Rear wheel spacers

[Mal CSL 3.0]

Seeking some advice please.

I tend to think my rear wheels sit a bit inwards for my liking, so would a 5mm or 10mm wheel spacer on each rear side help? Or would I end up with rubbing? Has anyone added rear wheel spacers on the back? and suggestions of who sells them. Many thanks.

 

[HB Chris]

You would probably need to change the studs as well which is not a trivial effort. All e9 look a bit narrow tracked from the rear. Front track 1450mm, rear 1415mm so almost 1 1/2."

 

[Gransin]

I run 5mm spacers on stock studs with my 8x16" ET24 Alpinas in the rear, no rubbing for me but YMMV.

 

[tferrer]

You can likely get spacers in any size from 5 mil on up. I know with 911s, you just order them off Amazon for the smaller ones. Just start with some smaller ones and see how everything fits and works through the suspension cycle. You can stack them for fitment sake and then just try to get a single in the thickness that works.

As a rule, you need 9 full revolutions of the lug nut on the stud. Anything less and longer studs are in order...

Here are some 5mm.

Amazon.com: 2pc 5mm 5x120 Wheel Spacers Hubcentric 72.56mm Hub Fits BMW 1 Series 3 Series 5 Series 6 Series 7 Series and More: Automotive

Buy 2pc 5mm 5x120 Wheel Spacers Hubcentric 72.56mm Hub Fits BMW 1 Series 3 Series 5 Series 6 Series 7 Series and More: Wheel Adapters & Spacers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I've used these many times to get just the right stance and fitment in early wide-body cars which are so critical to the look. Lot of the early cars were asymmetrical and had to run different spacer sizes from right to left. Wierd but it was normal.

This car had close to 5mm difference from left to right but you just do what the car wants....

 

[teahead]

Are you rubbing? If not, I wouldn't think to run spacers unless you think it just looks better further out towards the lip (which I prefer too).

 

[shanon]

I run AL spacers with my track wheels, 5-8mm IRCC?

 

[Krzysztof]

Maybe this is not the best place, but what ET is optimal to avoid wheels & tyres grinding wheel arches, fenders etc?

I've seen OEMs at ET9-ET11 for 14" rims.

I'm wondering about 15" or 16" but would like to keep car body as it is (not widened by any case).

 

[autokunst]

My car came to me with 25mm spacers, I think largely due to the wrong ET wheels. The spacers were bolted to the hubs, and the wheels used BMW lug bolts in lieu of studs and nuts. The rear wheels did, however, fill the wheel wells and looked great! But the correct rims will not require this much spacer.

 

[Drew Gregg]

I have 16"X7"BBS Mahle wheels--ET11 with the front fender lips rolled for the lowered suspension.

 

[Mal CSL 3.0]

You would probably need to change the studs as well which is not a trivial effort. All e9 look a bit narrow tracked from the rear. Front track 1450mm, rear 1415mm so almost 1 1/2."

Thanks Chris, that's interesting, I didn't know the front and rear tracks were so different, so I guess the way my car looks is actually period correct.
Though I might hunt for some 3 or 5mm spacers, but will check the stud lengths first.

 

[Drew20]

I run 5mm spacers on stock studs with my 8x16" ET24 Alpinas in the rear, no rubbing for me but YMMV.

I'm looking to do the same, however the only 5mm spacers I have seen (even the h&r ones) lack a wheel lip to centre the wheel. The spacers have a taper profile to centre the spacer on the hub, but there's no tapered lip to centre the wheel on the spacer. Did you find one with a lip, or did you need to go custom?
I've measured up re the studs and all fine there: 18mm of threads are currently used, so I'd still have 13mm of thread in play with the spacers.

 

[teahead]

For a 5mm spacer, a hubcentric spacer is not required as the stock hub lip is 12mm - plenty of room for hub penetration

 

[HonaloochieBoogie]

Staggering rim or tire sizes is another way to achieve the the look/ stance you are interested in. That’s a popular solution illustrated by the coupe king Alpina style rims that are so popular. Me, I like my period correct look - but I don’t judge. If it bothers you, find what looks good to you!

 

[Mot27cars]

Has anyone used long reach wheel nuts with larger spacers?

 

[Drew20]

For a 5mm spacer, a hubcentric spacer is not required as the stock hub lip is 12mm - plenty of room for hub penetration

Makes complete sense when it's explained! Ta Rob

 

[Bert Poliakoff]

I'm looking to do the same, however the only 5mm spacers I have seen (even the h&r ones) lack a wheel lip to centre the wheel. The spacers have a taper profile to centre the spacer on the hub, but there's no tapered lip to centre the wheel on the spacer. Did you find one with a lip, or did you need to go custom?
I've measured up re the studs and all fine there: 18mm of threads are currently used, so I'd still have 13mm of thread in play with the spacers.

I will use spacers on my 635, but only want to go maybe 3mm. The thinner spacers don't have the centering rings as mentioned above, but the thicker ones I have see do. My solution is too buy the thicker spacers and I will have my friend cut them down on his lathe

 

[Gransin]

I will use spacers on my 635, but only want to go maybe 3mm. The thinner spacers don't have the centering rings as mentioned above, but the thicker ones I have see do. My solution is too buy the thicker spacers and I will have my friend cut them down on his lathe

As @teahead already wrote above, there's no need, and you can't even fit such a thin spacer with a centering ring, since the stock hub centering lip is about 12mm.

 

[Bert Poliakoff]

Well I guess I missed that one. However running 245 x17 the strut clearance is very close on my 635 12 years and almost finished so I will find out if there is enough epace as soon as I ride it