Back thinking about wheels for the e46

kdevitt

Edit - I ran 235's on my CH's up front, 265's at the back. Very slight rubbing, but they were 19's, so you should be absolutely fine with them on 18s.

vectra

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Right lads, got paid today...so feck it. BBS CK wheels and matador tires.

Need to clarify sizing though:

18x8 ET45 Front (tires: 225/40/18)

18x8.5 ET34 Rear (tires: 235/40/18)

The guys selling the wheels say they can't be certain that the rears wont rub. But I'm finding it difficult to figure out, with widths/offset and tire size. Yer mano reckons 235 will fit, but isn't certain!

This is what my son has on his E46

8.5 x 18 ET35on front

9.5 x 18 ET40 rears

Currently he has 225/40/18 on the fronts and
255/35/18 on the rears with absolutely no rubbing.

Alanstrainor

Cheers for all the input fellas! Wait til next week when I post pics!

Alanstrainor

Look decent enough I reckon, maybe even nicer than the CH's!:

kdevitt

I like the CK's - and them on my GTi, but I prefer the concavity on the CH's, especially on an E46. They're a lovely wheel all the same - might still get them for the current GTi.

Edit - hope your bolts and RAD locknuts were included?

Alanstrainor

kdevitt wrote: »

I like the CK's - and them on my GTi, but I prefer the concavity on the CH's, especially on an E46. They're a lovely wheel all the same - might still get them for the current GTi.

Edit - hope your bolts and RAD locknuts were included?

I have bolts, but no locknuts...which is a problem!

Also, I was given the BBS valve caps, would you expect them to come with BBS valve stems too?

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have bolts, but no locknuts...which is a problem!

Also, I was given the BBS valve caps, would you expect them to come with BBS valve stems too?

Sounds like whoever sold them stripped a bit of the kit out - which is common enough. All BBS wheels should come with a fitting kit which has a full set of bolts, a set of RAD locknuts, valve stems and the caps. Cheeky!

kdevitt

I can see your valve stems in your photo by the way.

Alanstrainor

So i have the spigot rings, the valve stem caps, and bolts.

I do not have the valve stems, nor do I have the RAD lock nuts. Do you happen to have any documentation that says what comes as standard with a set?

Cheers for this, I've already sent a mail to them.

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

So i have the spigot rings, the valve stem caps, and bolts.

I do not have the valve stems, nor do I have the RAD lock nuts. Do you happen to have any documentation that says what comes as standard with a set?

Cheers for this, I've already sent a mail to them.

Your valve stem looks like its screwed into the valve cap from the picture you posted?

Don't have documentation, but I sell BBS wheels - they always come with a full fitting kit. That picture I posted is a proper fitting kit - you can see the RAD locknuts and adapter.

Alanstrainor

kdevitt wrote: »

Your valve stem looks like its screwed into the valve cap from the picture you posted?

Don't have documentation, but I sell BBS wheels - they always come with a full fitting kit. That picture I posted is a proper fitting kit - you can see the RAD locknuts and adapter.

There are 3 rubber valve stems...not 4, but I presume the rubber ones are what I want? But there are no RAD locknuts, just standard bolts.

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

There are 3 rubber valve stems...not 4, but I presume the rubber ones are what I want? But there are no RAD locknuts, just standard bolts.

They're standard rubber valve stems - but yes, there should be 4.

Were the bolts and spigot rings packaged like in the photo I posted, or were they loose?

Alanstrainor

kdevitt wrote: »

They're standard rubber valve stems - but yes, there should be 4.

Were the bolts and spigot rings packaged like in the photo I posted, or were they loose?

No, they were loose. And the bolts are bagged, in such a way that doesn't look like they've been opened. Which would suggest they're most likely spurious. Do the spigot rings have any identifying marks? So I could determine if they are genuine?

Again, really appreciate this.

kdevitt

Spigot rings have no markings iirc. The bolts should all have BBS stamped onto the head.

kdevitt

A particularly grotty one -

Alanstrainor

Definitely spurious so.

Bastards!

Lets see what they say tomorrow. Cheers for the heads up with all this! Really appreciate it.

Alanstrainor

Hi,



These alloys came direct from the BBS importer.



When BBS went out of business the 2nd time the new BBS owner stopped supplying locknuts / lock bolts with the kit ,( at least 4- 5 years ago.)



After checking all boxes what are you missing ??





Regards

Tony McLornan

This is the response I got.

Any truth to this?

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is the response I got.

Any truth to this?

Nah sounds like crap to me. His BBS importer is potentially removing the kits to sell on and keep prices down, or maybe his deal with BBS doesn't include the kits?

The RAD fitting key in the BBS kit is a different colour to the one supplied direct by RAD, and they come up on eBay a bit -

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/RAD-Wheel-Lock-Bolt-12mmx1-5-52mm-Shank-Ball-Seat-BBS-/250855918867?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a682d8d13

The fitting kit photo I put up is from my own CK's and was taken in Aug 2012. I source them through a German contact who buys direct from BBS, and the fitting kits are still supplied (last time I quoted someone was 6 months back and the kit was listed as FOC - so definitely nothing to do with them almost going out of business 4/5 years back)

Voodoomelon

Any luck with the supplier Alan?

tossy

That wheel bolt looks well used, i wouldn't accept that with a new set of wheels. :mad:

You should order some wheel bolt covers anyway, do BMW do them? I have VW ones on mine - i think it really tidys up the wheel.

Alanstrainor

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Any luck with the supplier Alan?

Supplier is asking me for a part number for the kit...which i do not have. They are saying the boxes are unopened from the supplier, and that it's either the supplier stripping parts or I'm wrong.

Finding it very hard to get info, on what exactly is included with a full set, so i'm stuck.

And tossy, I think I'll definitely need some bolt covers, my bolts are brand spanking new, and are just shiny silver as you'd expect. Wont look great on the wheels though! Maybe I'll just get black bolts.

Need lock nuts, don't want to come out to the car on blocks.

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Supplier is asking me for a part number for the kit...which i do not have.

Might not be the correct kit but try 09.31.351

Alanstrainor

kdevitt wrote: »

Might not be the correct kit but try 09.31.351

Sound! I'll let them know, and see what happens.

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Sound! I'll let them know, and see what happens.

They got back to me, saying that part number wasn't right, and just repeated that there are no lock nuts with the kit. Just going to have to leave this I reckon, its a pain, but at this stage theres not much I can do.

vectra

My sons BC Coilovers fitted.
Car lowered
Wheels fitted.
Looks more like it should now.

Alanstrainor

kdevitt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

They got back to me, saying that part number wasn't right, and just repeated that there are no lock nuts with the kit. Just going to have to leave this I reckon, its a pain, but at this stage theres not much I can do.

Part nr came off the BBS site! You're right though, just put it down to experience.

Wheels look really wheel on the car.

Johnny Utah

Wheels look brilliant! Good choice!

A poster above mentioned that the genuine BBS wheels made a big difference to the way his car handled as they were lighter; have you noticed any difference since fitting the new wheels?

Alanstrainor

Johnny Utah wrote: »

Wheels look brilliant! Good choice!

A poster above mentioned that the genuine BBS wheels made a big difference to the way his car handled as they were lighter; have you noticed any difference since fitting the new wheels?

Cheers!

Wheels and tires have changed, so there's almost too much of a change to tell how much of it is wheels, how much is tires, and how much is all in my head! The car is driving a lot better, but I would have guessed that it's the tires rather than the wheels that have me noticing the difference more than anything!

ugglasdav

they made a big change to the look of the car, look well