318i Modification -
Rims and Tires

The previous owner of my 318i was not kind to the car. He must have hit a curb or many potholes because the tie rods were bent up and the rims were out of round. The original front tires has massive flat spots in them. Even after I replaced the front tires, the rims would slowly leak out air because they were not round. I got tired of the vibrations and the associated noises that come along with the vibrations and decided to purchase a new set of rims and tires.

The selection for 4 bolt rims isn't as extensive as it is for 5 bolt rims, but Tire Rack had a decent number of 4 bolt rims available. I wanted a 16" rim because I feel it is the optimum size for the E30. I wanted a set of BBS RX's but the price was a bit too steep at the moment.

I finalized on a set of Borbet Type E 16"x7.5" rims with Kumho Ecsta KH11 205/50/16 tires. Since this is my daily driver, fuel economy and tire life is more important than ultimate grip. I ordered from Tire Rack and the tires were shipped mounted and balanced on the rims. Included at no extra cost was 4 10mm hubcentric spacers, 8 center caps (4 in silver and 4 in black), and 25 longer lug nuts.

The ride different with the new rims and tires is fantastic. The car is so much smoother and quieter. The interior rattles less as a result of the round rims and tires! Grip is improved but I haven't tested how well the new tires grip at this time.

Click on the thumbnails for larger pictures.

	After the UPS man dropped the rims off, all I could do is stack them in the house because it was dark and snowing out!
	These bottlecaps have seen better days.
	Another before shot.
	Here's a side-by-side comparison of the old and the new tires. The rolling diameter of the wheels is approximately 24". The new tires and rims are approximately 2mm larger in diameter than the old 195/65/14s.
	The rims came with a centering cap. This keeps the axle centered in the rim.
	Since I'm using hubcentric spacers, I didn't need the centering cap so I removed them.
	The hubcentric spacer slides into the rim's centerbore. The inner diameter of the spacer is the same size as the stub axle.
	Here is the spacer fit properly.
	First wheel on...
	Spacers used...
	First pictures of the rims on the car with unsettled suspension.
	First pictures of the rims on the car with unsettled suspension.
	Here are some after pictures the next day with the suspension fully settled.
	After...
	After...
	After...
	After...
	After...
Performed:	April 13, 2005

Difficulty:
0 /5

Disclaimer: I am not a professional mechanic. Information this page should be used at your own risk and discretion. Different models and model years may be different than my 1991 318i. Read: If you screw your car up following my instructions, sorry. Isn't it sad that in this sue crazy world you have to put a disclaimer on your web page?