Replacing 14" bottlecaps with 17"x7.5"

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:36 am

Hello all!

Newbie here...

Took pics of the install for these rims (17x7.5, offset 38, 4x114.

. Mounted them onto my 323i with stock suspension with no rubbing issues as I used 22mm adaptors.

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:43 am

A pal of mine offloaded them to me for a great price (4 rims with spare)...

Had a test fit to see if rims were worth it...

This is on top right view, and looks like I may need to roll the fender lips...

Used a very scientific method to determine how much is protruding beyond the fenders....

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:52 am

This is the adaptor used for the install. Made of mild steel, 140mm OD, countersunk pattern for the 4x100 PCD (to the hub), and 4x114.8 threaded holes (bolting the rims onto the adaptor). Thickness is 22mm. Hub-centering spigot is 57.5mm (to the hub) and 65mm (to the rim mounting face).

This is the head-on view of the adaptor, already bolted onto hub.

Since I did the rear hubs first, make sure handbrake is on, or else it'll be dang hard screwing in the allen-head bolts into the countersunk holes....

Screw in 2 normal rim bolts, put a long bar (handle of the jack) across them and jam the bar into the ground to lock the position. This makes screwing in much much easier...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:55 am

Another view of the adaptor...

and another from the rear.

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:01 am

This should show the 22mm thickness from the hub face. Read elsewhere in this forum about the offset for 7.5" width rims, and generally I can get away with 20-25mm offset. After mounting it on the front strut, and rotating the wheel lock-to-lock, nothing rubs - so I was safe....phew..

Oh, and this is my working conditions....

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:07 am

This is how the adaptor looked like when mounted onto the rim. The hole with the bolt is with a 4x114.8 PCD, and I just wanted to be sure the bolt length doesn't go beyond the 22mm thickness and touch the hub face...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:10 am

Ooer....classic noob mistake...

The pic should show also...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:15 am

Please remove sunglasses when viewing this, and try to squint a little...

The yellowish line in the center is the rust on the rear hub. To its right is the adaptor, which is waaaaay clear of the caliper on the left.

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:20 am

Doing this for one hub took me 40mins....sweating buckets....

Yeah...needs some lowering, I know...

Them white stains are the drops of water from the roof (there's a swimming pool above)...it's a real pain in the arse to clean if you leave it more than a few hours..

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:23 am

Here's the view from the rear with the whole thing installed...

Repeat three more times...think I lost 3kgs that morning...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:27 am

Front installed. Tyres had 25psi in them, so topped off at 35psi later in the day..

Sent it for a wash...

Next task is to change from 4x4 mode...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 6:37 am

That will look great once lowered well done!

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:04 am

Thanks mate! Yeah - got quite a ribbing from pals who saw the fender gap. Unfortunately, new Eibach Pro-kit lowering springs will cost me GBP177 (at RM6.75:GBP1.00 rates). Cutting one coil off is sooo tempting...

Post Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:03 pm

nicely done. those spacers look HUGE. wont you get alignment/balancing issues?

Post Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:35 am

Hyperion - Alignment was a bit of a bugger as my bushes are well past their expiry date. At the moment, tracking thru corners is good, tramlining is expected (the roads here not quite up to autobahn-level) but I'll be going for a proper bush replacement front and rear. Balancing-wise, everything's OK so far!