cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

So,

In the quest for ever improved handling, I finally decided to leap off the cliff and get the good stuff. I'd been planning a 17" or 18" set of Torq Thrusts for a while, but I came across a great deal on these, and I just had to see how they would look. I've still got to figure out the center caps, but they'll be staying for good.

Specs:

Rims from a 2001 BMW 740iL (Known as the M-Sport Parallel design)
New Continental DWS Z-rated rubber

Front:

18x8", 13mm ET
245-40-18
10mm spacer

Rear:
18x9.5", 25mm ET
275-40-18
Factory .187" spacer

Let me know what you think. Personally, I love 'em.

-Levi

plasmeh

iTrader: (10)

I think they look really, really good man, very nice!

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

Looks great dude. I want those BMW rims or the Mesh BMW rims.

Alain2

Looks good. Any reason why you went taller in the back?

Manovox

2" inch lower and it will be fantastic

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

I liked the staggered setup with the slightly taller rear tires, gave it a more aggressive stance without lowering. I thought real hard about 275-35-18 in the back, but that would have made it just a hair shorter than what was in front. In my opinion, those big rear wheel wells have always looked a little funny with the same size tires as the front. Plus, as an added bonus, I got some ground clearance aft of the front floorboards. I was getting sick of dragging exhaust pipe on speed bumps, not a problem anymore.

-Levi

wannafbody

iTrader: (1)

those looks awsome ho wmuch were yours?

razor

Your exhaust needs to come up a few inches tighter to the car. If you look in this pic you can actually see daylight on the top of the exhaust which indicates it needs to tuck up. Once its up even a nice 1.5 inch drop would give the car a great stance.

By the way the rims look very good on the car!

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

i want them.....lol

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

What springs do you have? I don't think I've ever seen a 3rd gen that sat so high.

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

Believe it or not, the exhaust doesn't Go any higher. I took it to the shop after I got it put on, and they said that there was no way they could run the Y-pipe any tighter than it already was. The picture I posted is kind of deceiving, it doesn't actually hang as low as it looks, somehow I got the angle at just the point where it looks really, really low. I've got a shot from a slightly different angle that shows the pipe tucked up a lot higher where it's actually at. I dunno, weird...

I think the height of the car is due to several factors. It's got WS6 springs and KYB shocks, that's one factor, along with the taller than factory tires. It's also very light. The guy who had it before me weighed it in at 3150, and that was before the 4th gen seats, aluminum driveshaft, aluminum waterpump, and some other various lightening moves. It's carbed instead of TPI, so that saves some additional weight, and there's no emissions stuff left on it either.

You guys really think it needs to go lower? I reckon I could go with lowering springs, but don't you ever get tired of dragging the nose going into driveways? That was the problem I used to have with my T/A, it drove me crazy.

Bullydawg

iTrader: (7)

I really like the wheels. I have waiting for a good deal on some BMW wheels.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

What does it measure fromt the ground to the fender lip? I'm curious.

I got some stock height measurements from a couple of other GTAs, 1 with brand new WS6 springs, to see how much I lowered mine.

We'll compare it to the OEM stock height.

But as far as whether or not YOU should lower YOUR car.....That has to be a personal choice. If your roads or diveway won't allow a lowered car to drive safely, then don't lower it. Don't sacrifice the car, just for looks.

New3ra

did you have to change wheel studs? and what about the spacers up front? i have stock suspension and am looking into it.

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

No, I didn't change out the studs, but I wouldn't be comfortable running anything more than a 10mm spacer without longer wheel studs. I plan on doing the C4 disk brake conversion in the spring, which will put the offset just right on the front so I won't need a spacer at all anymore. Not sure about the rear, I may just leave it the way it is. It ran just fine without spacers, I added the little ones just as an added safety measure against rubbing on the inside.

I'll get the measurements when I can, the car is parked 3 miles away and I won't even see it again til this weekend. I'm interested to see how high it actually is.

-Levi

Iroc-Z28Man

What a hot car. Can i get that extra spicy. My buddy has those exact rims, i definatley gonna snag em from him one day when he is not paying attention

johnny090881

iTrader: (1)

very nice

dadda79

do you know what they weigh by chance? Facotry wheels are usually pretty light.
looking for a lightweight option for 18s besides Vette wheels.

thanks.

itsMikey

nice =]

racing geek

iTrader: (5)

I'm loving the look of the inset wheel. If the made those 1" wider I might have to get me a set. I need 10.5" wheels. I agree, it should be lowered an inch. Then it will really pop.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Just get them & send them off to be widened. Gotta pay to get what you want.

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

I couldn't give you an exact weight on them, never had a chance to put them on the scales, but I can tell you that they're pretty dang light. There was quite a difference between them and the 15x8" that I took off. They compare favorably to the 16x8" factory rims too, I've had them on and off a few times, and it's a lot easier to lift up those 18" rims.

-Levi

racing geek

iTrader: (5)

I disagree... you can always make it yourself.

supermariobros

Man they look REALLY NICE! If it were me tho I would lower it to, but still looks great

C-Titan

iTrader: (2)

Even without a lower suspension, I think those wheels fit your car perfectly... Droppin' it a lil tho would give it a few extra boner points... haha

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Do you REALLY think it is that easy to cut them in two, add a strip in (or like mine, cut 4 wheels to make 2), weld it all back together STRAIGHT, and get a balance-able product? AND has a strong product? Welding aluminum is voodoo to half of the people as it is.

ellocojorge

iTrader: (1)

http://www.lakeshorewheelandtire.com...taggered.shtml

not a bad price at 699 a set

Manovox

sure it goes up!! I have true duals passing from there and they are close to the floorpan so I have no issues with the lowered car!!

floor to front lip 25.5"
floor to rear lip 26.5"

racing geek

iTrader: (5)

Sorry Stephen... I guess I mis quoted you. I was only referring to the last sentence that said, "Gotta pay to get what you want." I know it is not easy to widen wheels unless they are 2 or 3 piece, but for a lot of other stuff, it is often times WAY cheaper to make the item yourself. I was just disagreeing in general, not specifically about the wheel issue.

Mike

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

Manovox,

Those figures would leave my wheels tucked up inside the wheel wells themselves, they're both about 1/4" less than the height of the tires themselves? That'd be at least a 2.5" drop, maybe more. How on earth do you drive your car at that height without dragging over everything?

-Levi

3.1EyeCandy

iTrader: (3)

Looks really nice! Questions: Where did you get the 10mm spacer? Any idea which cars came with the "factory spacer" you mention (mine doesn't have any)? Any issues with the wheels being the 5x120 bmw pattern and not the native f-body one?

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

Answers, haha:

1. The 10mm spacer is a BMW wheel spacer. Word to the wise, do not get the hub centric one for a BMW though. I ordered the double hub centric, but it would not fit either front or rear. I had to take it down to the lathe and have it bored all the way through. Let me try to explain this. The diameter of the inside of the spacer was correct for about the inside half (the side that contacts the brakes). But, when it necked down so that it could be hub-centric inside the wheel, this section was too narrow to go over the hub. Apparently BMWs don't use a grease cap, and the axle flange on the rear is also shorter, so you cannot fit on a spacer that is hub-centric to both the wheel and the axle, just the axle. Make sense?

I grabbed them off ebay, along with the little rings that fit inside to perfectly center the wheels on the hubs (72mm outside diameter, 70mm inside diameter + or - a few tenths on each) This'll help stop any vibrations. Get these off ebay too.

2. The factory spacer on the rear was introduced when GM swapped from the aluminum rear brake drums to steel rear brake drums, which were thinner and moved the wheels slightly inboard. They can now be found on a hodge-podge of cars, there's no real rule as far as anyone can tell as to which cars got them and which didn't. I would recommend sourcing a 5mm spacer for the rear just like the 10mm for the front. The .187" spacer is minimal, it helps, but more would be better. You can only just barely fit your fingers between the tire and the inner fender with a little bit of massaging involved. When I do the C4 1LE hub brake conversion, I'm going to move the 10mm spacer to the rear to help balance things out even better.

One word about the spacers, I wouldn't recommend going anything more than 10mm unless you get one of the 10 lug designs that can be found in 20mm on up. (spacer bolts to hub, wheel bolts to spacer). With the factory lugs and these wheels, there is enough thread engagement with a 10mm spacer, but I WOULD NOT go more. Also, make sure you double and triple check the torque on the lugs after driving for a while. Because there is less thread engagement than without a spacer, the lugs will have a greater tendency to loosen until you get them set in well.

3. The wheel pattern? not a difference, they fit on like they're made for it. BMW is a 120mm bolt pattern, 3rd gen is a 120.625mm bolt pattern. That's about .3mm of difference on the lugs, much less than is introduced by incorrect tightening of even a correct bolt pattern. If you're worried about it, tighten the lugs to full spec while the car is still off the ground using a star pattern, to make sure the wheel gets perfectly centered. Heck, you can even do it in several stages of increasing torques to make sure she's perfect. Get somebody to hold the brakes while you do it, and it'll be spot on. That's how I did mine, and they are glass smooth at 105, haven't run any faster than that yet.

Any more Q's, let me know. Also remember, you don't even have to run spacers at all, I just think it made it look even better than it did without them. Your call.

-Levi

phoenix_rising

Not bad! Although I think 19's out back would have looked nice too.

whatever84

Very nice!!

Mark.

vendetta

thats a 5x120 Bolt patt. right? where they just really tight getting on or did u have to modify something??

tealcamaromanrs

wow that car is soo nice..i cant beleive bmw wheels look that good. a small drop would look a little better but it looks good the way it is too......awsome car man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Manovox

I likw those wheels but please low the car!!

omnipotentgoku

iTrader: (1)

That is sick

1988-305-tbi

275/35 r18 in the rear looks horrible thankgod you didn't do it, it's ok up front but in the rear they look like little toy wheels, do you have any rim or wheel weight numbers, i love my 18" but need something lighter....

good job.... she looks great

89ROC-Z

iTrader: (7)

looks good

OdieTurbo

iTrader: (1)

I like the wheels and I think the car sits OK. I never got the whole lowering thing on these 3rd gens. But I guess I see them as 80's muscle cars not high-tech 90's street machines.

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

Wow really look good on that car

Infested

Couldn't agree more.

C-Titan

iTrader: (2)

I don't find it that hard to believe considering my car has BMW wheels too

$750 L98

I am drooling....I love BMW wheels. And it looks like these will fit right on as well: http://austin.craigslist.org/pts/1500544125.html

Those would be gorgeous with a lowered formula....

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

put me on the list too; wow do those look good. I think I have another set of rims to add to my wishlist now...

$750 L98

I did some digging, trying to find out what those wheels are. So far I have found a couple designs. Mostly BBS made:



Those look kind of like the ASA wheels made by BBS and sold at tire rack:

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...ip&showRear=no

I am still looking around as, obviously that is not the exact wheel. I should have jumped on them when I saw the for sale ad.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I was gonna get ASAs to replace my crosslace wheels, until I got the chance to get my Snypers.

$750 L98

Figured it out, the ad is gone of course, but they are E38 BMW "M cross spoke wheels", or sometimes reffered to as "Y" spoke wheels. I am having trouble finding any, but those are IMO the perfect wheel. Having a hard time finding them in a fitament that will work with our cars though. I blame the OP for my new obsession.

90rsmiami

I been doing some research on these wheels. They are BMW M5 2000-2003 made by BBS. fit our cars perfect without spacers or adapters.B.S. is ideal also for 305 rears and 285 front