Spacers installed... Shaking steering wheel

to///m · 12-29-2013, 01:00 PM

I just put on Macht Schnell 15mm spacers in the front and 12mm in the rear and my steering wheel gets shakey between 75 and 85 mph. I made sure the hub was clean when i mounted and everything was clear. All the bolts are torqued down properly.

Is there any reason why the steering wheel would be shaking after the spacers install when everything was fine before?? I dont see why the wheels would be off balance after the install and everything is tight...

Thanks in advance!

slicer · 12-29-2013, 01:04 PM

Did you tighten the lugs with the wheels in the air without any weight on them?

///mawana · 12-29-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicer

Did you tighten the lugs with the wheels in the air without any weight on them?

^^^ this but, also, you won't be the first to have shaking wheels after [MS] spacer install.

to///m · 12-29-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicer

Did you tighten the lugs with the wheels in the air without any weight on them?

I tightened them but not torqued on them. So i might losen and then retighten in the air to see if that helps...

to///m · 12-29-2013, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mawana

^^^ this but, also, you won't be the first to have shaking wheels after [MS] spacer install.

What do you mean?? I figured they would have high quality spacers. I didnt know that was a known issue with MS...

LarThaL · 12-29-2013, 02:05 PM

M3 steering wheel is extremely sensitive. The same properties that give you amazing steering feel will also allow you to feel the tiniest of vibrations. The vibrations may be impossible to get rid of completely.

Here's what I recommend:

1. As others have said, torque to spec with the wheels unweighted. This will be hard to do on the front since there is nothing to keep the wheels from moving. What I have done is to tighten almost fully by hand just by using my other hand to provide counterforce, then lowering the car so the tire just barely touches the ground and tighten to full spec. I use 90 lb-ft.

2. Tighten all bolts in a "star" pattern. Basically you skip a bolt as you go around the circle so you are tightenng every other bolt. This will help get the wheel flat against the spacer and hub.

This is all you can do to minimize the vibration, but it may still be there just a tiny bit. I have a very small amount of vibration between 75-80, but not so much as to bother me. It also depends on the road surface and temperature. You tend to feel it more in colder temperatures.

///mawana · 12-29-2013, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by to///m

What do you mean?? I figured they would have high quality spacers. I didnt know that was a known issue with MS...

If you do a search here you will find there has been a **couple** reported incidents of such. Could be a bad batch or something, who knows,..

Wendall · 12-29-2013, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by to///m

What do you mean?? I figured they would have high quality spacers. I didnt know that was a known issue with MS...

I have tried turner and ms spacers. They all introduced slight vibrations to the steering wheel. solution = new wheels with better offsets.

to///m · 12-29-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarThaL

M3 steering wheel is extremely sensitive. The same properties that give you amazing steering feel will also allow you to feel the tiniest of vibrations. The vibrations may be impossible to get rid of completely.

Here's what I recommend:

1. As others have said, torque to spec with the wheels unweighted. This will be hard to do on the front since there is nothing to keep the wheels from moving. What I have done is to tighten almost fully by hand just by using my other hand to provide counterforce, then lowering the car so the tire just barely touches the ground and tighten to full spec. I use 90 lb-ft.

2. Tighten all bolts in a "star" pattern. Basically you skip a bolt as you go around the circle so you are tightenng every other bolt. This will help get the wheel flat against the spacer and hub.

This is all you can do to minimize the vibration, but it may still be there just a tiny bit. I have a very small amount of vibration between 75-80, but not so much as to bother me. It also depends on the road surface and temperature. You tend to feel it more in colder temperatures.

Heard on #1 and ive always used #2 when putting wheels on...

this is more violent then a small vibration though. you can physically see the steering wheel "shaking" as if you had an unbalanced wheel. I don't mind some vibration in the steering wheel, im referring to a feeling that is obviously not right...

Im beginning to think one of the wheels came off balance or something, im going to get it balanced tomorrow and see if that changes. I just dont see how the wheels came off balance just from literally taking them off and putting them back on with a little wider track??

Hujan · 12-29-2013, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mawana

If you do a search here you will find there has been a **couple** reported incidents of such. Could be a bad batch or something, who knows,..

Agreed. I have never heard of anyone having issues with Turner. I go Turner for all my wheel-related needs (studs, lug nuts, spacers).

slicer · 12-29-2013, 05:46 PM

Make sure you get the wheels hunter road force balanced. As someone else stated, the car is very sensitive to even the slightest imbalance. I have often needed to balance my wheels multiple times to eliminate vibrations even without spacers.

And I'm also a big Turner Motorsports fan. Their spacers, studs, lugs, etc are very well made.

TiAgUSMC · 12-30-2013, 11:41 AM

To the OP, I have the same setup as you. MS 15mm front and 12mm rear. I had steering wheel vibration after the install. It vibrated between 70-80mph. I didn't have any vibration before. I know they were installed right. They were installed by EAS. I took the car to have the wheels balanced to see if that would fix the problem. It didn't. After removing the wheels, I was able to remove the spacers with ease. They were not tight fitting. I noticed there was a little bit of play where the spacer sits on the hub lip and where the wheel sits on the spacer lip. I wrapped teflon tape around the spacer lip and the wheel hub. No more play. I took it for a test drive up to 90 mph and no more vibration! Problem solved!

Give it a try.

to///m · 12-30-2013, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiAgUSMC

To the OP, I have the same setup as you. MS 15mm front and 12mm rear. I had steering wheel vibration after the install. It vibrated between 70-80mph. I didn't have any vibration before. I know they were installed right. They were installed by EAS. I took the car to have the wheels balanced to see if that would fix the problem. It didn't. After removing the wheels, I was able to remove the spacers with ease. They were not tight fitting. I noticed there was a little bit of play where the spacer sits on the hub lip and where the wheel sits on the spacer lip. I wrapped teflon tape around the spacer lip and the wheel hub. No more play. I took it for a test drive up to 90 mph and no more vibration! Problem solved!

Give it a try.

nice man. thank you for the input! sounds like we have the same exact issue. If i have time tonight i will try that if the issue is not fixed by the balance.

on the way home, i got a balance and had the tire shop torque the wheel in the air so it was a nice even fit. I haven't had the chance to take it over 70 but im about to take her out and report back...

Thanks!

Longboarder · 12-30-2013, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by to///m

nice man. thank you for the input! sounds like we have the same exact issue. If i have time tonight i will try that if the issue is not fixed by the balance.

on the way home, i got a balance and had the tire shop torque the wheel in the air so it was a nice even fit. I haven't had the chance to take it over 70 but im about to take her out and report back...

Thanks!

+2 as my 15mm MS fronts do not fit snug and were the likely my steering wheel vibration cause on my stock ZCP wheels.

I have two sets of 12mm MS spacers that fit snug.

Reminds me that I should contact EAS about the 15's.

to///m · 12-31-2013, 08:51 AM

update: took the car out after a balance and torque in air and the vibration is still there... just as bad... starts at 70 and just shakes all the way to 100, i didn't go over 100...

after reading Maleks response i think im going to remove the spacers. Im disappointed that these Macht Schnell spacers are doing this and i am forced to modify something to make it work right.

tjsabec · 12-31-2013, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by to///m

update: took the car out after a balance and torque in air and the vibration is still there... just as bad... starts at 70 and just shakes all the way to 100, i didn't go over 100...

after reading Maleks response i think im going to remove the spacers. Im disappointed that these Macht Schnell spacers are doing this and i am forced to modify something to make it work right.

I have the same set up as you MS 15/12 with ZCP (GTS) rims, I installed them myself and have had no problems at all with vibration. Sorry that i don't have any advice, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary when installing.. I did use wheel hanger pins, but I don't see how that would make a difference. GL.

TiAgUSMC · 12-31-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pertplus

Where is Malek's response? Was it deleted?

I believe so.

tinman831 · 12-31-2013, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarThaL

1. As others have said, torque to spec with the wheels unweighted. This will be hard to do on the front since there is nothing to keep the wheels from moving. W

You could have someone step on the brake pedal.

///mawana · 12-31-2013, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pertplus

Where is Malek's response? Was it deleted?

Yeah, seems someone chopped it off. So much for balanced viewpoints!

Lute__ · 12-31-2013, 11:30 PM

Ban hammer in 3..2..1

LarThaL · 01-01-2014, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hujan

Agreed. I have never heard of anyone having issues with Turner. I go Turner for all my wheel-related needs (studs, lug nuts, spacers).

I have Turner 12.5mm all around on ZCP wheels and I have a very slight vibration. The interesting thing is that I didn't have it at first. Then one time, I took off the wheels just to clean them and clean the hubs and after that, the vibrations appeared. I had removed the wheels and replaced them several times in the past with no issue. I can't completely get rid of it now, no matter what I do. Not that bothersome, however.

Black Gold · 01-01-2014, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pertplus

....

oh ill tell you whats going on

on this forum, if you say anything that is negative about any of the sponser's parts, it will be deleted. its always been like that

EAS owns macht schnell so you can piece together the details

ON topic. I have always had issues with spacers the couple times I ran them. It is tempting because they can look damn good when done right, but I just avoid it at this point because its not worth the safety risk and headache IMO

12-29-2013, 01:00 PM	#1
to///m Lieutenant 261 Rep 584 Posts Drives: 2023 M3 CX Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL iTrader: (3) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 CX [9.50] 2018 BMW X5 [0.00] 2018 Ford Raptor [0.00]	Spacers installed... Shaking steering wheel I just put on Macht Schnell 15mm spacers in the front and 12mm in the rear and my steering wheel gets shakey between 75 and 85 mph. I made sure the hub was clean when i mounted and everything was clear. All the bolts are torqued down properly. Is there any reason why the steering wheel would be shaking after the spacers install when everything was fine before?? I dont see why the wheels would be off balance after the install and everything is tight... Thanks in advance! __________________ 2023 BG G80 ///M3 COMP XDRIVE Dinan CF Intake \| Valvetronic SS Full Exhaust \| AST Adjustable Springs \| UNIT 17 Front Splitter \| UNIT 17 Sideskirts \| BC Forged HSC21 Wheels 20x10 et12 / 20x11 et12
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12-29-2013, 01:04 PM	#2
slicer Major General 2736 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Did you tighten the lugs with the wheels in the air without any weight on them? __________________ '23 X7 '04 M3 - Fall Line Motorsports Built Race Car - S65 swap, Dry Sump, Bosch Stand-Alone ECU, Drenth Sequential Trans, MCS 3-Way, Flossmann Wide Body, Brembo Motorsports Brakes, Drexler LSD, BBS E88 Etc. INSTAGRAM - @Slicer_M
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12-29-2013, 02:05 PM	#6
LarThaL Colonel 336 Rep 2,940 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: West Springfield, MA iTrader: (0)	M3 steering wheel is extremely sensitive. The same properties that give you amazing steering feel will also allow you to feel the tiniest of vibrations. The vibrations may be impossible to get rid of completely. Here's what I recommend: 1. As others have said, torque to spec with the wheels unweighted. This will be hard to do on the front since there is nothing to keep the wheels from moving. What I have done is to tighten almost fully by hand just by using my other hand to provide counterforce, then lowering the car so the tire just barely touches the ground and tighten to full spec. I use 90 lb-ft. 2. Tighten all bolts in a "star" pattern. Basically you skip a bolt as you go around the circle so you are tightenng every other bolt. This will help get the wheel flat against the spacer and hub. This is all you can do to minimize the vibration, but it may still be there just a tiny bit. I have a very small amount of vibration between 75-80, but not so much as to bother me. It also depends on the road surface and temperature. You tend to feel it more in colder temperatures. __________________ **Audi S6 Audi S3 * Porsche Cayman GTS* --Former BMW M3 owner**
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12-29-2013, 05:46 PM	#11
slicer Major General 2736 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Make sure you get the wheels hunter road force balanced. As someone else stated, the car is very sensitive to even the slightest imbalance. I have often needed to balance my wheels multiple times to eliminate vibrations even without spacers. And I'm also a big Turner Motorsports fan. Their spacers, studs, lugs, etc are very well made. __________________ '23 X7 '04 M3 - Fall Line Motorsports Built Race Car - S65 swap, Dry Sump, Bosch Stand-Alone ECU, Drenth Sequential Trans, MCS 3-Way, Flossmann Wide Body, Brembo Motorsports Brakes, Drexler LSD, BBS E88 Etc. INSTAGRAM - @Slicer_M
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12-30-2013, 11:41 AM	#12
TiAgUSMC Enthusiast 24 Rep 73 Posts Drives: 09 E90 M3 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Evans, GA iTrader: (5)	To the OP, I have the same setup as you. MS 15mm front and 12mm rear. I had steering wheel vibration after the install. It vibrated between 70-80mph. I didn't have any vibration before. I know they were installed right. They were installed by EAS. I took the car to have the wheels balanced to see if that would fix the problem. It didn't. After removing the wheels, I was able to remove the spacers with ease. They were not tight fitting. I noticed there was a little bit of play where the spacer sits on the hub lip and where the wheel sits on the spacer lip. I wrapped teflon tape around the spacer lip and the wheel hub. No more play. I took it for a test drive up to 90 mph and no more vibration! Problem solved! Give it a try.
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12-31-2013, 08:51 AM	#15
to///m Lieutenant 261 Rep 584 Posts Drives: 2023 M3 CX Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL iTrader: (3) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 CX [9.50] 2018 BMW X5 [0.00] 2018 Ford Raptor [0.00]	update: took the car out after a balance and torque in air and the vibration is still there... just as bad... starts at 70 and just shakes all the way to 100, i didn't go over 100... after reading Maleks response i think im going to remove the spacers. Im disappointed that these Macht Schnell spacers are doing this and i am forced to modify something to make it work right. __________________ 2023 BG G80 ///M3 COMP XDRIVE Dinan CF Intake \| Valvetronic SS Full Exhaust \| AST Adjustable Springs \| UNIT 17 Front Splitter \| UNIT 17 Sideskirts \| BC Forged HSC21 Wheels 20x10 et12 / 20x11 et12
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12-31-2013, 11:30 PM	#20
Lute__ Banned 9 Rep 156 Posts Drives: '08 JB M3 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Geneva iTrader: (1)	Ban hammer in 3..2..1
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