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Stupid wheel shimmy

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:02 am
by scintaar
I've just tried fitting some wheels to the front of my machine, only to to find I needed spacers!
Fit some 5mm spacers but now it seems they're causing wobble in the front wheels. has anyone ever had this problem??? And if you have... how'd you sort it???
Any recommendations on brand for the spacers???
HELP!!!!!!! :cry:

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:21 am
by woodysjw
Hello mate, try jacking the car up with the wheel nuts just undone
spin the wheel the spacer should be able to move aboutnip the bolts up to hold it inplace should be better i have no problems with mine and there 10mm just a bit fiddly.

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:23 am
by nadz325i
hi

sounds like the spacers need to be hub centric, if the wobble comes at high speed 50mph+ then im sure it the spacers then, i had this then was told i need hubcentric spacers (hubcentric spacers center the wheel on hub, so sitts flush and tight).

some other sugestion what it might be buckle/balancing/suspension components i.e. ball joints, track control arms?

spacers i can think of are FK, Eibach, H&R.

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 am
by johnono
sounds like the spacers


if itԚ´s not centrics, then at higer speeds , the ofset spacer causes inertia wobbles (like unballanced wheels)

iԚ´m not sure the diam. of the hole it goes over , but get it and ask at the shop

Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:38 pm
by scintaar
Thanks for the ideas!!
I was suspecting the spacers but I didn't know bout hub centrics.... I don't think it'd be my ball joints or bushings cos I had those changed fairly recently. Would the shock absorbers have anything to do with it???
You guys hit the nail on the head with the speed tho' it shimmies like a bowl of jelly on a misfiring six pot when it hits 50!!

wheel spacers.

Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:46 pm
by Guest
Hi

I had this problem and the only answer was hub centric spacers. Halfords can do them in pairs for aroung Ԛ£35. You need to check the et off your wheels. My after market wheels were et40 and I needed 20mm hub centric spacers to make them work. Just remember that if you do put spacers on then you might need longer threads and lockers.

Gary

:wink:

Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:26 pm
by scintaar
Cheers, Gary.
I'll be orderin me a set 2 morra!!

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:48 am
by radback
johnono wrote:iԚ´m not sure the diam. of the hole it goes over , but get it and ask at the shop
center hole must be 57,1mm for E30 (same like VW early Golf)

Here's a link to FK products:
http://www.fk-automotive.de/en/

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 5:48 am
by ian332isport
You will probably have trouble finding a 5mm hubcentric spacer :cry:

I believe 10mm is the thinnest you can get the hubcentric variety. There's just not enough metal on a 5mm spacer.

Ian.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:51 pm
by radback
Ian, what are the size of your spacers?

(mine are a bit large: front 20mm, back 25mm)

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:20 pm
by ian332isport
radback wrote:Ian, what are the size of your spacers?

(mine are a bit large: front 20mm, back 25mm)
I have 10mm on the back, and 15mm on the front (for caliper clearance). The wheels have a 35mm offset (VW fitment).

Ian.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:37 pm
by scintaar
I've just ordered a pair of H&R DR spacers... they say they're 10mm... cost Ԛ£59 from performancealloys.com
I'm REALLY hoping this fixes the problem :eek:

Does anyone have the Toora Canonica Alloys on? I've got a set of 17x 7.5 's
with 205/40's on the front and 215/45's on back.
I'd really like to know if you've had any probs fitting 'em and what you did to fix it.
thanks.
:roll:

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:43 pm
by E30-Andy
I bought some 5mm hubcentric spacers from performancedriven.co.uk.

spacer

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:18 pm
by Guest
hi

You need to check the off set of your alloys. The e30 need to be between et20 and et25. Mine are et40 so i use 20mm spacers to make them et20.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:23 pm
by scintaar
by 20mm spacers... do you mean 20mm EACH side, or 20mm OVERALL??
My wheels are ET35...

spacers

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:33 pm
by Guest
Hi

20mm each side. If your alloys are et35 then you will be fine getting
15mm spacers each side. You will need longer bolts and lockers if you use them. Make sure the hub centric spacers fit the spigot ring on your alloy. Mine were 57.1mm. Once you have these on then all your problems like mine should go. Good luck. I got momo spacrs and they cost me Ԛ£20.
per pair in a sale. Usual price is Ԛ£35 per pair.

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:39 pm
by scintaar
Riiiight..... I know I'm about to sound dumb as a doorknob but... what's the spigot ring??
I got the spacer kit this morn... has anyone fitted these before??? H&R DR kit that is... do I need to have a centre ring kit??
I mean, do I now need to buy something else to extend the centre of the hub so's I can put the little plastic shim- that fits inside the centre of the rim (read wheel)- over in order to properly fit the wheel and not have anymore shimmying ever again until I lose a weight off the wheel ever ??????
... my brain hurts.

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 4:56 pm
by radback
scintaar wrote: I mean, do I now need to buy something else to extend the centre of the hub so's I can put the little plastic shim- that fits inside the centre of the rim (read wheel)- over in order to properly fit the wheel and not have anymore shimmying ever again until I lose a weight off the wheel ever ??????
... my brain hurts.
Well, if you ordered the correct kit for BMW, the centerhub of your spacers should be 57.1mm.
So you need the same size rings for your wheels (try to find some in alloy as they're better than plastic) :wink:

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 9:28 am
by scintaar
Once again the collective knowledge has saved me a nervous breakdown and kept my 320i mistress and me together!!!! :D
Thanks to everyone who replied to my post... problem now solved!!! I fit the spacers last night and took her out for run... not even so much as a shudder!!!!
I LOVE this forum!!! :lol: