The area of the bolt that is tightened against the wheel. Most BMWs have a 5/120 bolt pattern - 5 holes and a 120mm diameter for an imaginary ring formed by the circle of bolts. The number of bolt holes and the diameter of the bolt ring.
2008 BMW 135I BROCHURE FULL
The wheel is resting on the beveled section instead of the full center bore which may lead to a vibration. This is important when using small wheel spacers that take up space on the hubcentric lip. But because the bevel is machined inward, it takes depth away from the center bore. The bevel or chamfer makes it easier to fit the wheel onto hubcentric lip on the car. Nearly all factory and aftermarket BMW wheels have a beveled edge. The back of the center bore will either have a straight or beveled edge. It is very important that your new wheels have a hubcentric fit to the car. Most BMW wheels use a 72.6mm center bore. This is known as a 'hub-centric' fitment. The hub lip - not the wheel bolts - centers the wheel on the hub. A lip on the suspension hub will fit snugly into the center bore and provide strength and alignment. The wheel mounts to the vehicle's hub through this hole. The hole in the center of the wheel usually covered by the center cap. It's OK to use a wheel with a smaller pad even if car originally used a larger pad. The pad size differences only come into play when mis-matching wheel spacers and wheels. In the late 2000s BMW began changing mounting pad sizes but has not made changes across all models. The Pad will generally consist of the center bore, bolt holes, and machining/alignment holes. The area on the back of the wheel that sits on the suspension hub. The wheel and tire combo must fit within the wheel well and around the various components. Within the wheel well sits the brakes and suspension. It's made up of the frame and body skeleton on the inside and the fender on the outside. The opening in the bodywork and chassis for the wheel/tire to sit inside. The inner ring behind the spokes that spans the width of the wheel The width of the Barrel, measured from the inside of one lip to the inside of the other The diameter of the wheel from one side to the other Sample Sizes and Offsets by Model (stock, mild, aggressive fitments) Wheel Clearance, including notes on suspensions, brakes, and bodyworkĥ. When you're ready to discuss wheel options for your BMW, call or e-mail us and we'll be happy to assist with any wheel need you may have.Ĥ. We hope this information proves valuable to you.
On this page we will define the various terms and technical features of wheels, give you background information and notes on BMW wheel fitments, and provide you with some examples of easy and aggressive wheel fitments. The same sizing also allows the tires to be rotated.
Big front tires and aggressive alignments are not good for the street so these wheel packages are usually best left for track cars. The front of the car needs more grip to reduce understeer so we try and cram as much wheel/tire into the front fenders as possible (or as the rules allow) and make large changes to the alignment. With the front wheels narrower than the rear this is known as a staggered wheel setup.įor the track, we desire the same size wheels and tires for the front and rear.
Having a wider rear wheel also gives the impression of power so BMW designers insist on it. There is nothing wrong with having a narrower front wheel for street use - chances are slim that you will regularly exceed the handling capabilities of your front tires. With less grip from a narrow tire the front will lose traction first, which is arguably safer and easier to detect and control than oversteer (the rear end losing grip). It's only when trying to maximize performance does upgrading become tricky.īMW, and other manufacturers, set the default handling to understeer by under-sizing the front wheel/tire. Upgrading for looks or moderate performance improvements is easy. This page is to educate and aid you in making the right wheel choice. And there are many many options and choices to make which can leave even knowledgeable people scratching their heads. Wheel choice depends largely on your intended use - street, show, track days, racing, winter, etc. Few modifications have more visual and performance impact than a new set of wheels.
2008 BMW 135I BROCHURE UPGRADE
Wheels are near the top of the list as an upgrade on any BMW. As such we have great depth of knowledge on wheel fitment and technology. We are BMW experts especially when it comes to suspension tuning and wheels play a large role in how your car is handling. Since 1993 our focus as only been on BMWs.