Help for somebody clueless....

Hi all, I bought a set of BBS 17in style 42's last winter but only popped tyres on this month. (8J Et 47) My E36 came from the factory on 16in style 42s (7.5j) and what appear to be 5mm spacers. I fit one of the new wheels without the spacer last week but it was making a low metallic rumbling sound at 5mph. I didn't use the spacer as it seemed to me that there wasn't enough of the centre hub ring thing exposed to mount the new wheel to. What am I doing wrong? I am clueless when it comes to wheels etc. Shorter lugs? Plow on with the spacers?

I'd say you're probably right, when the previous owner installed the spacers he (hopefully) bought longer bolts, so you would need standard bolts if you're removing them.

I was in the family motor factors yesterday and checked on the parts system; standard Febi lugs are 50mm. I measured one of mine last night and they were nearly 60mm. I'm going to order a set and see how I go. Btw if anybody wants new lugs, the Febi ones are a fraction of the price as the ones from BMW.

It’s more than likely the brake guard plate, easily done when changing wheels on an e36. You can simply reach a hand in or behind the wheel and straighten it out.


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Wheels fitted today with the new Febi bolts. The fronts were slightly longer to account for the spacers so all good again. Just as well as the rear bolts were in bad nick, the lock nuts in particular.

If the bolts are too long, they'll hit the dust shield behind the hub on the front or the handbrake shoes and springs at the rear.

The guy that bought my CSLs had longer bolts on his old wheels and when he went to fit the csls, he destroyed the backing plate and abs sensors on the front.