zero2sixtyZ's 5.5 replacement...
Agreed, on the parking brake handle. Unfortunately, there aren't any options here that I know of. There's no room for a leather boot. But you know, now that I can easily remove the shifter boot, maybe something more supple than the OEM leather would be nice.
Your car looks great, man. Kind of wish you'd brought it to the Spring meet-up.
Your car looks great, man. Kind of wish you'd brought it to the Spring meet-up.
So far this year, I took the car to PA three times, Toronto once, Montreal once, and NY will be twice after this weekend. Enjoying every bit of it, but damn that odometer is climbing.
Update:
- Installed Koni/TCKline rear adjustable struts. Found a good deal from Cali with 10k miles. Stock struts were completely toast. When I do the front set, I will be buying spring perches and adding custom rate Swift 60mm coilover springs all around.
- Deleted Clutch Delay Valve (easiest mod, hated this thing)
- Replaced most fluids with synthetic:
- Motor oil: Shell Rotella T6
- Brake/Clutch fluid: Motul RBF600
- Transmission fluid: Redline D4 ATF
- Rear Differential fluid: Motul Motylgear 75w90
The rest of the fluids went in my buddies 335:
Next up: 12mm rear spacers, window trim, and remaining suspension.
- Installed Koni/TCKline rear adjustable struts. Found a good deal from Cali with 10k miles. Stock struts were completely toast. When I do the front set, I will be buying spring perches and adding custom rate Swift 60mm coilover springs all around.
- Deleted Clutch Delay Valve (easiest mod, hated this thing)
- Replaced most fluids with synthetic:
- Motor oil: Shell Rotella T6
- Brake/Clutch fluid: Motul RBF600
- Transmission fluid: Redline D4 ATF
- Rear Differential fluid: Motul Motylgear 75w90
The rest of the fluids went in my buddies 335:
Next up: 12mm rear spacers, window trim, and remaining suspension.
More wrapping.
Steering wheel trim failure. BMWs have this soft-touch coating that loves to peel off.
Removal.
Sanded and wrapped in 3M 1080 Matte Black.
3M 1080 Brushed Black for the chrome/silverish pieces to match the dash.
All wrapped up.
Reinstalled.
Steering wheel trim failure. BMWs have this soft-touch coating that loves to peel off.
Removal.
Sanded and wrapped in 3M 1080 Matte Black.
3M 1080 Brushed Black for the chrome/silverish pieces to match the dash.
All wrapped up.
Reinstalled.
It was attached with 3 x T20 screws, and then just have to pry it off around the airbag carefully. The steering wheel control harness was not detachable, so the assemblies are removable with two more screws.
I actually bought everything to paint the piece, and felt that it would not come out uniform, especially since I'll be staring at it everyday.
Winter update:
Car is covered in snow right now, but this is what she looked like before the storms hit Boston:
Plans for spring:
- Ordered 3" SS catless downpipes from VRSF on Black Friday. Waiting eagerly to get these in:
- Last talks before ordering these: Fortune Auto Series 500 Coilovers
-- w/ Swift coilover springs 8k/12k, custom valving to match
-- Koyo radial bearing and AMSOIL syn. shock fluid upgrades.
- Whiteline rear subframe bushing inserts
- Manzo rear toe arms
- Powerflex poly rear upper strut mounts
- OEM M3 rear camber links
I'm going with the 335 setup in the front, and the M3 setup in the rear to match with OEM M3 camber links. This should reduce the deflection designed to work with the factory runflats. They will take a month or so to be built.
Car is covered in snow right now, but this is what she looked like before the storms hit Boston:
Plans for spring:
- Ordered 3" SS catless downpipes from VRSF on Black Friday. Waiting eagerly to get these in:
- Last talks before ordering these: Fortune Auto Series 500 Coilovers
-- w/ Swift coilover springs 8k/12k, custom valving to match
-- Koyo radial bearing and AMSOIL syn. shock fluid upgrades.
- Whiteline rear subframe bushing inserts
- Manzo rear toe arms
- Powerflex poly rear upper strut mounts
- OEM M3 rear camber links
I'm going with the 335 setup in the front, and the M3 setup in the rear to match with OEM M3 camber links. This should reduce the deflection designed to work with the factory runflats. They will take a month or so to be built.
Last edited by zero2sixtyZ; Feb 19, 2015 at 09:51 AM.
The subframe bushings and lower strut mount bushings are much softer on the non-M cars. The M3 camber links remove that strut bushing, and have a direct connection to the strut, while being lighter and having less flex.
LOL
Typical February, eh? A pile of parts collecting in the corner, waiting for Spring. Me too, buddy.
While we're getting hit harder than normal this winter, I don't envy the BS you're going through there in Boston.
Typical February, eh? A pile of parts collecting in the corner, waiting for Spring. Me too, buddy.
While we're getting hit harder than normal this winter, I don't envy the BS you're going through there in Boston.
This weather is absolute BS. I haven't seen my car in a month. It's still covered.
What wheels are you looking at?
Those look like they could be OEM. Why such a gentle stagger?
$300 and 21 pounds, give or take on both. Seems reasonable. What is it about those wheels that got your attention? They seem kind of... average. Not bad, mind you, just a common design is all. Is Apex a go-to rim in BMW circles?
$300 and 21 pounds, give or take on both. Seems reasonable. What is it about those wheels that got your attention? They seem kind of... average. Not bad, mind you, just a common design is all. Is Apex a go-to rim in BMW circles?
Those look like they could be OEM. Why such a gentle stagger?
$300 and 21 pounds, give or take on both. Seems reasonable. What is it about those wheels that got your attention? They seem kind of... average. Not bad, mind you, just a common design is all. Is Apex a go-to rim in BMW circles?
$300 and 21 pounds, give or take on both. Seems reasonable. What is it about those wheels that got your attention? They seem kind of... average. Not bad, mind you, just a common design is all. Is Apex a go-to rim in BMW circles?
It's along the lines of why I went with the Z33 tracks on the Maxima.. OEM+ look, lightweight, concave, and strong. Will look good with some beefy sidewalls.
They have been racing scene proven, and as much as I don't like replicas, they are modeled off of the BBS GT4 RE which are perfect IMO.
Ideally, I'd like to go with some simple, concave TE37s but the suspension is taking a good amount of the budget.
That wheel looks very heavy. My goal is to reduce the unsprung weight. Going from the stock 5.5 17s to the Z33 tracks was night and day. Transforms the car completely. I want to do the same by saving weight in the suspension and wheels. The OEM wheels I have are close to 30lbs each.
Not a fan of the spokes coming out to the edge to be honest. They look closer to the Apex PS7, which is more of a BMW CSL rep.
Despite being higher quality flow-formed cast as well, I prefer the Apex fitments and the ability to use BMW center caps.
Despite being higher quality flow-formed cast as well, I prefer the Apex fitments and the ability to use BMW center caps.
EC-7 Features & Benefits
Thirteen unique 18" fitments
Avoids the necessity to adapt a single face profile, offset, and width that is dependant on spacers
Maximize wheel/tire width with model-specific fitments
Minimizes the requirement for spacers to achieve a perfect fit
Spoke design and barrel work together to create additional brake clearance
Properly clears a Brembo 380mm Big Brake Kit for intended applications
Lipless design
Maximizes strength in the most vulnerable area of the wheel
Greatly reduces bends and damage from small impacts
APEX EC-7 wheels are JWL tested and VIA certified
Each size and fitment is tested and certified
Factory Fit
Designed for BMW applications, the EC-7 accepts TPMS sensors, factory lug bolts or stud conversion kits, and OEM roundel center caps
All wheels come with APEX center caps.
Lug recesses are unpainted
Lug recesses are never painted, preventing wheel bolts or lug nuts from loosening
Mounting wheel's does not damage the wheel's finish
- See more at: http://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-pr...l.html#details
Thirteen unique 18" fitments
Avoids the necessity to adapt a single face profile, offset, and width that is dependant on spacers
Maximize wheel/tire width with model-specific fitments
Minimizes the requirement for spacers to achieve a perfect fit
Spoke design and barrel work together to create additional brake clearance
Properly clears a Brembo 380mm Big Brake Kit for intended applications
Lipless design
Maximizes strength in the most vulnerable area of the wheel
Greatly reduces bends and damage from small impacts
APEX EC-7 wheels are JWL tested and VIA certified
Each size and fitment is tested and certified
Factory Fit
Designed for BMW applications, the EC-7 accepts TPMS sensors, factory lug bolts or stud conversion kits, and OEM roundel center caps
All wheels come with APEX center caps.
Lug recesses are unpainted
Lug recesses are never painted, preventing wheel bolts or lug nuts from loosening
Mounting wheel's does not damage the wheel's finish
- See more at: http://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-pr...l.html#details
Man, those two rims are so-o-o similar. I knew I'd seen that design before.
I kinda staggered in here not knowing what is going on but why not look at some Forgestars? Almost as strong as the volks, look better and are cheaper. Also the SSR SP3 really fit the E90/2.
^^^
Hahaha! That's freaking hilarious.
Zero, you need a set of Roys, in gloss white no less. And those optional bolt patterns... those are speed holes, baby.
And I'm with Crusher on this, the Forgestar F14 is a very attractive design, reasonably priced, with all kinds of offsets, and almost stupidly lightweight. It looks particularly tasty in gunmetal.
IDK about the center cap and BMW. You'd be wanting another center cap anyway. This looks like two seahorses humping a sofa.
Hahaha! That's freaking hilarious.
Zero, you need a set of Roys, in gloss white no less. And those optional bolt patterns... those are speed holes, baby.
And I'm with Crusher on this, the Forgestar F14 is a very attractive design, reasonably priced, with all kinds of offsets, and almost stupidly lightweight. It looks particularly tasty in gunmetal.
IDK about the center cap and BMW. You'd be wanting another center cap anyway. This looks like two seahorses humping a sofa.
Last edited by Rochester; Feb 20, 2015 at 07:25 AM.
From what I understand, the standard TE37s like you posted are not available anymore.
However, the SLs are lighter and stronger. I do like the F14 SDCs but they are fairly common. Completely forgot about the SSR SP3s, which are really nice, but I'd lean towards the TE37s at that price point.
^^^
Too spindly, IMO. However, very attractive on that black sedan.
The Forgestar F14 was high on my list last year. But the Vossen CVT crawled into my brain and stayed there. I had to have it.
Honestly Zero, that's what you should do: get the rims that you absolutely have to have. The ones that you feel in your gut are the right wheels. Then in two or three years, do it all over again with something else, LOL.
I'm still laughing about the ROYS... OMG.
Too spindly, IMO. However, very attractive on that black sedan.
The Forgestar F14 was high on my list last year. But the Vossen CVT crawled into my brain and stayed there. I had to have it.
Honestly Zero, that's what you should do: get the rims that you absolutely have to have. The ones that you feel in your gut are the right wheels. Then in two or three years, do it all over again with something else, LOL.
I'm still laughing about the ROYS... OMG.
He must be running adapters. No 5x120 sizes per Rays website.
I absolutely love how those look in silver. Sigh.
Edit: The Euro bolt pattern version is called the G07FXX: https://www.rayswheels.co.jp/product...a&wheel=G07FXX
I absolutely love how those look in silver. Sigh.
Edit: The Euro bolt pattern version is called the G07FXX: https://www.rayswheels.co.jp/product...a&wheel=G07FXX
Last edited by zero2sixtyZ; Feb 20, 2015 at 08:06 AM.
