What's wrong with this picture (apart from the rust)

juhap · 08-25-2010, 10:30 AM

Went to my car today and was greeted with this sight. I figured some a-hole is trying to build himself a BMW piece by piece and needed a wheel hub. Well, no stress, it's a couple of minutes drive to the nearest dealership. So I drive there and explain the situation, and they sell me a 6 euro sticker. Problem solved I figured. The assignment was so easy I didn't even bother to check the merchandise on their parking lot. There's no way they could screw that up.....

Well, turns out the diameter of the sticker is smaller than the hole, so good luck glueing it. So the question is did they sell me the wrong sticker (it says 64.5 in the receipt so that's probably the diameter in millimeters) or is my car missing more than a sticker. The rim/ledge is so narrow I don't see how you could make anything stick to it.

mcbeee · 08-25-2010, 10:56 AM

I'm thinking that there's probably a cap of some sort that is missing...

juhap · 08-25-2010, 11:40 AM

Thanks mcbee, and apologies for being lazy and not checking this from the parts catalog right away.

What the wheel is missing is a hub cap with chrome edge, part number 36 13 6 783 536.

H-Doc · 08-27-2010, 08:35 PM

Had the exact same thing (I think) happen to me a while back.

I had the good fortune to catch my cap after it ejected itself from my left front wheel after a particularly raucous run (heavy acceleration, with the need, of course, for equally heavy braking) on a popular mountain road in southwest NC called the "tail of the dragon."

My suspicion is, enough heat built up in the wheel to the point where the pressure in the hollow (behind the cap) was enough to expel that sucker clear across the parking lot. If I hadn't stopped to stretch my legs (and cool my brakes), I never would have seen it pop off, and would have been in the same quandry.

Now, this was over six weeks ago, and I've yet to have it come off again- but I figure it's probably just a matter of time...

Rafale · 08-27-2010, 08:47 PM

Wow, the cap would seal the hollow to the point of maintaining pressure? That's interesting. Do you guys also have the same style of wheels?

H-Doc · 08-27-2010, 09:03 PM

Note that I have the 295's - the "star spoke" 18" wheels that came standard on the 35is. Probably a different wheel, but the hollow area in the hub is similar.

And, of course, I have no proof that is what happened (that this was heat-induced pressure buildup) - but it seemed like the most plausible explanation at the time. And those brakes were plenty hot at the time...

As I think about it, it may well be that the cap popped off BECAUSE I stopped- as the air flowing over the wheels/rotors while driving might have kept things cool enough...

08-25-2010, 10:30 AM	#1
juhap Lieutenant 14 Rep 530 Posts Drives: sDrive35i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	What's wrong with this picture (apart from the rust) Went to my car today and was greeted with this sight. I figured some a-hole is trying to build himself a BMW piece by piece and needed a wheel hub. Well, no stress, it's a couple of minutes drive to the nearest dealership. So I drive there and explain the situation, and they sell me a 6 euro sticker. Problem solved I figured. The assignment was so easy I didn't even bother to check the merchandise on their parking lot. There's no way they could screw that up..... Well, turns out the diameter of the sticker is smaller than the hole, so good luck glueing it. So the question is did they sell me the wrong sticker (it says 64.5 in the receipt so that's probably the diameter in millimeters) or is my car missing more than a sticker. The rim/ledge is so narrow I don't see how you could make anything stick to it. Attached Images
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08-25-2010, 10:56 AM	#2
mcbeee Lieutenant 5 Rep 446 Posts Drives: '09 Z4 s35i & '03 Z4 3.0i Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0) Garage List 2003 Z4 3.0i [5.00] 2001 Z3 3.0i [0.00] 2009 Z4 s35i [7.00]	I'm thinking that there's probably a cap of some sort that is missing... __________________ Member ZSCCA 2009 Z4 s35i with Dinan Stage II software, Sport and Exec packages, 19" 296 rims , a stubby and mud flaps '03 Z4 3.0i Sterling Grey (Hers) '01 Z3 3.0i Sapphire Black, M sport package (Mine)
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08-25-2010, 11:40 AM	#3
juhap Lieutenant 14 Rep 530 Posts Drives: sDrive35i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	Thanks mcbee, and apologies for being lazy and not checking this from the parts catalog right away. What the wheel is missing is a hub cap with chrome edge, part number 36 13 6 783 536.
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08-27-2010, 08:35 PM	#4
H-Doc BMWCCA Member #434186 2 Rep 28 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive35is Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	Had the exact same thing (I think) happen to me a while back. I had the good fortune to catch my cap after it ejected itself from my left front wheel after a particularly raucous run (heavy acceleration, with the need, of course, for equally heavy braking) on a popular mountain road in southwest NC called the "tail of the dragon." My suspicion is, enough heat built up in the wheel to the point where the pressure in the hollow (behind the cap) was enough to expel that sucker clear across the parking lot. If I hadn't stopped to stretch my legs (and cool my brakes), I never would have seen it pop off, and would have been in the same quandry. Now, this was over six weeks ago, and I've yet to have it come off again- but I figure it's probably just a matter of time... __________________ 2011 E89 Z4 sDrive35is 2005 E85 Z4 Roadster 2.5i (Retired)
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08-27-2010, 08:47 PM	#5
Rafale Zed Quatre 24 Rep 410 Posts Drives: '11 Z4 35is & '11 535xi GT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Portland, OR. USA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2011 535i GT xDrive [0.00] 2011 Z4 35is [7.00]	Wow, the cap would seal the hollow to the point of maintaining pressure? That's interesting. Do you guys also have the same style of wheels?
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08-27-2010, 09:03 PM	#6
H-Doc BMWCCA Member #434186 2 Rep 28 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive35is Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	Note that I have the 295's - the "star spoke" 18" wheels that came standard on the 35is. Probably a different wheel, but the hollow area in the hub is similar. And, of course, I have no proof that is what happened (that this was heat-induced pressure buildup) - but it seemed like the most plausible explanation at the time. And those brakes were plenty hot at the time... As I think about it, it may well be that the cap popped off BECAUSE I stopped- as the air flowing over the wheels/rotors while driving might have kept things cool enough... __________________ 2011 E89 Z4 sDrive35is 2005 E85 Z4 Roadster 2.5i (Retired)
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