After months of shopping, waiting and fender rolling (i finally rolled them 2 days ago) I can give everyone a definitive answer on the 18"/9" Rim question.


There is no way in hell you'll get them on (and useable) just rolling the fenders.

I went to finishing touch and had them roll the rears. I was very pleased with them. They did it quickly, and without cracking the paint.

First to go on were the fronts 225/45-18" They JUST fit. The wheel well is fine, but you're down to 1/2" clearance on the strut guard (plastic bugger around the strut & spring)

The rears went on pretty well at first. I had my doubts about clearance, but after getting them on I did a bounce test. Unbelieveably, they passed it. I started the car up, backed it up... no problems ... I accellerated forward very lightly "ruuuub".

shit.

I hear more very light rubbing as I put the car back in the parking space.

I'm really dissapointed. It's such a near thing. Just 1/4 inch more room in the rear fenders and they'd fit perfectly. They look pretty bitchin on the car to.

Now I'm back to my old messed up 18"/8" rears with sh!tty VENUS tires. My car'll be tail happy as all hell with the Mich P/S on the front.

Good news is the e46 rears are fine. I didn't get any rock dings in the parking lot.

I'll be shopping /trading for OE front's I guess.

Did I mention this sucks ass? 600+ "flush....."

Ouch... and you're on stock suspension too aren't you? :az:

What's the offset of the 18's?

That I am. I'm going to go for a trade to OE E46 fronts, go for some 235/40s or /45s when I need to do a replacement on the rear.

I don't like 225 on the rear. There's not enough grip. Traction control kicks in anytime I 'quick shift' to 2nd.

no traction problems here with 225's all the way around :dunno: just gotta learn how to give the clutch some love

add more negative camber to the rear and you should be fine.. try that first before ditching the wheels..

Originally posted by ImageDynamicsM3
no traction problems here with 225's all the way around :dunno: just gotta learn how to give the clutch some love

Fuck lovin' the clutch. I want GRIP. Hammering it in 1st gear even after clutch is engaged can break the rears loose. Granted that I need better tires on the rear, but after doing some mods 225's may not be enough.

I drove a chipped + intake 4 door M3 with Toyo 245/17s on the rear. It was VERY quick. The rears wouldn't break unless I TRIED to get loose. (even hard shifting) That's what I want from my car. After all, why would you want all that power in the flywheel to go to waste?


In other news, 225/45 on front does NOT work on the e36. Straight line is just fine, but hard cornering rubs the tire into the strut guard. 2 hard corners and I have a groove in the tread of my driver's front. It's tiny, but, this really, fukin' sux.

Originally posted by Iniquity
add more negative camber to the rear and you should be fine.. try that first before ditching the wheels..

That would be a LOT of neg, camber. Now I've a new problem, the fronts rub on the shock protector.

I think I'm going to look for some racing hart's or something.

Originally posted by dragonm3
That would be a LOT of neg, camber. Now I've a new problem, the fronts rub on the shock protector.

Spacers?

that would be a sharked+intaked 4 door... no chips for OBDII.

Originally posted by ImageDynamicsM3
that would be a sharked+intaked 4 door... no chips for OBDII.

:rolleyes:

Who sells an eprom for OBDII that the end used intalls themself?

The two 'major' players in the industry are.

1.) Jim C. - shark inj.
2.) AA - send your ecu to them for tuning? (atleast I thought) ???

Don't want to start an argument, but would Like to know... thanks

no offense or anything dragonm3, but many of us new that the rear wheels didn't fit any other car than an E46 M3, as soon as the E46 M3 came out. The offset is just too far off for a regualar bodied car. Anyways, I know you blew some money on this, so I feel bad, but I guess you should just ask the "stealership" sometimes. Anyways, take care. I hope I didn't offend you

Originally posted by ImageDynamicsM3
Who sells an eprom for OBDII that the end used intalls themself?

The two 'major' players in the industry are.

1.) Jim C. - shark inj.
2.) AA - send your ecu to them for tuning? (atleast I thought) ???

Don't want to start an argument, but would Like to know... thanks

only Jim C is done by the user.. well.. Technik is also done by the user... but it's a little different.. Technik sends you a cable and you download the software onto your laptop and install it that way then you send the cable back.. technik is only for e46's though.. but Shark is the only "tool" for software that you get to keep and re-use as often as u'd like..

every other company requires either the car to be brought in or the ecu to be shipped..

Thanks Shane. That's what I thought.

Originally posted by ImageDynamicsM3
Who sells an eprom for OBDII that the end used intalls themself?

The OBDII cars have EEPROMs. :stickoutt

haha shut up with your acronyms you whore! ;)

I've decided to buy some RK or RK 2pc rims + tires.

I'm going to sell all these e46 rims as a set. Tires are new. If anyone knows someone who wants these buggers let me know. I'm going to take the fronts off and put my old fronts back on *sob*.

New Rim and Tire Qs

About the RKs, I know the RK IIs are 4 pounds heavier(RK is 18.x and RK2 is 22.x), does anyone know if there are any advantages to the 2 piece rims over the single piece? How much difference will removing 4 pounds of unsprung weight (per wheel) make in handling.

BTW, here are some photos of an M look alike with RK IIs

http://www.getnet.com/~kzin/RKII/

edit: as always, clicking the image popps up a larger one. Don't forget to allow popups!

go with the RK's.. they have a deeper lip on the E36's and have a simple yet classic look to them.. they come 18x8.5

the only advantage to a two peice is that if you bend the part of the wheel, you can replace it... I am pretty sure it is hard to bend a RK though :dunno:

Cool. I like the RK II, but the RK has it's own special appeal. I just wish I could catch an M with RK 1pcs on it.

I have a quote request into a place that supplys them in plasma, I hope they're willing to give them away.

BTW, If you know ANYONE who wants those rims an tires, I'm asking $1300 for the full set. The tires are practically new. The rims are in good condition.