Wheel spacers cause scratches?

[Tewie]

I noticed these scratches after putting on 12mm spacers in the rear. Is there a chance that the wheels kicked up debris to the side like this? There's small scratches on both sides.. Can this be touched up? They don't have much depth but obviously there's no paint.

[Tewie]

You can see there's another small scratch to the right also.

[kscarrol]

Debris? Seriously doubt it, particularly the long scratch. No way a rock or other road debris was kicked up from the tire causing that. Either a random piece of debris caused it (but not from you tires/spacers) or someone lightly clipped your car or intentionally damaged it.

[Tracyis300]

I doubt it that spacers caused that.

It could've been rocks kicked up from the vehicle in front, shopping kart, passerby walking in-between parked cars, open car door, or down right hatters.

But it looks like a surface scratch? So you should be able to buff that out?!

[TWiTCHY]

Unless the debris is somehow "attached" to the wall of your tire, the scratches are going in the wrong direction. The scratches would be pointing towards the center of the wheel. And you typically don't get scratches from debris; you get chips.

[jaehshim]

yea i doubt it too
had 15mm front and 12mm rear spacer with eibach springs all around for almost 3~4 yrs, 359M OEM competition wheels + conti tires
never had any issues like that nor any rubbing in hard driving.
i only do handwash so i do look at the paint carefully everytime i wash

[M3Bimmer77]

LOL....maybe it was the cat back!!!!

[Tewie]

Thanks for the input. I know it sounds crazy and stupid!! But I don't get how similar scratches would just appear on both sides.. I hope it can be touched up!

[kscarrol]

Wait, your pics appeared to show one wheel well. This happened on both sides? Who installed the spacers, you or a shop?

[TWiTCHY]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Wait, your pics appeared to show one wheel well. This happened on both sides? Who installed the spacers, you or a shop?

+1 on his question...maybe it was the installer's hand (wearing a ring?), breaker bar, or torque wrench that scratched your fender during installation.

[Josparky]

Originally Posted by TWiTCHY

+1 on his question...maybe it was the installer's hand (wearing a ring?), breaker bar, or torque wrench that scratched your fender during installation.

Yup...either that or debris is somehow "attached" to the wall of your tire and scratched it...maybe a twig or something..

[Dr.Mark]

Definitely a torque wrench etc... Used to put wheels on.

[Tewie]

Shit I didn't even think of that! Recently took her to Big O for some new rear shoes. The guys there didn't seem too cautious.. Anyway talked to my detailer friend and he said some touch up paint will work. Anybody ever use BMW touch up paint?

[1MOREMOD]

Did they fly off the car while driving

[Tewie]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Did they fly of the car while driving

Haha lucky my wheels didn't fall off after Big O had torqued them to approximately 1,000,000 nm

[lastMleft]

Somebody scratched it Rocks did not cause this.

[flipwils11]

Those scratches look huge.... amazing that a tire installer was unaware that they did that (twice on one side!).

[JDM_CL9]

Originally Posted by flipwils11

Those scratches look huge.... amazing that a tire installer was unaware that they did that (twice on one side!).

Too lazy to get an extension for the wheel socket or just a longer socket in general.