jbeene

Thanks for the tips, all good to know.

I have a bit of ashimmy now but I think its a balnce or bent rim issue. I smacked a pothole pretty good...

C's Bimmer

I've beaten the shit out of my wheels all across NY. So much so, that last week I hit a manhole sticking out about 2 inches above the ground and blew out the sidewalls on my passenger side front and rear tires. It took my TPM's about a half a second to react that both tires were flat. After ordering new tires, I took them to my shop to get swapped and the manager said that the wheels were in perfect shape. They checked for any imperfections in the roll and said they are solid and perfect.

As an FYI...I put 40 lbs of pressure in all my tires. Just a suggestion if you want to save your wheels. Sure, I lost $300 by having to buy new tires, but it sure beats bending or cracking a wheel.

DrLev99

C,

Glad to hear you didn't damage the rims. I have my fronts on the CSL's at 36psi and the rears at 38psi, and they ride pretty harsh as is, but I still might increase the psi a few pounds front and back just to avoid something like you went through. Let me know if your wheel guy got the balance right.

I've been meaning to ask you how many (or how much) lead weights, approx., did your wheel guy have to place on this insides of your CSL's for the balance? When I got the wheels/tires from VM originally, there was lead all over the place on all 4. There was one wheel that had at least 6 or 7 different areas and rows of lead weights! One wheel had five 7.5gm weights stuck on top of another row of five 7.5gm weights! I counted all of them up (after I removed them for tomorrow's balance by BMW), and it had over 1/4 lb. of lead on it, 127.5gm...seventeen, 7.5gm weights, on 1 freaking wheel alone! The new wheel (with my old tire) I just got back from VM had lead in only 1 spot, 1 row of 4 weights, which is about typical. I hope that means the casting on this one was better as compared to the other. I'll let you know this week when I get them back on how the shimmy is. I have yet to hit the highway with my newly balanced OEM's from Friday, so I gotta try those first to see if the vibration is better. I am guessing it will be the same. Take it easy.

C's Bimmer

I suggest doing 40lbs...seriously. If you accidentally hit something on a road at night, you'll be glad you had the extra pressure. Member poleposition told me to do it and it was the best advice.

I just have one row of the weights (maybe 4-5 of those little squares?). Nothing major. My wheels are perfectly balanced. I go to this place on the Long Island where a lot of the M5 owners go. I was referred to this place by an M5Board member. These guys are no joke. They are anal, careful, do amazing work and have the best, state of the art machines.

Good luck with the car. Sorry you've had so many issues. My car is scheduled for it's first service next week. I'm stoked, as I'm having the new iDrive update installed.

DrLev99

Good luck on the iDrive update! I hope is goes smoothly. I don't want to read about some 2-3 day job like I've read on here. What kind of updates are you expecting? My car was made in Jan. 07, so I'm just curious what might I might be missing, if anything.

DrLev99

My vibration update:

I finally got some quality highway time today (about 40 miles) on my newly balanced 19" CSL's. Now, even though my BMW dealer chipped up one of my perfect CSL's around the hub area, :thumbsdown:, they did a helluva job balancing them! I drove smoothly for the first time since I purchased the car in May, at all speeds. I think they are even better balanced than my OEM's now, however I didn't really get a chance to take the OEM's on the highway after re-balanced those last Friday.

It was smooooooth sailing, with road feel only.....no real shimmy or vibration in the steering wheel to speak of. I guess the original wheel balance that Velocity Motoring did was a total disaster. One wheel that originally had 127.5gm of weight on it came back from BMW with 7.5gm! Talk about one extreme to the next. No wonder my wheels were wobbling! Anyway, I guess you could say it was the first true day that I actually enjoyed driving this car since I purchased it. It only took 3 months to get my shimmy out! I just hope it stays this way! I'll probably hit a monster pothole tomorrow with my luck.

brozboril

Quick question for those with the VM CSL replicas - Is everyone still happy with their purchase? I have been reading all of the posts on this topic and haven't noticed any reports of issues. I will probably order a staggered set for my 2006 530xi sometime in the spring. In the process of adding winter tires to the stock 138's, therefore when the temp gets warmer in Illinois, I will need a new set of wheels and tires.

DRANGED

Member C's Bimmer is your go to guy on this subject. I'm sure he will chime in soon enough.

C's Bimmer

LOVE them. No problems at all! They are terrific wheels. I got mine direct from VM. The sales manager is Gideon. He knows me. I'm even on their website Gallery of pix under BMW. In fact, I think I'm the only E60 on their site of the hundreds of bimmers they have up there.

You can't go wrong. Order them!

DrLev99

C, I plan to take some sweet pics next Summer and get my ride added to their Gallery. You can't be the only E60 on there!

I have no issues with the wheels themselves, but be VERY careful with the finish. Make sure you STRESS to whomever installs the tires/wheels to be extremely cautious re: metal on metal or any direct impact to the surface or edges around the lugs, and edges of the rims. I had to send one rim back due to flaking around the lug holes, and my dealer chipped off a few spots on my last balance job around the hub openings. I touched them up pretty well, but the finish is nowhere near as durable as the powder-coated OEM's. They do look and ride sweet though. I am already anxious for spring so I can throw them back on. Driving with my 17" OEM's is killing me!

Oh, if you get them, get the Hyperblack finish!