Cleaning 108 style wheels

[Nick_in_Suffolk]

Whilst cleaning my wife's Z today, which means removing each wheel so I can clean inside the wheel and the wheel arch, I wondered whether I could or indeed should take apart the 2 pice 108 wheel.

Are there any reasons to NOT do this? Should I defalte the tyre before detensioning the bolts) And if I did so what is the bolt torque value?

Am I mad?

 

[sp3ctre]

hehe, in my mind yes you are mad... still don't get the whole taking off the wheel thing...

Madness is cool though

Sorry, no answers to your question... but I am sure someone will post soon

 

[sp3ctre]

still no replies... c'mon people?!

Was thinking abou it and why would you need to take them apart? Surely the little hard to reach areas could be got at with a toothbrush or such like?

 

[WLH]

I have a set of 108's and looking at them very close I would not take them apart. I would have concern about taking them apart with the tires mounted as well. I have done a WEB search to see if I could fine the torque setting for assembly and no doubt some logical pattern to torque down the bolts. I fine nothing on the subject.

I would go with the toothbrush and yes you are quite mad...

 

[takedown8]

Why the heck would you take them apart? You are nutso!

Seriously though, just clean your wheels like a normal person and get on with your life. You'll feel so much more liberated!

 

[Nick_in_Suffolk]

There are small amounts of corrosion leaking from under the inner piece, hence my wish to take the wheels apart and correct the minor defects. It would also give me chance to clean inside the countersinking where the bolts sit and remove any accumulated brake dust between the 2 surfaces!

Yes I am quite mad, but get a perverse pleasure of doing completely mindless things.

I think I will just experiment - I have 2 spare 108s (F&R) which cost me peanuts on ebay and kept as spares agasint the day I (or my wife) kerbs a wheel. I will each bolt in a 180 degree apart pattern - logging where each bolt is located. I'll also log the torque that has to be applied to free each bolt and then take an average value during re-tightening. If that is successful I will move onto the wheels on the car.

That should nicely blank out Sunday!

 

[sp3ctre]

There are small amounts of corrosion leaking from under the inner piece, hence my wish to take the wheels apart and correct the minor defects. It would also give me chance to clean inside the countersinking where the bolts sit and remove any accumulated brake dust between the 2 surfaces!

Yes I am quite mad, but get a perverse pleasure of doing completely mindless things.

I think I will just experiment - I have 2 spare 108s (F&R) which cost me peanuts on ebay and kept as spares agasint the day I (or my wife) kerbs a wheel. I will each bolt in a 180 degree apart pattern - logging where each bolt is located. I'll also log the torque that has to be applied to free each bolt and then take an average value during re-tightening. If that is successful I will move onto the wheels on the car.

That should nicely blank out Sunday!

Crikey... good luck! And of course you will take pics for the how-to?!

 

[Geodoc]

There are small amounts of corrosion leaking from under the inner piece, hence my wish to take the wheels apart and correct the minor defects. It would also give me chance to clean inside the countersinking where the bolts sit and remove any accumulated brake dust between the 2 surfaces!

Nick, there was a lot of discussion on the 'old' Z4Um about 108s and the corrosion issue - generally the conclusion was that once the corrosion started it got worse - this seems to be a problem only with these wheels. A number of owners got them replaced under warranty (some problems getting them replaced if they were kerbed). The corrison seemed to be related to winter driving and salted roads. If corrision is becoming an issue cleaning won't solve it - bring them back to you dealer. It's a problem BMW are well aware of!!

 

[takedown8]

Geodoc's right. 108s are well known to have that problem and you should have them replaced before your warranty ends. Maybe wait until closer to the end of your warranty to replace them so that you'll have a new set for as long as possible post-warranty.

 

[pvr]

Looking at the picture of his car, the warranty will have already expired ...

 

[155MPH]

I have never taken the wheels off to clean them, that sounds a bit extreme to me, but I am able to get my wheels completely clean without. If I couldn't perhaps I would consider it.

 

[srhutch]

There are small amounts of corrosion leaking from under the inner piece, hence my wish to take the wheels apart and correct the minor defects. It would also give me chance to clean inside the countersinking where the bolts sit and remove any accumulated brake dust between the 2 surfaces!

Yes I am quite mad, but get a perverse pleasure of doing completely mindless things.

I think I will just experiment - I have 2 spare 108s (F&R) which cost me peanuts on ebay and kept as spares agasint the day I (or my wife) kerbs a wheel. I will each bolt in a 180 degree apart pattern - logging where each bolt is located. I'll also log the torque that has to be applied to free each bolt and then take an average value during re-tightening. If that is successful I will move onto the wheels on the car.

That should nicely blank out Sunday!

Nick

My only comment would be that the torque required to undo the bolt will be greater than that used when tightening. How much different I dont know, but I would hate for the rim to split because the bolts shear. Might just be worth asking a wheel pro.

There is a detailed post on zroadster.net http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12506 which details the repair of a split rim, might be able to find out what torque they set them to.

 

[BMW^Z4]

I wash them every week with meguiars brushes and wax them with Poorboys wheelwax every 2 months and no corrosion at all...
Some 108' have corrosions some of them not. Mines are 2 years old and they still shine ..

 

[srhutch]

Do you wax the insides as well, planning on removing mine in the next month or so to give 3 coats of poorboys wheel wax for winter protection.

 

[Rich R]

12 months in and my 108's are still fine, with Poorboys on every few months * 2 or 3 coats.

I'm thinking of swapping them out for my 17"s over the winter though

 

[ay8306]

After 18,500 miles, I have picked up a few small stone chips on my 108s. No signs of corosion yet, but I feel that it is inevitable :-(

 

[BMW^Z4]

yes, I polish inside and out !!!

 

[Rich R]

av8306 - Why not just touch over the stone chips with a blob of laquer. It only matters to do this on the polished section. You won't see it apart from on really close inspection, but it will help reduce the onset of corrosion.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm on my second set of 108's and one of these has started to bubble on the inside rim :x

 

[20ducks]

For years after the first Z4 was launched these rims were available only to non-USA deliveries. Not too long after they were available stress cracks and corrosion problems became an issue. It appears that those issues have not been corrected.