Dumb question but I'm replacing my front tires and I'm debating just getting the intended 255's in the front instead of 245's like I have to prevent rubbing (as suggested by some a couple years ago). Will they rub off 255's? I mean, right now I can put my hand on the sidewall and still feel some clearance with the fender (front fenders seem to be rolled). I'm not sure that 255's would even rub unless it would hit the strut or cause rub on sharp turns. 255s would sure look better from the front (more aggressive / wider) and also be the intended size tire for the rim.

Rims are 8.5" front and 9.5" rear. Isn't that the same setup as an M5 has or is the front wheel 9"?

Anyone experience a 255 tire on a non-M E60 and see what happened?

 

Aren't 255's the stock tires on the M5? If so, yes they will rub.

 

I had 255's on my car and they rubbed every once in a while...Had to hit a really big dip...I was on stock sport suspension also....

 

The severity of "rubbing" will depend on the offset of your wheels as well as the width and aspect of the tires. 245 means the tire is 24.5cm wide and if you are running a 245/35/19 in the front, that would make the side wall 245mm x (.35) = 85.75 mm tall. If you went with a 255, you are already 10mm wider than your current tire and even with the current 35 series aspect the tire will be taller as well. Thus, if you are rubbing now, you will rub more severely if you go with a 255. A 235/35/19 in the front will give you a bit of a stretched look on a 8.5 inch rim but it will definitely help with rubbing. If you are rubbing and you weren't rubbing before, you might want to check your front shocks too. Maybe they are worn and are creating more bounce than usual.

 

M5 front is also 8.5X19 ET12,but the standard tyre is 255/40R19.As others have said on a number of threads,the M5 fenders are wider.
The rim range for a 245/35R19 tyre is 8" - 9.5",recommended rim is 8.5".
For a 255/35R19 tyre, the range is 8.5" - 10" ,recommended rim is 9".

 

Size aside, also keep in mind that a 245/35/19 Michelin vs a 245/35/19 Kuhmo may vary in aspect ratio (tire profile) and width. Some have more rounded edges while others have a more "full" fit.

The other factor to consider, as toyota2bmw mentioned, is your suspension. If you're riding on a failing shock you'll have more suspension travel.

If you're on coilovers, you could also stiffen the dampening to help a bit, but not applicable in your case.

 

True that
My Falkens are much more squared off at the edge than the same size Kumho thus contributes to about a 10mm wider width.

 

A 255/30/19 might or might not rub..anyone looked into those?

 

Yea I remember when I first bought General UHPs (never again). They looked rounded on the sidewalls and just didn't look good. When I got Michelin PS2 A/S the sidewall was really a big difference. It was meaner and squared off.

 

Not entirely correct - the aspect ratio is 35% for both tyres.With different brands,there are variations in both section width and tread width.
Specifications can be viewed at http://www.tirerack.com/