Hello.. I have a 2010 528i xDrive
I know staggered wheels on AWD has been discussed to death....If I do not want to take the chance and I choose to keep all for wheels the same width...After getting the front wheels to sit flush with fenders, can I use spacers in back to get them flush as well? Will this be completely Ok for AWD? Or will this cause the same problems as staggered?

 

Let's see if we can look at this the other way around ...

Based on what you mentioned can you elaborate of what is the problem with staggered wheels on AWD that you knew that has been discussed to death?

X5 been using staggered wheels setup since the get go & I've been using staggered setup almost 5 years with no problem.

 

I know.. I hear ya.. If you google it.. So many people say it's OK like yourself.. and give perfectly valid examples like you just did.. The other half of the people say its bad and can mess with the awd and ruin it.. I love my car.. but def didnt pay cash for it. I have a nice size car payment and definitly can't afford to take any chances if I mess something up... I just figured I'd ask if there's any harm in adding spacer to awd? I'm assuming no.. But Im new to all this..

 

Again ... BMW been using staggered setup on their X5 AWD since the get go and no problem which make the other half of the people say its bad and can mess with the awd and ruin it ... well ... clueless.

You do understand from your google finding(s) that staggered setup has to do with wheel/tire size(s) ... using spacer will not change the wheel/tire size.

But ... when in doubt ... keep it stock ...

 

Yea I'm mainly concerned with getting the wheels flush with the fenders.

 

Most people who say that don't own or have never owned an AWD car. My friend has a WRX STI with staggered wheels. Like BlaSti said, the X5's come with staggered wheels from the factory. It's not the wheels that messes up the awd system it is the difference in tire size if you put the wrong tires on. I had staggered wheels on my 535xi

 

Well I know that awd is working at all times.. and the module destributes equal force to each wheel.. If the rear tires have more rubber touching the ground that changes the force... If X5 comes through staggered than BMW obviously compensates for it.

I spoke with BMW directly last night and they said absolutely no to staggering wheels..

However I know people on this forum do it so I'm sure there's some percentage that you can keep it under and be fine. So I dunno. lol

 

Take a look at this link -> RealOEM.com * BMW E60N 528xi BMW LA wheel, star spoke 124

I'm using your 2010 528xi ride as the base car ... now look at the #2 in the table below the pic then under the supplement you'll see the 8Jx18 & 9Jx18 and it has part number to the right of them.

So ... what we have above ... BMW listed OEM part number (that you can verify) of a staggered wheel setup for xi/AWD car ... based on your car in particular.

... to me look like the BMW you spoke to last night simply ... clueless ask your BMW you spoke with to explain the existance of the part above.

As for the X5 ... the same X5 model came w/ non-staggered but you can get the optional wheel staggered setup as you wish ... it doesn't mean that when you choose staggered setup then you get a whole different X5 model that has whatever compensation that is.

What matter is not more rubber touching the ground but the same rotational front & rear ... no need to be exact but must be pretty close ... not sure if you know that my 8.5" wide & 9.5" on 19" staggered setup has fairly same height and all with your stock 7.5" width on 17" non-staggered?

 

Interesting.. Well yea you definitly no a hell of a lot more than the guy I spoke with lol.
I hear 8.5 in front 9.5 in back alot.. Is that a good safe size?
I'd like to go with 19".

I know this cant be completly answered cause I dunno what rims I want yet. no clue what the offset would be..

 

8.5" & 9.5" are common setup ... 9" & 10" could be better or 8.5" & 10" too ... but hard(er) to find.

Keep in mind going to 19" will change the visual (even to 18" but not much) ... so your 17" may look OK now when you go 19" the less sidewall will enhance the fender gap and will look strange w/o suspension lowering even as I mentioned the overall tire height are pretty close between my 19" and your 17".

Click on the link under my name over on the left side bar for pics of my setup.

Safe offset ET35-40 ... I choose rear ET40 so I can go upsize on my rear tire set to 285/30.