E61 Wheel Upgrade (220M)

[fastgoat]

I picked up a 2008 e61 535xi (manual) this summer. I also just picked up a set of 220m wheels from an e9x M3. I'm ordering spacers as well, but had some difficulty with test fitting last night (no spacers).

I was test fitting the passenger front wheel, but when mounting the 220m it didn't seem to want to mount. I put it on the hub but after putting on the lug bolts it still wobbled. Are longer lug bolts needed for this upgrade? Research shows the hub bore is the same size (72.5) and bolt pattern is 5x120. I'm a bit lost as to why this would happen outside of lug bolts on a factory BMW wheel.

[JayArras]

Those wheels have offsets of 23 and 29. The E60 xi specs are ET 35 - 45 range. Wheels with too high an offset can be fixed with spacers, but with wheels with too low an offset, you are SOL -- you have to roll the fenders to keep them from rubbing. I'm afraid these won't work for you.

[fastgoat]

I have no issue with rolling the fenders. I'm just curious why there's trouble in getting them to mount. Haven't even had a chance to assess clearance on the ground.

[JayArras]

Are you sure they're OEM wheels?

[fastgoat]

They have all of the markings of an OEM wheel. They were purchased right off of an M3…so have no reason to believe they’re anything but OEM. I’ll double check again today.

[fastgoat]

Alright, so I got everything mounted. However, the AWD system is not getting along with the new setup. It’s jerking and making all sorts of noises. The specs on the wheels are the following:

Front: 245/35/19
Rear: 265/35/19

I have spacers on the front and have no rubbing or issues. These are replacing the wheels from the previous owner (225/35/18). I don’t believe these were the factory wheels either as this car should have come with 225/50/17 tires.

Any ideas into what could be causing this? I believe the wheel diameter should be pretty close to the stock 17s with a 35 profile all around.

[maxcbrdriver]

You're rear wheels have a 1.9% greater circumference. Xdrive requires front and rear axle speeds to be the same. Xdrive does not have a center differential, just a tx case. As such, it can transfer torque, but differences in speed will only create internal wear to the tx case clutch plates. It's generally quoted around here that a 1% allowance is ok, but I'm not sure. You can emply xdelete to essentially keep the tx case open.

[fastgoat]

Originally Posted by maxcbrdriver

You're rear wheels have a 1.9% greater circumference. Xdrive requires front and rear axle speeds to be the same. Xdrive does not have a center differential, just a tx case. As such, it can transfer torque, but differences in speed will only create internal wear to the tx case clutch plates. It's generally quoted around here that a 1% allowance is ok, but I'm not sure. You can emply xdelete to essentially keep the tx case open.

I'm using xdelete now but more of a band-aid until I get the tires set correctly. I believe a 275/30/19 rear and 245/35/19 front will get them within tolerance levels.

[hurst01]

What is the width of your wheels? I believe the stock 220 wheels had a width of 8.5" front and 9.5 rear. I haven't fooled with them for awhile. With that width wheel on a 5 series car you should b e running 245/40-19 (Front) and 275/35-19 (rear) and your speedometer will be correct as much as the OEM wheels. There will be about 1/8" difference height between front and rear. That is what I ran on my E60 535i Xdrive. Now, for the next problem. I tried to install a set of 220 M3 wheels on my E60. The M3 220 wheel has practically NO offset and I quickly decided they would not work. The spacer required to make them work would be enormous. Seems to me that because of the small offset it would hit the inside of the inner fender. Like I said, been a long time since I fooled with the. As far as the wobble, check the wheels and make sure they don't have a reducing ring in the bore. I ran across that also. I always liked the 220 wheel but not satisfactory for a 5 series.
Ed