Wheel spacers and some other questions

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Hello again.
For 2 years i loved my z3 1997 1.9.
But now i wanted to upgrade for more grunt.
Thus my new a 2.8 widebody, manual, also from 1997 even the same production month ! (May).

http://imgur.com/tXicYE0

And if i may ask for some help:

1. What wheels are these ? They are 18" with 225/40/18 all around but that's all i could judge.

http://imgur.com/F6qV55y

2. I noticed a discrepancy gap on the back drivers side wheel vs the other one - one is inwards more than the other ?! Is this normal?
Will measure when the rain stops for more perspective; only have the ad pics.

Right side - http://imgur.com/CUzDOhu
Left side - http://imgur.com/niIyJmb

3. So that's why i am interested in spacers. I want on the back to have the wheels flush and put wider tires on the existing rims but within reason.
So spacers plus 245s on the back on the current rims, would be an ideal setup that will not have negative effects on handling etc?

4. Something like this are any good? Of course when we find out what size i need.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371393956583? ... EBIDX%3AIT

5. How do check if i have an LSD ? Decoding the VIN it says that but i want to physically check.
Tags on the diff?
Lift the car up and the wheels should spin in opposite direction?

Thank you in advance. Cheers.
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Got back from the car.

So here are more angels what i mean.

http://imgur.com/EpotbYJ

http://imgur.com/uS3nmFo

http://imgur.com/AIN0dTi

http://imgur.com/h38lHiU

Measured the rims. All seem to be 9.5". Am i doing this right?

http://imgur.com/TdWt7Oc

http://imgur.com/Kpqlgyh

So 18" by 9.5. 5x120 bolt pattern right?
What's left - the center bore and the ET.
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by BladeRunner919 »

I have seen threads before that mention a slight difference left-to-right, but that does seem quite a lot. I'd remove both rear wheels and take some measurements on the trailing arms to see if one may be bent. Also check the springs are in good order and one isn't broken, which would drop the car on one side and change the camber.

Also, for ease, I'd try and put image tags in when you use photos so they appear in the thread! :)
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Thank you for the input.
Yes, will investigate further.

Ah yes, will do that next time with the pictures :)
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stevov
Joined: Sun 21 Dec, 2014 15:56
Posts: 182

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Contact:

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by stevov »

Take the wheels off and check the offsets and widths as printed on the inside of the rims. BMW have staggered offset on some cars and it's not unheard of for sets to get mixed up. Rim width is measured on the inside of the rim with the tyre off. Take each wheel off and see what each wheel is marked as.
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Went to AMS.

All wheels - rims & tires identical. Offset ET 38 for the rims.

The problem (they say) is with the right trailing arm; it's bent and it's missing that support bar that makes a triangle. hm .. started to wonder if it's a different (wrong) trailing arm fitted.

Anyway, did my front wheel alignment while they were at it, it need it some toe adjustment.

Call my mechanic as well, and he will have another look next week, measure and check everything thoroughly.

It's so weird, the car drives good, low/ high speed, load, up hill, fast acceleration, corners etc.

Anybody has a guess how much is a pair of trailing arms if it turns out that it is truly bent? Or where to search for second hand parts. Thank you.
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Hi Alex

I forgot to mention that your car will have a Torsen (TORque SENsing) type of LSD. These units are a far better type for road driving than the locking-cloutch type, but they reduce the ease with which the car can be drifted. They operate by a clever gear train - see Wikipedia for details - which gives smooth and progressive operation.

Testing a Torsen LSD requires a slippery road, but some people claim a dry road can be used if the clutch is dropped, producing two lines of rubber if the LSD action splits torue equally. As with ABS and ASC, it is never wise to provoke a safety system such as this, and if the car drives round tight bends without problems you can assume it is OK.

Best wishes,

Mike
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Blimey Mike, I thought you'd gone for good!
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Hi again Mike.

Yes of course, for now i want to focus to have the car in shape and not force it to find out that way if it has the lsd or not. From what i remember it should have a tag on the outside with the ratio nr and 'S' on it to pin point that it is the LSD present. This is what i know from the E34s.

Anyway i made a list for mechanic to find all the answers and will comeback to update the topic.

Thank you again and all the colleagues.
Cheers.
Alex
NZ00Z3
Joined: Thu 23 Jun, 2016 01:26
Posts: 95

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by NZ00Z3 »

One way to check which diff you have and not lay down rubber or other questionable driving maneuver is to jack the car up, remove the diff filler plug and insert an inspection camera to see what your diff internals look like.

Compare it against the photo in the below link.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa28 ... ntials.jpg

Or do a google search on BMW Z3 differential pictures and you'll find a picture with the three different types of diff side by side.
deni2s
Joined: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 22:02
Posts: 761

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by deni2s »

Can it be that you have trailing arm from 4 cyl z3? Few z3 already spotted like this. In that case you need to change also drive shaft. Or you can put 35 mm spacer to even with another side.
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Yeah, that's what i thought as well. I have a new driveshaft on the right side. Will check those and if different lenght/part nr etc that should be it.

Now i have to wait until i get to the shop.
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Just wanted to update.
Myth busted.
In its life time somebody replaced the right semi trailing arm to a different bmw one and a coresponding shorter drive shaft hence the big discrepency in the left and the right side.

Found on ebay the corect part and got a new shaft from Germany and now it is as it should.

https://i.imgur.com/rbWlPSK_d.webp?maxw ... ity=medium

My OCD thanks me now 😉
deni2s
Joined: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 22:02
Posts: 761

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by deni2s »

Oh, I got a closure on this one, thanks for posting how it ended!

Actually had the same issue with one of my widebodies, got lucky - my friend with narrowbody had the same problem on opposite side, so we just swapped the driveshafts with each other.
warhammer23
Joined: Sun 16 Feb, 2014 22:28
Posts: 62

  BMW other

Re: Wheel spacers and some other questions

Post by warhammer23 »

Cheers! :cheers

Good to hear that as well in your case.
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