[alpini]

Hello,

I just recently purchased a 320i M Sport alpine white e92. Will post some pics soon - but am currently doing some mods so priorities an all that!!

I have already fitted the M3 lip spoiler and looking all the better for it.

Next on the list:
1. 19" Breyton Spirit rims
2. Lowering springs.

Just wondering - I'm new to all this - but can someone explain spacers, offset etc - i've done a search on the forum but not content yet. As far as I can make out I'll not need spacers with the Breytons.

Also at the minute I'm considering H&R Springs - don't know whether to go for Sport or Race springs?? I want her to look classy... but not completely floored!

Is it acceptable to ask bmw dealer to fit the springs? i would like to get someone who's used to dealing with bm's.

thanks for any help you can give me - the site is great and i look forward to being a part of it!

[Serjames]

Welcome.. good choice of colour and car !

Do a search for E92fan he has posted some good offset info... not sure which thread now, but it had pictures so even I understood it.

Paul should be able to advise on the springs, and I guess he'd recommend Teddy over at SSDD Motorsport.

Good luck

SJ

[dxb335d]

Hi and Welcome Alpini.

I love A/W E92's


Carlos

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by alpini

thanks for any help you can give me - the site is great and i look forward to being a part of it!

Welcome. Help is what we're here for. Mark your calendar for UK5 on 26-27 April.

[DaveC]

Hi, welcome.

I asked the same question about wheel offsets although I didn't know what I was asking at the time. The thread is here
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...highlight=ET39 and contains some nice pictures.

EDIT: Oh spacers weren't discussed, they are nasty thin discs of metal that go between the wheel and the hub, so when you you have got a wheel with a particular offset spacers will move it out further. As I understand it spacers, especially thin ones are nasty things with a possibility of unpleasant failure, I wouldnt use them.

[booforty]

Welcome mate. I've got the H&R Euro Race Springs on my E90. Do a search of my user name and you will find some pics of my car. I didn't make any other changes to my suspension, just the springs. I also have Eibach spacers on the front and rear.

You can get the springs from Teddy at SSDD-Motorsport or Roy at CA Automotive. Use any reliable garage/mechanic to fit them for you.

[E92Fan]

BMW OEM 19" wheels are a staggered fitment, in that the rears and wider than the fronts. No spacers are used as stock


Front wheels are 8J x 19" (or 8" wide by 19" in diameter), ET37 offset
with 225/35 tyres

Rear wheels are 9J x 19" (or 9" wide by 19" in diameter), ET39 offset
with 255/30 tyres


So if you are going to get 19" wheels, you would need to stick to the same wheel dimensions as above, if you want to replicate the OEM suspension geometry. You can however go one size bigger on the tyres (ie. 235/35 and 265/30) which is how the Alpina D3 comes.



The offset, or ET measurement in millimetres, determines the position of the mounting point of the wheel in relation to the centreline of the wheel (see diagram below)



Looking at the picture above, note that the left hand side is the brake side, and the right hand side is the outer edge of the wheel.

In the left image, you can clearly see that the mounting point is positively offset to the right of the centreline of the wheel - so for instance an ET37 wheel will have the mounting point 37mm to the right of the centreline.

The middle image shows no offset at all, so the mounting point is in the same position as the centreline of the wheel.

The right image shows negative offset.

The higher the positive offset value, the more the wheels sits IN towards the hubs. The lower the offset value the closer to the wheelarch. In both cases, the width of the wheel is constant, the only thing that changes is the mounting position relative to the centreline of the wheel.



Spacers are metal discs of varying thickness that mount between the inner mounting point of the wheel and the hub itself. The idea of the spacer is to push the wheel further into the arches, giving a wider track. Most people who use spacers are only doing it for aesthetic purposes. On a 9J ET39 rear wheel, using a 12mm spacer will make it look much more aggressive, although it may be at risk of rubbing on the arches if the car is fully loaded as there won't be as much clearance.

A well made spacer is a reliable item and won't be prone to failure or such like. You will need extended wheel bolts however because of the extra depth required to screw into the hubs.

More importantly however is how a spacer can affect the handling of the car. Imagine putting a 18mm spacer on either side of the car (as I have seen someone do) - the wheels are now a total of 36mm further apart from each other - this extra distance will have a negative effect on the suspension geometry, especially on the front wheels, where the tyre scrub radius will be increased (ie turning circle). You will also induce greater negative camber due to the artificially wider track.

My advice would be - if you want a more aggressive look, use a maximum 12mm spacer on the rear only (assuming the rear wheel Breyton fitment is the same 9J ET39 size as BMW OEM).

If the rear Breyton wheel is a 9.5J (as opposed to the 9J of the BMW OEM wheel), then you can use an ET34 offset, which will give you 1mm LESS clearance on the strut side (which is fine) and push the wheel 11mm MORE into the wheel arches - therefore you will not need a spacer.

[alpini]

thanks for the warm welcome! and for all that info - that gives me loads to work on!
So, the plan is to go ahead and fit the 19" breytons. i know other e92 owners have fitted them on directly (i.e. no spacers) and they should fill the arches nicely when i get her lowered.
thanks e92 fan for that explanation - it'd be hard not to understand that!


Since i'm going for 19", i'm thinking that the h&r RACE springs may lower her too much and that the SPORT springs would be enough.
Any thoughts on these springs?

[E92Fan]

I belive Hotcoupe is running H&R Sports and Beauforty H&R Euro Race - they will give you their considered opinions in due course I'm sure. There are alternatives - the Hartge springs are very good for instance. Don't think anyone here is running Eibachs - don't think they have received good reports in the past when used with standard OEM dampers.

Where in the UK are you? If near London/Heathrow way, you'd do far worse than use Birds UK to do the labour for you. Think their labour rate is around £65/70 per hour - as opposed to the £130 that is typical at the BMW stealer!! Oh, and I think it takes around 4 hours to do all four springs, not including the 4 wheel realignment that you will need to have done afterwards

[Bumps]

Welcome Alpini and many congratulations on buying the best colour for an E92 (not that I'm biased).

Wish I could add something useful on the wheel debate but Tony's got that sewn up pretty much and Beauforty seems to add the suspension info!

So, all that remains for me to say is!! Couldn't resist....

BTW, just interested, have you debadged or not?

[alpini]

Originally Posted by Bumps

Welcome Alpini and many congratulations on buying the best colour for an E92 (not that I'm biased).

Wish I could add something useful on the wheel debate but Tony's got that sewn up pretty much and Beauforty seems to add the suspension info!

So, all that remains for me to say is!! Couldn't resist....

BTW, just interested, have you debadged or not?

I HAVE debadged... but i have to say that i replaced it with another badge!! an M Sport badge. I know i'll get shot down for applying one to a non-M3 e92 but it's very subtle and obviously only says "M" and not "M3". I think it looks well - i'm hoping to take pics today so you'll see what i mean!

[-=TSL=-]

Welcome to the forum! Sorry my knowledge of mods is abysmal, to say the least!

Great car and great colour!

TSL