What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter Buckz
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North West Surrey
Looks great but would they possibly blind oncoming traffic?Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
What was the projector upgrade you did? Lense turned out very good.
Thanks man! Afterwards I noticed one or two spots that could use extra compound so I’ll finish the rest later in week. Goal is to get it crystal clear before I apply PPF to the front end in a few weeks.
Few weeks back I swapped out the tired OEM Hella xenon projectors with a set of aftermarket ones but it’s 99.9% PnP and requires no cutting/baking of the housings. Projectors can be pulled directly out from the back much like a bulb swap but with few extra steps. But the difference is clarity and output are quite significant.
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2004063&sid=6b03da2d785e2e7a286c6a5eee8a798f#p2004063
Backroads never looked so clear
3002 tii
Active member
Mr_E85Bim said:Looks great but would they possibly blind oncoming traffic?Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
What was the projector upgrade you did? Lense turned out very good.
Thanks man! Afterwards I noticed one or two spots that could use extra compound so I’ll finish the rest later in week. Goal is to get it crystal clear before I apply PPF to the front end in a few weeks.
Few weeks back I swapped out the tired OEM Hella xenon projectors with a set of aftermarket ones but it’s 99.9% PnP and requires no cutting/baking of the housings. Projectors can be pulled directly out from the back much like a bulb swap but with few extra steps. But the difference is clarity and output are quite significant.
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2004063&sid=6b03da2d785e2e7a286c6a5eee8a798f#p2004063
Backroads never looked so clear
Nope, just aim then similarly as the stock projectors.
That's a neat way to blackout the roof! Protection, plus you can remove it later if you want.Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
Super bright! We have a lot of deer here, so the brighter the better. Looks like a great mod. So PPF on headlights and front end. Definitely needed when tracking a car. Will you be installing any type of PPF on the windshield?
What brand of PPF will you go with? Will you have a shop install it or will you install it yourself? Was looking at XPEL and it looks like they have patterns precut plus windshield protection.
I don’t have steady enough hands (or patience) to do PPF other than simple headlight film kits, so I will be going to someone who I’ve used in the past for other similar applications.
Nothing on windshield. Suntek brand, full front (bumper, hood, headlights) and blacked out roof. Here are pics of my first coupe from 10 years ago when I first blacked out the roof then.
IMG_20130703_134313.jpeg
IMG_20130703_142823.jpeg
IMG_20130703_154940.jpeg
Will check out the Suntek brand. I keep wanting to do some of the 3M ceramic window tint, but I can't buy it directly...only dealers.Looks like a good project to do! I have 2 receipts from the previous owner have the OEM headlight replaced. If I lose one that would be a good time to do this project.Mr_E85Bim said:Looks great but would they possibly blind oncoming traffic?Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
What was the projector upgrade you did? Lense turned out very good.
Thanks man! Afterwards I noticed one or two spots that could use extra compound so I’ll finish the rest later in week. Goal is to get it crystal clear before I apply PPF to the front end in a few weeks.
Few weeks back I swapped out the tired OEM Hella xenon projectors with a set of aftermarket ones but it’s 99.9% PnP and requires no cutting/baking of the housings. Projectors can be pulled directly out from the back much like a bulb swap but with few extra steps. But the difference is clarity and output are quite significant.
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2004063&sid=6b03da2d785e2e7a286c6a5eee8a798f#p2004063
Backroads never looked so clear
Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
Just curious, do your front tires ever rub the fender interliners on your vert? It looks great lowered though!
lol yes in that picture it did, but that was literally the day I threw on the calipers so I didn’t know what to expect. Doesn’t help that style 32 are very sunken in, offering no spoke clearance whatsoever so I had to slap on a giant 20mm spacer. But once I got home, I raised the fronts slightly, removed spaced and swapped over to my square set of 224s (18x9 et30), are what I used at Watkins.
7894F01A-35A7-49C5-8CD4-D9A32917AF17.jpeg
For my coupe I have no doubt they will fit as I’m running staggered 19s off the F80 M which have rather low offsets. Without spacers they already sit flush, and the calipers should fill out the wheels nicely. FWIW I plan to keep the factory suspension and ride height on this car.
FullSizeRender.jpeg
Red and yellow… going for the McDonalds theme lmao.
That certainly is a big picture of my dirty rim. I currently have 12mm spacers and it appears to just be touching the inside of the rim at the closes point. A 15mm spacer would probably clear it, but would be pretty darn close. Not that it matters at this point, but wasn't readily finding the ET on the backside of the rim, apparently I don't know what to look for on these rims.
Any wisdom on best fix for this or recommended places to purchase a quality spacer. I saw 12mm, 15 and 20. Either the caliper would need to move further away from the axle center point or the rim would need to move further out with a larger spacer.
Attachments
I'm reading 2mm-3mm of clearance is enough, so I think I'll try the 15mm spacer, which will give me ~2mm-3mm of clearance over the current 12mm spacer. :scratchhead: I know some of my other cars I have big brake kits on them and it's super close, you really have to be careful removing or installing the rims... Amazon had some spacers that are rated well with a 2 yr warranty and I can get it tomorrow! :wink:
3002 tii
Active member
You want at least 2mm clearance - not because there’s flex but in case a pebble gets picked up.
A lot of good options out there. On the lower end, can’t go wrong with Apex. Comes in different finishes, has notches for easy removal and fairly light. On the high end you have Future Classic - I didn’t believe the hype but after owning a set, NGL they’re really nice lol. Personally, brands I’d avoid are Macht Schnell (really tight tolerances, anything ECS brand (shitty quality) or H&R (old school design extremely overpriced).
In terms is sizing, don’t go too wide. Not only is it extra weight but you open another can of worms if you go too wide and start rubbing fender side. Ideally you have the right offset wheel, but if spacer is unavoidable, go with the min size you can get away and get appropriate extended lug nuts.
When installing, I always use a wire brush to remove any rust/corrosion off the hubs. Then wipe down with brake cleaner and apply some lithium grease on the lips to prevent spacers from seizing.
A lot of good options out there. On the lower end, can’t go wrong with Apex. Comes in different finishes, has notches for easy removal and fairly light. On the high end you have Future Classic - I didn’t believe the hype but after owning a set, NGL they’re really nice lol. Personally, brands I’d avoid are Macht Schnell (really tight tolerances, anything ECS brand (shitty quality) or H&R (old school design extremely overpriced).
In terms is sizing, don’t go too wide. Not only is it extra weight but you open another can of worms if you go too wide and start rubbing fender side. Ideally you have the right offset wheel, but if spacer is unavoidable, go with the min size you can get away and get appropriate extended lug nuts.
When installing, I always use a wire brush to remove any rust/corrosion off the hubs. Then wipe down with brake cleaner and apply some lithium grease on the lips to prevent spacers from seizing.
ECS was quite expensive comparatively speaking, so good to know on quality lacking. I think I should be in the ballpark with sizing then. Thanks for the good feedback Dubbedown!Dubbedown said:
P.S. looks like you've done at least 8 different road course tracks, or at least that's the number of track emblems you applied from track events. I haven't been to any tracks outside of Texas, but there are 5 tracks I've frequented in my area. :cheers:
[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
I got my 15mm wheel spacers, but I only have .762mm of clearance between the caliper and rim. I have taken any slack out of the bracket to maximize space, if that helps at all. The next size spacer is 20mm, that's big! Either the bracket would have to be milled (which would offset the caliper inward) or I would need a spacer between the caliper and the bracket... Not really liking any of these options. :?
It has been quite a while since I've been to the track and both my brothers have been waiting on me.
I got my 15mm wheel spacers, but I only have .762mm of clearance between the caliper and rim. I have taken any slack out of the bracket to maximize space, if that helps at all. The next size spacer is 20mm, that's big! Either the bracket would have to be milled (which would offset the caliper inward) or I would need a spacer between the caliper and the bracket... Not really liking any of these options.
:? It has been quite a while since I've been to the track and both my brothers have been waiting on me.
3002 tii
Active member
3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
I got my 15mm wheel spacers, but I only have .762mm of clearance between the caliper and rim. I have taken any slack out of the bracket to maximize space, if that helps at all. The next size spacer is 20mm, that's big! Either the bracket would have to be milled (which would offset the caliper inward) or I would need a spacer between the caliper and the bracket... Not really liking any of these options.
It has been quite a while since I've been to the track and both my brothers have been waiting on me.
Doesn’t make sense you need spacers that thick. 12-15mm should be just right for CSL wheels. Are those reps? I’d go with 18mm… even with 15 aren’t you getting close to rubbing?
Here's the wheel information. I'm not sure why this is not working for me, since others seem to not have a problem with this setup from FreakyParts. I haven't seen 18mm spacers, so far. If the brackets were machine to push the caliper a bit further from the rotor, that would likely fix the issue. I haven't installed pads, so I'm not sure how close pads are to the rotor edge.Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
I got my 15mm wheel spacers, but I only have .762mm of clearance between the caliper and rim. I have taken any slack out of the bracket to maximize space, if that helps at all. The next size spacer is 20mm, that's big! Either the bracket would have to be milled (which would offset the caliper inward) or I would need a spacer between the caliper and the bracket... Not really liking any of these options.
It has been quite a while since I've been to the track and both my brothers have been waiting on me.
Doesn’t make sense you need spacers that thick. 12-15mm should be just right for CSL wheels. Are those reps? I’d go with 18mm… even with 15 aren’t you getting close to rubbing?
3002 tii
Active member
3gGT01 said:Here's the wheel information. I'm not sure why this is not working for me, since others seem to not have a problem with this setup from FreakyParts. I haven't seen 18mm spacers, so far. If the brackets were machine to push the caliper a bit further from the rotor, that would likely fix the issue. I haven't installed pads, so I'm not sure how close pads are to the rotor edge.Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:[ref]Dubbedown[/ref],
I got my 15mm wheel spacers, but I only have .762mm of clearance between the caliper and rim. I have taken any slack out of the bracket to maximize space, if that helps at all. The next size spacer is 20mm, that's big! Either the bracket would have to be milled (which would offset the caliper inward) or I would need a spacer between the caliper and the bracket... Not really liking any of these options.
It has been quite a while since I've been to the track and both my brothers have been waiting on me.
Doesn’t make sense you need spacers that thick. 12-15mm should be just right for CSL wheels. Are those reps? I’d go with 18mm… even with 15 aren’t you getting close to rubbing?
IMG_1533 Small.jpeg
Ahh… those are ZCP fronts, which have more conservative width/offset compared to CSL. With 47mm, you’re basically running a 32 after spacer so that fitment sounds right. For an 8” width I think max offset is 30mm. FYI CSL are 8.5 et44 so that’s the 3mm difference we’re talking about.
20 obviously gives you healthy margin but here’s link to 18’s just in case. I don’t think you should mess with the bracket since caliper is centered with rotor. I can’t imagine the width / offset or your bracket is any different than the RR kit I purchased, other than maybe weight.
https://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-18mm-bmw-spacer-kit-6610.html
Yeah, I agree Dubbedown, moving the caliper inward would be an issue when installing pads since the space would not be equal anymore.Dubbedown said:3gGT01 said:Here's the wheel information. I'm not sure why this is not working for me, since others seem to not have a problem with this setup from FreakyParts. I haven't seen 18mm spacers, so far. If the brackets were machine to push the caliper a bit further from the rotor, that would likely fix the issue. I haven't installed pads, so I'm not sure how close pads are to the rotor edge.Dubbedown said:
IMG_1533 Small.jpeg
Ahh… those are ZCP fronts, which have more conservative width/offset compared to CSL. With 47mm, you’re basically running a 32 after spacer so that fitment sounds right. For an 8” width I think max offset is 30mm. FYI CSL are 8.5 et44 so that’s the 3mm difference we’re talking about.
20 obviously gives you healthy margin but here’s link to 18’s just in case. I don’t think you should mess with the bracket since caliper is centered with rotor. I can’t imagine the width / offset or your bracket is any different than the RR kit I purchased, other than maybe weight.
https://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-18mm-bmw-spacer-kit-6610.html
So glad you were able to identify these as ZCP rims and that being the difference. I did notice that these rims were 8" and not 8.5" width. Since these are ZCP's and 18mm spacer should still give me tire clearance, right? As opposed to 18mm on a CSL wheel would be pushed out further.
Really appreciate you taking the time to identify the issue Dubbedown! :happyclap: :cheers:
