xi owners: Wheel/Tire.Suspension Questionaire
04-06-2007, 12:30 PM
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My Ride: 2006 BMW 530xi Sports Wagon, Steptronic, Sapphire Black, Black Dakota, ZPP, CW, NAV, PDC, Rear Shades.
This information request is for xi owners with upgraded wheels. After days of searching through this forum, I'm still unclear as to the optimum wheel fitments for 530xi and 530xiT vehicles.
I've been told that anything from a et38 through et45 and I can go up to a 19x8.5 front, 19x9.5 rear. I've been told that staggered wheel sizes are fine, while others say staggers should not be installed. Personally, I have no idea why staggers cannot work so long as the front and rear tire diameters match. Staggers come with the X3 sports package which uses xDrive.
Here are the questions. Thanks for taking the time to answer them!
Wheels and Tires
What brand and model wheels did you purchase and install?
What is the size and offset of your front wheels?
What is the size and offset of your rear wheels?
How much did you pay for the set of wheels?
What brand and model tires did you purchase and install?
Are they run-flats or non run-flats?
What is the size of your front tires?
What is the size of your rear tires?
How much did you pay for the set of tires?
Are you happy with these tires? If not, why? What other brand would you buy next time?
Have you have any fitment or clearance issue?
Suspension:
Did you lower your vehicle? If so, what modifications did you do to lower the rear?
What type of front springs did you install?
What was the drop?
Did you change your shocks? If so, what brand and model did you install?
Did you lower the rear suspension? If so, what exact modifications were required (i.e. change position of leveling sensors). Please be specific.
Who did your rear suspension? Dealer? Independent BMW Mechanic? You?
Is there an improvement in handling performance?
How is the ride?
If you have pictures of your install or a link to previously posted pictures, please attach them.
If you have any additional comments or words of wisdom, by all means, please include them! THANKS!!!!!
With your help, I'll be armed with good information when I go wheel and tire shopping for my 530xiT. Possibly a DEFINITIVE wheel and tire FAQ for 530xi/xiT owners can be generated by the answers here. Thanks!
I've been told that anything from a et38 through et45 and I can go up to a 19x8.5 front, 19x9.5 rear. I've been told that staggered wheel sizes are fine, while others say staggers should not be installed. Personally, I have no idea why staggers cannot work so long as the front and rear tire diameters match. Staggers come with the X3 sports package which uses xDrive.
Here are the questions. Thanks for taking the time to answer them!
Wheels and Tires
What brand and model wheels did you purchase and install?
What is the size and offset of your front wheels?
What is the size and offset of your rear wheels?
How much did you pay for the set of wheels?
What brand and model tires did you purchase and install?
Are they run-flats or non run-flats?
What is the size of your front tires?
What is the size of your rear tires?
How much did you pay for the set of tires?
Are you happy with these tires? If not, why? What other brand would you buy next time?
Have you have any fitment or clearance issue?
Suspension:
Did you lower your vehicle? If so, what modifications did you do to lower the rear?
What type of front springs did you install?
What was the drop?
Did you change your shocks? If so, what brand and model did you install?
Did you lower the rear suspension? If so, what exact modifications were required (i.e. change position of leveling sensors). Please be specific.
Who did your rear suspension? Dealer? Independent BMW Mechanic? You?
Is there an improvement in handling performance?
How is the ride?
If you have pictures of your install or a link to previously posted pictures, please attach them.
If you have any additional comments or words of wisdom, by all means, please include them! THANKS!!!!!
With your help, I'll be armed with good information when I go wheel and tire shopping for my 530xiT. Possibly a DEFINITIVE wheel and tire FAQ for 530xi/xiT owners can be generated by the answers here. Thanks!
04-06-2007, 02:27 PM
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My Ride: 2008 Silverstone II E60 M5 2012 E70 AW X5 50i Sport w/ LCI Aero Kit and Rocker Panels
Wow...this is a lot of questions. Check out some of my posts in the past regarding wheels/suspension for the xi. That should help. I've done extensive research on all your questions, but don't have time right now to go through all of them.
As an FYI, I am having my car lowered with the new H&R sport springs tomorrow. I will post before and after pix.
As an FYI, I am having my car lowered with the new H&R sport springs tomorrow. I will post before and after pix.
04-06-2007, 08:31 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi - Silver/Gray, Gray Leather, 6 SP Manual, Premium, Sport, CW, CA, Shades, Logic7
With plenty of advice from other forum participants, most notably cmansbimmer (posted above), I just this week purchased a staggered setup of style 124's for my 530xi. Those are 18x8 offset 43 and 18x9 offset 55 for the fronts and rears, respectively.
I got a lot of comfort with fitment issues by simply going to realoem.com and seeing what came up for the 530xi, and then ordering the exact wheel part numbers. 'Cause you do have to be careful when ordering by style #, meaning the same style BMW wheel comes in different sizes for AWD and RWD cars.
If you want to go with BMW wheels, there's really only 3-4 choices for xi models (again, see realoem.com). As far as places to buy, there's a couple of participants on these forums who provide real competitive prices on wheels and will ship anywhere in the US, at about 25-30% off retail. Check out Tony (Quad_m) and Garry from Newport BMW.
I got a lot of comfort with fitment issues by simply going to realoem.com and seeing what came up for the 530xi, and then ordering the exact wheel part numbers. 'Cause you do have to be careful when ordering by style #, meaning the same style BMW wheel comes in different sizes for AWD and RWD cars.
If you want to go with BMW wheels, there's really only 3-4 choices for xi models (again, see realoem.com). As far as places to buy, there's a couple of participants on these forums who provide real competitive prices on wheels and will ship anywhere in the US, at about 25-30% off retail. Check out Tony (Quad_m) and Garry from Newport BMW.
04-06-2007, 10:05 PM
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Wheels and Tires
What brand and model wheels did you purchase and install?
Rial Nogaro
What is the size and offset of your front wheels?
19/8/40
What is the size and offset of your rear wheels?
Same
How much did you pay for the set of wheels?
Tirerack.com
What brand and model tires did you purchase and install?
General
Are they run-flats or non run-flats?
non
What is the size of your front tires?
245/35/19
What is the size of your rear tires?
same
How much did you pay for the set of tires?
tirerack.com
Are you happy with these tires? If not, why? What other brand would you buy next time?
No, Michlein
Have you have any fitment or clearance issue?
no
Suspension:
Did you lower your vehicle? If so, what modifications did you do to lower the rear?
Going to. Talk to walter at vmwerks.com
What type of front springs did you install?
H&R
What was the drop?
1.3"
Did you change your shocks? If so, what brand and model did you install?
No
Did you lower the rear suspension? If so, what exact modifications were required (i.e. change position of leveling sensors). Please be specific.
www.vmwerks.com
Who did your rear suspension? Dealer? Independent BMW Mechanic? You?
www.vmwerks.com
Is there an improvement in handling performance?
tbd
How is the ride?
tbd
What brand and model wheels did you purchase and install?
Rial Nogaro
What is the size and offset of your front wheels?
19/8/40
What is the size and offset of your rear wheels?
Same
How much did you pay for the set of wheels?
Tirerack.com
What brand and model tires did you purchase and install?
General
Are they run-flats or non run-flats?
non
What is the size of your front tires?
245/35/19
What is the size of your rear tires?
same
How much did you pay for the set of tires?
tirerack.com
Are you happy with these tires? If not, why? What other brand would you buy next time?
No, Michlein
Have you have any fitment or clearance issue?
no
Suspension:
Did you lower your vehicle? If so, what modifications did you do to lower the rear?
Going to. Talk to walter at vmwerks.com
What type of front springs did you install?
H&R
What was the drop?
1.3"
Did you change your shocks? If so, what brand and model did you install?
No
Did you lower the rear suspension? If so, what exact modifications were required (i.e. change position of leveling sensors). Please be specific.
www.vmwerks.com
Who did your rear suspension? Dealer? Independent BMW Mechanic? You?
www.vmwerks.com
Is there an improvement in handling performance?
tbd
How is the ride?
tbd
04-08-2007, 04:47 AM
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Why don't you just ask the major tuners for the teile-gutachten?
Email ACS, Breyton, Alpina and Racing Dynamics, look at the document they send you - it will have rim/tyre sizes and a list of all the modifications needed for each.
Email ACS, Breyton, Alpina and Racing Dynamics, look at the document they send you - it will have rim/tyre sizes and a list of all the modifications needed for each.
04-08-2007, 08:15 AM
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My Ride: 06 530XI Sapphire Black, Black Int. 6sp, Cold, Prem
Originally Posted by cmansbimmer' post='410945' date='Apr 6 2007, 06:27 PM
Wow...this is a lot of questions. Check out some of my posts in the past regarding wheels/suspension for the xi. That should help. I've done extensive research on all your questions, but don't have time right now to go through all of them.
As an FYI, I am having my car lowered with the new H&R sport springs tomorrow. I will post before and after pix.
As an FYI, I am having my car lowered with the new H&R sport springs tomorrow. I will post before and after pix.
Post as soon as you've put it through it's paces, really interested in how it handles...and looks too! Good luck bud.
04-08-2007, 08:54 AM
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My Ride: 2008 Silverstone II E60 M5 2012 E70 AW X5 50i Sport w/ LCI Aero Kit and Rocker Panels
Originally Posted by jrsamps' post='411426' date='Apr 8 2007, 12:15 PM
Cman,
Post as soon as you've put it through it's paces, really interested in how it handles...and looks too! Good luck bud.
Post as soon as you've put it through it's paces, really interested in how it handles...and looks too! Good luck bud.
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=38756&st=0
04-08-2007, 12:44 PM
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My Ride: 06 530XI Sapphire Black, Black Int. 6sp, Cold, Prem
Originally Posted by cmansbimmer' post='411434' date='Apr 8 2007, 12:54 PM
04-10-2007, 04:33 AM
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My Ride: 2006 BMW 530xi Sports Wagon, Steptronic, Sapphire Black, Black Dakota, ZPP, CW, NAV, PDC, Rear Shades.
Originally Posted by ChrisMurray' post='411395' date='Apr 8 2007, 05:47 AM
Why don't you just ask the major tuners for the teile-gutachten?
Email ACS, Breyton, Alpina and Racing Dynamics, look at the document they send you - it will have rim/tyre sizes and a list of all the modifications needed for each.
Email ACS, Breyton, Alpina and Racing Dynamics, look at the document they send you - it will have rim/tyre sizes and a list of all the modifications needed for each.
The goal here is to find out what the members here are putting on the 530xi's and xiT's in real world applications and not arbitrarily assume that just because a tuner advertises a certain wheel size/offset/tire combination that it is indeed the right combination. Considering the xi models require an offset of somewhere in the range of et35 to et45, some unsual wheel selections are possible. E46 wheels can possibly fit, as well as E53 and E83 wheels. A complete set of E46 M3 ZCP Style 127 forged wheels can probably be found for less than the cost of 2 Alpina wheels. A complete set of E46 330i OEM Perf Pkg Style 135's could also fit. But before I go and plonk some cash down on new tires and wheels, the least I can do is ask the general populace here what tried and tested combinations work best. That's why these forums exist and that is reason why I don't have to place utter reliance on a tuner's catalogue.
Even if I were to spend Hamann, Alpina, RD, or ACS type money, I'd look first at Champion, Fiskes, HRE, Vorsteiner, etc., all of which are as good as, if not better than the products offered by the Euro tuners. And both Champion and Fiske will custom build wheels to the buyers specifications.
Fortunately forum members like Jed Peters do take the time to answer questions. I gained plenty of insight and information from his responses.
04-10-2007, 06:41 AM
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Originally Posted by asawadude' post='412028' date='Apr 10 2007, 05:33 AM
Fortunately forum members like Jed Peters do take the time to answer questions. I gained plenty of insight and information from his responses.
All your questions can be gained by using the "search" function on this website, anyhow.