New wheels for sale!

[Fair!]

Got our hands on the LTW5 18x10s last night. They were prettier and lighter than expected!! Click any thumbnail below to see a full sized picture:





The wheels fit the E36 nicely, just as we had calculated. Weight is 18.7 pounds each, which is unprecedented for an 18x10 at this price point! These are designed and tested to VIA/JWL standards (1400 pound rated), and this certificaiton will be added to the mold on the following batches. The "Flow Forming" technology used to make all LTW5 wheels is explained here.

These will be test fit again later today with tires mounted. Going to start with two 265/35/18 AD07s, which should fit squarely on the wheel (section width no wider) and shouldn't hold any surprises. Mounting two more 285/30/18 tires, which we know will need more than fender rolling to fit. We have a couple of willing E36 chassis in the shop, so we will try that as well.

You can buy them from Vorshlag or one of the other D-Force Wheel distributors. We will be shipping the LTW5 sizes we will carry (18x9, 17x9, 18x10) in larger quantities on or before July 17th. Introductory pricing is in effect on the new 18x9 ($299) and 18x10 ($319) wheels!

[Fair!]

Re: New wheels for sale!

Hanchey and I test fit the 18x10s with 265/35/18 Yokohama AD07s late last night. These tires measured 273mm at the widest point using our 12" digital calipers, but they sit very squarely on the wheels, which are 11" wide to the outermost edges. The 285s were bulging much wider and we didn't bother test fitting those yet (not class legal for this car anyway). We will put those on the Alpha LS1 car (which has flares) and then onto a stock '93 325is later this weekend. 285s on these 10s will fit an E36 but will need some hammer-massaging of the fenders, unlike the 265s. We will trial fit them onto an E46 soon, as well (Redwood!).

The 265s on the 10s fit the car pretty darn well (after a few spacer iterations) and with a little more fender rolling up front should be doable for a race tire set-up. We drove around on them and they only rubbed up front at full lock, but the strut set-up we have on this car (prototypes 4200s) makes for a less than perfect spacer set-up due to a coil spring spacer we had to employ. We're going to swap in real 4200 double adjustables for these prototypes and have a new size hubcentric spacer built sent then try it with 2-3mm less spacer up front. The rear has room both inside and at the outer (rolled lip) sheet metal, with only a very small spacer.

Pictures (click to enlarge):




The camber up front was set to race specs (-3.5° to -4&#176, and camber is needed to clear the outer fender lip there - so this isn't likely going to be a street set-up for most folks unless you go with 255mm tires. I am going to get a set for street use, of course! The fenders lips have been rolled out back but not flared, but the fronts are not yet rolled; that will give even more clearance. We will disclose more info on the spacers/measurements/ride heights used very soon, but just know that 18x10s and 265s are doable for a race use set-up on an E36 without flares! We are going to have lots more of these 18x10s very soon.

[bjo]

Re: New wheels for sale!

Very nice. Now test out the RE-01's

[Tommy R]

Re: New wheels for sale!

Damn sexy!!

[Fair!]

Re: New wheels for sale!

Here's some additional BMW D-Force test fit pics from this past weekend (every BMW owner that comes by usually gets wheels thrown on their car).





18x10s front and rear with 265/35/18s on an E46 328i. The front needs more camber (stock strut tops, sitting at only -1.8° with lowered springs) and both ends of the car need fender rolling... but this wheel and tire could work for a race set-up with some tweaks. 285s, not a chance. Front used a 10mm spacer (really needs an , rear went on with a 5mm spacer (only needed ~3 mm). We've posted pictures of this E46 with both 17x9 and 18x9 D-Force wheels and 255 and 265mm tires before.



Checking tire clearance at full lock - it was close on this 265 at the fender liners. Camber is measuring -1.7 and -1.8°... not nearly enough for competition and with more camber the front would fit a lot better. He'll be on AST 4100s and Vorshlag camber plates soon. This car competes in SCCA's STX class, which is limited to a 8" wheel and 225mm tire - what a shame! We're lobbying the SEB to allow 9's and 255s for a "competition adjustment", since the AWD turbo cars share the same wheel/tire limitation in this class.



Above is a bone stock 2006 325i with 18x10/265 rear and 17x9/255 front (we had it apart to measure for camber plates/shocks/struts). The "265" really measures 273mm and the "255" measures 265mm. The E90 has the same hub diameter as the E36/46, by the way. The 18x9 ET41 would fit the same (and look better) up front.

For this E90 I used a 5mm spacer up front and a 10mm on back. 10s didn't work up front. Rear only needed a 5mm to clear but it SWALLOWED that 265 and 10" wheel so far in that it looked funny with only the 5 spacer! The 10s would easily fit the rear of this car with the 285s. Hell, these cars could stuff an 11" wide wheel out back! 335i owners... you need these 18x10s to hook up that twin turbo goodness.



Checking at full lock | 265 tire on left, 205 on the right. OEM wheel and tire looked like a donut spare.

Thanks to Doug and Redood!