16" BBS Ra's on my 1986 635CSI

[phactory1]

H all, I finally got around to installing the BBS RA's that I purchased over the winter. They are 16" x 7.5" and have 225/50-16 tires on them. Except for needing extra long lug bolts they went right on!

I had a hell of a time getting my old wheels off as whoever put them on, obviously used an air gun set to MAX TORQUE! I broke a socket, an extension and an adapter, getting one bolt off.

I was lucky I was in my driveway and not by the side of the road!

I also took the time to bleed the brakes and get nice fresh fluid in there!

Now all the wheels are on and torqued correctly! The car definitely goes down the road better!

Will re-torque tonight and re-check the tire pressure and I'll be good to go!

Also took the opportunity to test fit the Coupe King Alpina Replica's while I was there. The rim comes very close to the suspension tube on the front. Wonder how it will fit with a tire on there? They are 16 x 8's.

Cheers, Phil

[GripGreg]

Phil;
My mechanic torqued Buster's wheels at 65 ftlbs. I think that's where they are suppose to be?
Well, while trying to remove a wheel with a standard i/2"
ratchet it wouldn't budge! Even when I stood on it!
I took Buster back to the mechanic & talked him into going to ten lbs less.
It came off when I got home & no issues since..
Just some info,,,,Greg

[hornhospital]

I can't find the specs (the shop manual says "see specifications", but I can't find them), but I am 99% sure that 65 ft/lbs is too low. I seem to recall 91 ft/lbs....

If your lugs were actually at 65 ft/lbs and you couldn't break them loose by standing on the ratchet handle, maybe you need to gain some weight.


Use the OEM lug wrench and you'll have no problem getting them off or tightening them.

[Brucey]

FWIW 65 ftlbs isn't enough in many cases, or at least it isn't enough to be 100% reliable.

In cases where a new disc is fitted I'd normally put a smear of anti-seize on the disc mounting. Similarly the wheel might have paint where the bolts seat. In addition if the wheel is not a perfect fit on the spigot, some movement may occur.

I have found that any of these things can cause the wheel bolts to settle over the first few hundred miles. If I torque to around 65 ftlbs in these situations then the bolts are often loose a week later.

If you are working in a repair shop, what do you do...? Well I guess you might give them a bit more torque, 'just to be sure'. I don't trust other people's torque wrenches especially... I know how easily they can go out of calibration.

If you torque to 65 ftlbs and your wheel bolts stay tight, fine, but don't assume that they will do without checking.

BTW I think that 65 ftlbs is correct (from memory) and that 91 is correct too... but 91 is 91 Nm, not 91 ftlbs, perhaps...?

cheers

[phactory1]

I torqued them to 90 foot pounds. I'm guessing that they were torqued at well over 120 pounds, I'm guessing with an air gun. Much better now! And yes I got them off with my factory lug wrench by standing on it!

Cheers, Phil

[GripGreg]

Thanx for correcting me guys. Obviously I was wrong about
the torque.

[hornhospital]

Bavauto's website says 75 ft/lb for the E24/28. The E12, and presumably the E12-based E24s are specced at 65 ft.lb. In about 2011 BMW changed their recommendations for lug torque to 90 ft/lbs.

[sansouci]

+1 on aluminum anti seize lube on the hubs and studs.

[Brucey]

Bavauto's website says 75 ft/lb for the E24/28.....

so it does....

http://blog.bavauto.com/2400/bmw-wheel- ... ng-torque/

and it lists higher torque values for later models.... but does this mean it is safe to use 90 ftlbs on E24?

the rationale for recent BMWs appears to be that

M12 x 1.25 bolts are 120NM. (~90 ftlbs)
M14 x 1.25 bolts are 140NM. (~105 ftlbs)

-with clean and dry screw threads...

but I do not think that these recommendations are meant to be retrospective...?

cheers