20" Alloys with 20mm Hubcentric Spacers

Just thought I would post this info and pictures if someone else wants to do this modification. have not test driven yet, but looks better than stock!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18htCtrJX34ACeJa-G3iAgn4M9DdGYVb5/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CSLjUsG8YB8Lqmiajs6CQoNIXIOcSKGS/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zKUlPgsUdNa92tq8nahQfKrJ0ehqSchc/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GpefkyWnQ6GmJMa6QIDgIPm6JfOi_vQF/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ptVdS5y8u1-hcFVFLtycJC67nUYSzTi4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tuTcxkKkeFCK1X6mahDa03rYvTQVuplH/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Bj9q_lnh5eNJZTpaGghGkZsiUk5xsK_/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QCZrku3vz6B8hBiKBIZMKAGdhhUGSFNl/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dYn_-rlFqmAwReEhC2k-rLDJ6_ZbkxBU/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VQ84PgytYlQYwmYgHXIxZ13e5knLNEua/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/130rDUcUJ7tFmmpHhNhXCfYkAwhyjYryE/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MtMc5QGAwFrA4ENLcTPpcwXYS1-fMCVC/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rj3cLnYoZfxkrXRRP4mLuQ59NiwOiULo/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19939W9aC7O6bmpLaX7H3bnRP7Jo-99jE/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1as5osxFaRIveze-MSlIkRNzSyKICzywZ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y7peqZu4tsToIdMCIqkEDYM4pYuNK6U7/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WOizZeusQVSb-t3DQyEtaxPDsAeKqeRT/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BFqcRRfB4gvLhSZQMr0Haw5TMWKopEt8/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TrfIe6f2P-b3a87I0oAKfGpe1nhWu-Jc/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vBxeMpi_T0PrOxo_vIjuKQduzZYFOeDr/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i5dJ2GT0sImR3_FJDj78hCqGKnyBrBhO/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SgrI3gM51380v6aSss76jKKDi3cuSQR4/view?usp=sharing

I can view only the first photo. The remaining photos require me to sign into Google. Maybe you can change set the permissions on all but the first photo to match the first photo so that viewing your photos does not require signing into Google.

Hopefully you can view all now

Well I must say that overall, a much better ride. Softer over the bumps and cornering greatly improved. Steering feels a little more lighter also. No rubbing, even over speed bumps. Not lowered and don't intend too.

I done 20mm all round, but will be increasing the rears to 25mm to finish it off.

I don't expect bearing problems with this car weighing less, and had 40mm hubcentric spacers on my VW Touran for 4 years and never had a problem.

Any comments/questions welcome

Would be useful to know which spacers you used and the source?

Assume they supplied longer studs/nuts?

Hi David,

I used a company called LMD UK LTD. eBay item number: 323091083131

Speak to Michael, great guy and very helpful. These spacers are very good quality and extended bolts/locks also are good quality.

Pictures with 25mm on rear.

file:///C:/Users/Christopher%20Emmanuel/Desktop/Private/BMW%20i3/BMW%20i3%20YB66RYY/YB66RYY%2020mm%20Front%20&%2025mm%20Rear%20Spacers/IMG_20180320_153254.jpg

file:///C:/Users/Christopher%20Emmanuel/Desktop/Private/BMW%20i3/BMW%20i3%20YB66RYY/YB66RYY%2020mm%20Front%20&%2025mm%20Rear%20Spacers/IMG_20180320_154030.jpg

file:///C:/Users/Christopher%20Emmanuel/Desktop/Private/BMW%20i3/BMW%20i3%20YB66RYY/YB66RYY%2020mm%20Front%20&%2025mm%20Rear%20Spacers/IMG_20180320_154049.jpg

file:///C:/Users/Christopher%20Emmanuel/Desktop/Private/BMW%20i3/BMW%20i3%20YB66RYY/YB66RYY%2020mm%20Front%20&%2025mm%20Rear%20Spacers/IMG_20180320_154043.jpg

ChristopherEmmanuel said:

Pictures with 25mm on rear.

file:///C:/Users/Christopher%20Emmanuel/Desktop/Private/BMW%20i3/BMW%20i3%20YB66RYY/YB66RYY%2020mm%20Front%20&%2025mm%20Rear%20Spacers/IMG_20180320_153254.jpg

Click to expand...

This and the other URL's are valid only on your computer so that no one else can see them. You need to do what you did in your original post: upload your photos to a Webserver with public access and publish the URL's to these photos.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CSPfeK8IwgeaF0-ntYIzVAB5g7f51GBY/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12so4Jc-miPwJ8VisTCZ7ucRDX-JkgJyn/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_jqOMe-rN81QH4ZbYL75DX_zutqPdDPd/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pZFkOv_Clg288FK83_pK_u_kUZsWl8Xv/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zIjvT6PZhSrhgo0W3pfdW2R0qMMBS0fm/view?usp=sharing

I think the height has also increased slightly............

Looks nice. And you got those wheels from another i3 with 20's? In reference to your 'rides softer/higher' comments.
I have 19's and if I keep these as-is, I'll at least put spacers on to widen the track so it doesn't feel so tippy.

Thanks for the comments bdjuju, Yes purchased them from anothe i3. Be interesting to see this setup on 19" wheels.

Just an observation, but I took the car off charge this morning with 131miles. Drove 28.7 miles smoothly and range meter still showing 124miles and 84% SOC.

So for the 28.7 miles driven I seem to have only used 16% of charge, and driven 7miles?

Don't know if spacing the wheels out this much has improved the rolling resistance/tyre footprint to give these figures.......

Unless the driving conditions, temperature, style, and load are identical to what you had been doing previously, the estimated range to empty is just a guess. I've driven up to about 10-miles and have had my estimated range INCREASE over what I started with because the conditions were different than the previous drive. I had mine parked in a relatively warm garage, moved it outside overnight, and in the morning, because it was frigid, the estimated range had dropped 20-miles! I get the same thing on my ICE. You have to accept that the 'fuel' gauge may be accurate, but the range estimate is still that, an educated guess of what you WILL do, based on what you HAVE done. They often are not the same.

If you want a more accurate estimate of range, put in a destination in the navigation system...then, the car knows where you're going, the road speed limits, and the elevation changes...it can then calculate a better solution than just estimates from your previous driving who knows where.

ChristopherEmmanuel said:

Don't know if spacing the wheels out this much has improved the rolling resistance/tyre footprint to give these figures.......

Click to expand...

If increasing the track does anything, it would probably increase aerodynamic drag a bit since the tires aren't tucked into the fender wells as much. This would reduce range at highway speeds, although maybe not noticeably.

ChristopherEmmanuel said:

Thanks for the comments bdjuju, Yes purchased them from anothe i3. Be interesting to see this setup on 19" wheels.
Just an observation, but I took the car off charge this morning with 131miles. Drove 28.7 miles smoothly and range meter still showing 124miles and 84% SOC.
So for the 28.7 miles driven I seem to have only used 16% of charge, and driven 7miles?
Don't know if spacing the wheels out this much has improved the rolling resistance/tyre footprint to give these figures.......

Click to expand...

an interesting observation. It will be exciting to hear if this was random or whether it actually affects driving mileage
Please update us with your experience after some more trips

Well driving it most of today, I must say that the battery does seem to take longer to drain down to 50% than it did before. I will have to do some more trips to compare, but looking at the percentage display rather than the GOM it seems better, even with occational foot down (Its hard not to in this thing).
Looking at te rear wheels, they look as if they are towed in quite a lot. wonder if it would be better with a 0 degree setup all round if it would be better?

Well Its been a few days since I have 25mm rear and 20mm front. My charge range has gone up, although the temprature in the UK has gone above 5 degres, I don't think it would be this high. Is anyone else getting this sort of range in the UK on 94Ah REX?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VVEo7LfaozjTxPRc-8tLwmcRVvYpQnTl/view?usp=sharing

What was the range showing after charge?

The most we have had has been 161 miles back in March at about 5C........soon dropped once back on the Motorway

Two thoughts...
- range variations on a day-to-day basis can vary a fair amount, so a couple of samples with uncontrolled conditions are mostly meaningless
- I do not know the maximum wheel travel in the i3, but it appears that you have maybe 3" or so before the wheel would hit the fender. If that's true, it could end up a significant safety hazard should you hit a sizeable bump - it could shred the tire or cause you to lose control.

To get the wider wheels/track on the i3s, they changed the fenders.

Looks great, thank for sharing the info and links.

Dear Christopher
Thanks for the inspiration and the information, I have ordered the spacers from eBay and will report back.
For those that are interested I plan to use the front spacers to allow me to fit rear tyres to the front to get me better braking contact patch and resist lockup and shorten stopping distance. This is on 19” wheels.
For anyone looking on eBay DONT buy the Direnza spacers listed for the i3 as they are 72.5mm hub centers and 120mm PCD and hence will not fit as they are listed wrongly on eBay and their website as the company are clueless. I3 wheels are apparently 112mm pcd and 66.5mm centre boss.