes stock keeping easier with one "BMW" fitment. Hub rings to make up the difference are readily available, I like the plastic as they are quite thin. The aluminum ones rot and stick if your roads are salted. Ask the seller to throw them in.
    Last edited by ross1; 08-25-2020 at 04:53 PM.

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