Tires too large for quarter panel!!! - BMW Forum

Dathaeus · 09-10-2008, 01:23 AM

Ok, I know I can just get smaller tires, but I am trying the 17" 245's in the back of my 1997 328i sedan w/sports package. The fronts have 17" 225's. On a regular ride it is fine, but on a hard left turn the right tire sounds like it is brushing against the quarter panel. Now granted, I may make a turn like that just a few times a month, but it is still a very disconcerting sound.

My tire guy made me get an extender or spacer to put in my rear suspension to lift the car up one space in between two coils in the rear suspension. he tried to do it but he couldnt... he isnt the guy who usually does it, and his guy wasnt in that day. Anyways he told me to bring it back and his guy can put it in like in 10 minutes. Since the car will be lifted, it wont brush the panel anymore, he says, and a body guy also said that.

Again I know I can just go back to 225's or whatever, but now the tire is so used, i may have to pay for a whole new set of rears then. So my questions is, anyone else had this type of problem, how did u solve it, and what are the pros and cons of the spacer?

(apologies in advance if any of these assumptions, are umm, "inexperienced")
I would think pros:

- Might stiffen suspension a tad
- Might improve downforce a tad
- Should fix my tire brushing problem

Cons:

- Car will look higher (not sure if noticable)
- May not fix the tire brushing the panel
- May damage the suspension over time
- Needs readjustment every year

Thanks!

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-10-2008, 01:34 AM

Have you had your fenders Rolled yet? Most body shops can roll the fendes pretty easy

...

I would caution you againest using Spacers

Dathaeus · 09-10-2008, 01:39 AM

Hi and thank you... I am not sure what u mean by rolling the fenders but my body guy used a plank and tried to I guess "roll" it up by bracing it against the tire, but he said he cant do more than about a few mm, and said the BMW parts are very stiff and its not the recommended solution.

Why are spacers bad? Any other solutions?

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-10-2008, 01:51 AM

the car normally ends up raked...
A plank??? maybe a baseball bat...
get a better bodyshop....

Dathaeus · 09-10-2008, 07:07 AM

Sorry for my ignorance, I dont really work on cars.... raked? not familiar with that terminology....

dannyb · 09-10-2008, 12:31 PM

it use to rub but i got the car realigned and its all good now

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-10-2008, 03:21 PM

"Raked" means the Back end of the car is alot higher then the front which could be as small as 1/2" but would look like alot more... Go find a Pro bodyshop and ask them if they roll fenders

Dathaeus · 09-10-2008, 08:45 PM

Is the rear end being higher like an inch bad? or does it look that way off? Dont cars usually look sportier like that, with the rear end higher than front? Unless we are talking funny car territory....

Some people say they would never put a spacer in their BMW springs... does it actually hurt it over time? The i wonder who and why even use it ever?

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-11-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dathaeus

Is the rear end being higher like an inch bad? or does it look that way off? Dont cars usually look sportier like that, with the rear end higher than front? Unless we are talking funny car territory....

Some people say they would never put a spacer in their BMW springs... does it actually hurt it over time? The i wonder who and why even use it ever?

It really depends on the body lines of the car... I would not go with spacers on the Springs... Question it is hitting on the inside of outside edges of the tire?

Dathaeus · 09-11-2008, 11:01 PM

I havent seena ny obvious rub marks on the tires yet, only because I dont drive that hard a lot.... I've maybe heard that sound like 3-4 times now at most, and from now I plan on just driving "softly" until I need to replace them, and then I'll just go back to the 225's... doesnt seem like 245's really do a lot more for the car anyways, it was just my greed and obvious ignorance about something i didnt know ignorance could cause damage, ie, i expected the TIRE guy to take care of it, know what i mean? seems like in the end all he cared about was making the sale, even tho he seems like a nice guy. Oh well.

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-12-2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dathaeus

I havent seena ny obvious rub marks on the tires yet, only because I dont drive that hard a lot.... I've maybe heard that sound like 3-4 times now at most, and from now I plan on just driving "softly" until I need to replace them, and then I'll just go back to the 225's... doesnt seem like 245's really do a lot more for the car anyways, it was just my greed and obvious ignorance about something i didnt know ignorance could cause damage, ie, i expected the TIRE guy to take care of it, know what i mean? seems like in the end all he cared about was making the sale, even tho he seems like a nice guy. Oh well.

I'm sorry to hear I've seen tire that wide on these cars Before without rubbing.... Are there and scuff marks inside the wheel well?or on the inside of the tire? It shoulsdent really damage anthing(depending on what it is rubbing on if it hit really hard a couple times the tire could go... but if there is no damage on the tire you should be fine till it is resloved and pictures of the inner wheel well??)

Dathaeus · 09-14-2008, 02:51 PM

I ant see inside the tire much, unless i had a mirror with an extender or a lift... any suggestions? I guess I could place my camera on the ground under the car and do a self timer with flash, should that do it?

I dont see any rub/scuffs on the outer part of the tire, but then again, I've only driven it hard enough to rub about 3-4 times since. I figure I just drive it easy, no hard lefts or on bumpy ground, and just get 225's next time... not sure if 245's right now will give me that much of a noticeable perf increase as opposed to this headache.... more importantly not sure if i wanna keep giving that guy my business after he did this and almost put in the metal spacers. Geez.

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-14-2008, 03:26 PM

^ why not Drop down to 235's?

thekid · 09-14-2008, 03:33 PM

You could go with spring pads instead of spacers. You could do the pads on the front and rear, raising the whole car... a 1/4 of an inch maybe. I think Ireland engineering has some spring pads for fairly cheap. They won't hurt the suspension it will keep the uniform look for the car height. Won't impact handling. Will have a minor impact if any on downforce.

The spring pad goes beneath the springs, is shaped to fit in the mount. All around a better call, unless you can get the fenders rolled. The only potential problem with the pads is that you have to remove the springs, which for the back isn't a big deal, but for the fronts they can charge you a nice bit to do that.

If you are going to replace shocks or anything now would be the time to do it. They'll have to go through all the same labor for the pads.

AlpineSixAndSeven · 09-14-2008, 04:00 PM

^ lol i completely forgot about those!