Is this an offset issue?

[Strider]

The front and rear subframes, suspension, brakes..etc, etc, is 2004 E46 M3. This was all bolted on to a 2003 325i.

One thing I noticed on the car was that the track in front looks wider that in the rear. I am running staggers, with 225 in the front and 265 in the rear....any ideas why the tire on the front just peeks out past the fender?

Only thing I can figure is wheel offset, but I am not sure what the correct offset should be for my setup.

Here is a picture that shows it.

4286

[Hornung418]

Check for spacers, M3 offsets are much lower than non-M. My guess is that the fender is non-M so it makes the M offset wheel seem like it pokes out further. If it doesn't rub, I wouldn't worry about it. Car looks great!

[danewilson77]

Easy fix. Throw 315's on the rear.:)

Seriously...pull the wheels and see if the offset is stamped on the rim. Are you sure it doesn't have spacers?

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[Strider]

That would probably explain it...I am happy with how it looks and it only rubs very lightly in the rear with adults riding in the rear, and a big bump, no rubbing on the front.

I would like to know what offset I am running, to see what rims I might "need" to get for it. The obvious answer for that is to pull the rims tomorrow and see what is stamped on them. (And while I have them off, I should clean and wax them. They are dirrrrrty!)

Thanks for the quick reply.

[danewilson77]

Sounds good. Let us know what the offset is when you get it.

What rims are those? CSL's? Hard to tell in pic. Thanks.

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[Strider]

They are CSL's. It has 18's on it right now and it also came with a set of 19 CSL's with good rubber. I am probably never going to run the 19's, so I will clean them up and post them for sale along with another set of 19's that I had on the 545i that have brand new rubber on them. Wife is getting a little annoyed with all the wheels stacked in the garage. I am thinking I will combine the proceeds of both 19's and get a single set of additional 18" rims. Just have to figure out what I want. So many choices....

[Hornung418]

I take it the sidewalls are M3 specification? I think in the future you could pull off the M3 fenders and titanium hood swap. That should clear up any rubbing ;)

[danewilson77]

Looks almost like its a staggered set, then someone rotated fronts to back. But....the tires aren't square, so that doesn't make sense.

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[Strider]

Dane...I thought the same thing. First thing I did was measure the wheel width, and the narrow ones are installed at the pointy end of the car.

M3 Fenders and Titanium hood...I will just do that next week with the ESS Stage 1 kit....until the wife reads this and reminds me that my allowance barely pays for gas. :) I wish!

[danewilson77]

Titanium hood? O Rly.

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[Hornung418]

And by titanium, I mean aluminum :shifty

[danewilson77]

And by titanium, I mean aluminum :shifty

Werd.

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