BMW Z3 Wheel spacers

Jack Ratt

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The West Country
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Dec 3, 2013
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TRURO, CORNWALL
Model of Z
2.8i AUTO and 2.8i MANUAL
They would most likely be grade 8 which is a hardened steel, and have a UTS of 64kg/mm2, but as wheel bolts are in "shear" rather than in tension this wont be too critical.
Just to clarify a little, the wheel bolts are indeed subjected to tensional forces as that is what holds then onto the hubs, but the more critical forces will be the shear forces that the wheel rims will put on the bolts as the wheels will be trying to "shear" through the bolts when the wheels are spinning.
 

Lexybhoy

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Well that shut me up !

In my usual gungho manner, I will be the testdummy and crack on with them, no pun intended.

If the worst happens, my younger, higher division wife will get 10 times my salary. First come first served gents.
And so.......

I took the back o/s rear wheel off and began cleaning up the hub face.

B.U.T. . . .
All stop as I spotted this....

image.jpg
image.jpg

So. guess what, the purchase of these spacers and dodgy wheels bolts have only gone and possibly saved my life. :p
 

t-tony

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Grumps

Always happy, apart from when I'm not 🤬
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What? You can't leave it like that Lex.

Tony.
Now you wouldn't be a miserable mot tester and fail something as miniscule as that would you Tony!!!! :D
 

the Nefyn cat

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Morning all, I know I'm joining in a little bit late, but I fitted some 15 mm spacers bought from mtech complete with shiny bolts in June 2013. Whilst not normally driving like a loon it's sometimes hard to resist living up in north Wales (some lovely roads when the tourists go home) and none of the bolts have broken yet. And if it hasn't broken after nearly two years it probably ain't going to. Unlike that spring. Both rears broke on my old E36, at least it sat nice and level.
 

t-tony

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We fit loads of springs on all makes of cars all the time.. I'm just in the middle of doing one on a Festa which HAD to fail (Dave) this morning, mind you it was a front one which had started to wind itself down the leg.

Tony.
 

Lexybhoy

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We fit loads of springs on all makes of cars all the time.. I'm just in the middle of doing one on a Festa which HAD to fail (Dave) this morning, mind you it was a front one which had started to wind itself down the leg.

Tony.
I too suffer from something winding down my leg. ;)
 

t-tony

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Modest or what?;)

Tony.
 

Lexybhoy

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Is it your imagination by chance or wishful thinking?? JIM
A bit of both maybe Jim.

YOU'LL certainly never know :)

That is unless these wheels fall off and you get the wife !
 

t-tony

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Mine are on.:thumbsup:

Tony.
 

Brian4

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Near Grantham
Model of Z
Z3 3.0i Auto
We fit loads of springs on all makes of cars all the time.. I'm just in the middle of doing one on a Festa which HAD to fail (Dave) this morning, mind you it was a front one which had started to wind itself down the leg.

Tony.
I had to replace spring on my wife's Fiesta last year. She drove to work ok, parked up and when she came out the car made horrible noise so called me. when I got there the car was down one side and the end of the spring was rubbing on the front tyre. The springs are bigger than the support cup and the spring had dropped down the strut. lucky she wasn't driving.
 

john1534

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Hi Davejue1, if you could take a few pics it would be appreciated. reading up on it, it seems easy but pics would help. Thanks.
 

Lexybhoy

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When is the plan for the spacers to go on please?
I've only fitted one so far as once I discovered the broken spring I obviously had to deal with that, so at the moment I have put one new lowering spring and shock on along with one spacer. Oh, and 5 zinc coated bolts :).

Hopefully I'll find time over the weekend to do the other three corners but golfing season starts tomorrow, Medal Saturday and Medal Sunday :).
 
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