skier219 wrote

Absolutely use anti-seize, and doesn't need to be a lot. Aluminum and steel will not play nice together over the long haul. Even if you can get the spacers off, you'll end up with corrosion on both parts that can affect the fit. It's especially sensitive around the center hub lip where the fit is critical to avoid balance issues.

After posting about torque wrenches last night I realized I should have given a recommendation. Amazon sells Tekton brand torque wrenches that are very good quality/accuracy and reasonable cost. For automotive use on wheel lugs, an 18" is the best bet, and these generally cover up to about 150 ft-lb:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5ZL0RU/

That size will give plenty of leverage but not be too long (length can be a problem if you can't rotate it around without hitting fender/ground/etc). I'd suggest also getting a short 1/2" extension for the socket and/or use a deep socket (which should be hardened if possible). You always want to get the wrench out away from the wheels and fenders. Seen too many knuckleheads whack their fenders because they didn't have an extension.

For large trucks and tractors you can move up to a 24-26" model that will go up to 250 ft-lb. These are generally too unwieldy for cars, plus you are giving up accuracy to go to the higher rating:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5ZL1NS/

Bmock17 wrote

Thanks for the recommendation. I actually found a shop near my office that installed them for $40.

SROC3 wrote

Bmock17 wrote

Thanks for the recommendation. I actually found a shop near my office that installed them for $40.

PICS?

Bmock17 wrote

My car is filthy. The weather in Chicago is brutal right now. As soon as I can wash it I will start my build thread. I bought the car about a month ago and have a bunch of Ind goodies installed along with the spacers and tinted the two front windows.

SROC3 wrote

Bmock17 wrote

My car is filthy. The weather in Chicago is brutal right now. As soon as I can wash it I will start my build thread. I bought the car about a month ago and have a bunch of Ind goodies installed along with the spacers and tinted the two front windows.

Did you match the tint on the rears? What did you do? - 30%

Bmock17 wrote

Yep, exactly. It looks good. Not too dark. I think it looks great with the glacier silver.

SROC3 wrote

Bmock17 wrote

Yep, exactly. It looks good. Not too dark. I think it looks great with the glacier silver.

Agreed. too black makes it hard to see outside at night. Plus it also does not look too good with silver

DroneandDone wrote

This is probably a stupid question but does having spacers affect anything to do with the adaptive suspension on an M40i? Also, can I do this if I have 21" wheels?

Lotus99 wrote

r33_RGSport I'm in the market for spacers for front and rear too. Just PM'd you.

First of all, do you have pics of your spacers you can post up? Would be nice to see them, especially the backs, if there are cutouts for removing them.

My X3 doesn't see a ton of salt in the winter, like the people in the east, but it does see some on the weekends when we drive up the mountains to go skiing.

I had a set of RENN Motorsport and VRSF spacers on my 2014 X3, and both had cutouts on the back. Despite using anti-seize grease on the hub lip, they'd still get stuck sometimes, so it was definitely handy.

The part that I wasn't very happy with were the bolts though, which I can't recall who I purchased them from. Almost all of them are showing rust on the heads after a few winters. Luckily not the shafts, so it was cosmetic and did not make it more difficult to remove the bolts.

But I would like to know if you've got customers that have been using your spacers and bolts in areas where the cars see salt in the winter, and how they've fared?
.

arciga18

r33_RGSport wrote

Hey, just replied to your PM.
I only carry H&R brand on the spacers.
It doesn't have the cut-out.

Maybe arciga18 can give you better answer on the H&R spacer that he bought from me.
He lives in Chicago. So gotta see some salt.

Lotus99 wrote

r33_RGSport wrote

Hey, just replied to your PM.
I only carry H&R brand on the spacers.
It doesn't have the cut-out.

Maybe arciga18 can give you better answer on the H&R spacer that he bought from me.
He lives in Chicago. So gotta see some salt.

Thx. I had a pair of them in the past, and they are great quality for sure. Still running them on my other BMW after 10 years! That car doesn't see as much salt as the X3, but still, they haven't gotten stuck on my hubs, come to think of it, so perhaps the metal quality matters too...

Even though they don't have a slot in the back, did you still give me a quote on them? If not, please do so. And I'm hoping you carry black bolts?

Lotus99 wrote

r33_RGSport wrote

Hey, just replied to your PM.
I only carry H&R brand on the spacers.
It doesn't have the cut-out.

Maybe arciga18 can give you better answer on the H&R spacer that he bought from me.
He lives in Chicago. So gotta see some salt.

Thx. I had a pair of them in the past, and they are great quality for sure. Still running them on my other BMW after 10 years! That car doesn't see as much salt as the X3, but still, they haven't gotten stuck on my hubs, come to think of it, so perhaps the metal quality matters too...

Even though they don't have a slot in the back, did you still give me a quote on them? If not, please do so. And I'm hoping you carry black bolts?