Rear spacer vibration

[Eurogreek]

Just installed rear 20mm spacers on my 19”m wheels. I have a 2018 35i. I only put on rear spacer to help out with the wheels looking flush. Looks great but now I feel a good vibration when going over 55. I took the X to my local discount tire and other than your minimal adjustment, everything looked fine. Can only adding spacers to the rear wheels cause this? Never had that problem before putting on the rear spacers. Now I honestly could care less about the look so I can get back to the feel it was before. I guess going to a staggered 20” wheel/tire set in the spring is my only option.

Any advise would be great.

[scotty339]

Hub mating surfaces clean?
Hub bore diam correct?
Properly torqued?
New longer lug bolts installed?

Where is the vibration, in the wheel or more so in the chassis/rear end?

You took it to Discount Tire.... these "minimal adjustments".... were they after you had the spacers put on and you had a problem? Or did they install the spacers for you?

[Eurogreek]

Hub was clean and diam is correct. It was torqued correct with longer bolts. The vibrations is more on the rear end and not so much on the steering wheel. I feel the vibration after installing the spacers.

I had them installed at a local shop that I have been going to for years. Discount did not install the spacers.

I purchased the ECS brand from ECS tuning.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Hub was clean and diam is correct. It was torqued correct with longer bolts. The vibrations is more on the rear end and not so much on the steering wheel. I feel the vibration after installing the spacers.

I had them installed at a local shop that I have been going to for years. Discount did not install the spacers.

I purchased the ECS brand from ECS tuning.

About a year or so ago, another member got a set from ECS, and they sent him the wrong spacers, which caused vibrations. (ECS admitted the mistake and took care of customer)

I'd double check that these are a snug fit, and indeed the correct size.
It doesn't take much to cause vibrations.
Even if the ones you have now seem snug, if they are off by just 1/32", at higher speeds, you will feel it.
I used ECS branded spacers for years, never had an issue, but with the X5 I switched to H&R. I don't have any proof, but the H&R spacers just seemed to have a bit tighter tolerance.

I'd say take them off, test drive without them. if no issue, reinstall them, but first check for any sideways play against the hub, and check part#'s. Make sure ECS sent you the correct size.
If correct size and still vibrations at 55, ask to send them back.. Then try a set of H&R spacers instead. If they don't have them, try to order from someone like our forum member Ben (r33_RGSport) who reps H&R..

[Qsilver7]

Are the spacers you purchased hubcentric?

[Eurogreek]

Not sure what hub centric means but I did verify with ECS if it would work on my X.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Not sure what hub centric means but I did verify with ECS if it would work on my X.

A hub centric spacer is designed to fit directly on your vehicles wheel hub (which centers the wheel)...then also has a hub on the side the wheel gets mounted to...which also center’s the wheel. This hub centric fitment facilitates having the wheels perfectly centered on the hub (see the two pics below)

The spacers/adapters below are “lug” centric and aren’t designed to fit squarely on the hub but by the lugs. Since BMW uses a hub centric set up...if you have lug centric spacers...the wheels may not be perfectly centered which could be causing the vibration:

‘

[Eurogreek]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

A hub centric spacer is designed to fit directly on your vehicles wheel hub (which centers the wheel)...then also has a hub on the side the wheel gets mounted to...which also center’s the wheel. This hub centric fitment facilitates having the wheels perfectly centered on the hub (see the two pics below)

The spacers/adapters below are “lug” centric and aren’t designed to fit squarely on the hub but by the lugs. Since BMW uses a hub centric set up...if you have lug centric spacers...the wheels may not be perfectly centered which could be causing the vibration:

‘

Just looked up my order and they are hub centric. Weird! I guess I need to start looking for a staggered setup for spring and remove the spacers. Not sure if ECS Tuning will even do anything. All good I guess. Different scenarios for everyone. Not blaming ECS.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Just looked up my order and they are hub centric. Weird! I guess I need to start looking for a staggered setup for spring and remove the spacers. Not sure if ECS Tuning will even do anything. All good I guess. Different scenarios for everyone. Not blaming ECS.

A lot of us run spacers without an issue. I have H&R on all 4 wheels, and I have no vibration issues at 75mph, (or occasionally higher...)
I would reach out to Ben, get a set of H&R, and see if you still have problems.
Maybe something got screwed up when they made the spacers, and you got a bad one?

[Eurogreek]

Is Ben at ESC? Do you have a number if possible? Do you think that the H&R brand is better than the ECS Brand as far as material goes? Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I just talked to Nathan at ECS and he is sending me an adapter (O Ring basically) to add to the spacer. Not sure why they didn’t include it originally. I will let you know after installing.

[RED_Y_]

No Ben is not part of ECS, but he is a trusted vendor here who helped many people before to get great parts and retrofits. r33_RGSport

[Eurogreek]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

No Ben is not part of ECS, but he is a trusted vendor here who helped many people before to get great parts and retrofits. r33_RGSport

Thanks

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Is Ben at ESC? Do you have a number if possible? Do you think that the H&R brand is better than the ECS Brand as far as material goes? Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I just talked to Nathan at ECS and he is sending me an adapter (O Ring basically) to add to the spacer. Not sure why they didn’t include it originally. I will let you know after installing.

He(Nathan) is sending you a hubcentric ring.
They should have sold you a correctly made spacer instead.

H&R are not generic pieces that will require any extra parts to fit, they are made for the application.
Situations like this is why I recommend contacting Ben...
https://www.rgsportshop.com/

[Eurogreek]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

He(Nathan) is sending you a hubcentric ring.
They should have sold you a correctly made spacer instead.

H&R are not generic pieces that will require any extra parts to fit, they are made for the application.
Situations like this is why I recommend contacting Ben...
https://www.rgsportshop.com/

Live and learn. Now I know who to ask. They won’t return the part now so H&R will be my next set if I go that direction again. Should I be worried about adding the hub centric rings or do you recommend taking off the spacers completely?

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Live and learn. Now I know who to ask. They won’t return the part now so H&R will be my next set if I go that direction again. Should I be worried about adding the hub centric rings or do you recommend taking off the spacers completely?

Since you already have the spacers, ECS won't take them back despite not selling you the correct ones, I would give the hubcentric rings a try, what is there to lose?

Just so you know; Some wheel manufacturers makes generic bore wheels, and then you add hubcentric rings that matches your vehicle hub/bore. It's been done like that for many years. (Higher end wheels will be made with direct fit, no need for rings)

So if the spacers indeed are wrong bore size, and the rings will make them the correct size, you should have no problems.
But it adds an extra step, if you want to take the spacers off, and the rings are still on the hub.

[Eurogreek]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

Since you already have the spacers, ECS won't take them back despite not selling you the correct ones, I would give the hubcentric rings a try, what is there to lose?

Just so you know; Some wheel manufacturers makes generic bore wheels, and then you add hubcentric rings that matches your vehicle hub/bore. It's been done like that for many years. (Higher end wheels will be made with direct fit, no need for rings)

So if the spacers indeed are wrong bore size, and the rings will make them the correct size, you should have no problems.
But it adds an extra step, if you want to take the spacers off, and the rings are still on the hub.

Thanks!

[wearenh]

.



ECS Hubcentric Ring Page LINK


Whenever I have purchased spacers they have always been direct fit without hubcentric rings... but I'm not surprised ECS took the cost saving measure to make their spacers use them.

Whenever I have purchased aftermarket wheels (for winter setups for example) they have always required hubcentric rings, and they've always worked fine.

It seems like the problem is that ECS sold you the spacers that needed the rings, but forgot to include them in the package. That's their screwup, and if you had any damages or costs as a result, they should reimburse you.


.

[Eurogreek]

Ended up putting the hub centric rings in a no vibration. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Eurogreek

Ended up putting the hub centric rings in a no vibration. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Thanks for the update...and glad that you found the fix. The spacers they sold you weren’t hubcentric (or at least not the correct 74.1mm spec)...so the rings they sent you brought them into spec which got rid of the vibration.

Which side required the rings...the side between the adapter & the vehicles wheel hub...or did the rings go between the wheel’s center bore & the adapter?

[Eurogreek]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Thanks for the update...and glad that you found the fix. The spacers they sold you weren’t hubcentric (or at least not the correct 74.1mm spec)...so the rings they sent you brought them into spec which got rid of the vibration.

Which side required the rings...the side between the adapter & the vehicles wheel hub...or did the rings go between the wheel’s center bore & the adapter?

Honestly I have no idea. Just gave them to the guys that installed them and I was good to go! I just went today just to check the bolts and it was all good.

[Qsilver7]