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<misc> Re: non-stock wheels

Jim TenCate asks:
>It seems as if the central hole of the wheels is much too large (2 mm
larger diameter or so?) to mate up snugly with the BMW hubs!
>
>Questions:
>1.  Are such hub centering spacers common and if so, where can I get some
the right size?
>2.  Is #1 a bad idea?  Will I always have trouble with these wheels?
>Even now I'm having trouble balancing them.  Off the car, of course, they're
>fine but once on the car there's sometimes a nasty vibration, sometimes not.

Whenever you buy wheels for your BMW, make SURE they have the correct sized
hole to fit the hub (hub-centric fitting). Some brands of wheels (eg BBS)
come with the correct sized spacer ring fitted by the wheel dealer when
you buy the wheel (ie the hub hole is larger than you need, and a spacer
with the correct diameter hole is fitted to suit your car).

Contact a supplier of the wheels on the car, and see if hub-centric spacers
are available for that model of wheel (expect a "you want a what???"
response). If not, then a _competent_ machine shop should be able to
turn up some metal spacer rings to fit your wheels and hubs.

If you don't do this, you will always have balance problems. Hub rings do 
work OK.

Cheers, Andrew West, BMW Club Queensland, Australia