235/45/17 Tire Size on 328i Sedan with Sport Package

[kchilaka]

Guys,
I have a chance to get some inexpensive snow tires with rims at a non-standard size.
I have a 1997 328i with sport package whose standard wheel/tire combo is 225/50/R16. I am wondering if 235/45/R17's (from a BMW 5 series) would fit on my car.
Diameter of 225/50/R16 is 24.9 inches
Diameter of 235/45/R17 is 25.3 inches. (0.4 inches larger)

Tire rack recommends 225/45/17s for the fronts and 245/40/17s for the rears.


I was wondering if anyone has 235/45/17s on their cars and if they are usable on the 328i with sport package. i.e No scrapping during sharp turns in parking lots etc.
Any advice would be helpful.

[richbarn2]

Guys,
I have a chance to get some inexpensive snow tires with rims at a non-standard size.
I have a 1997 328i with sport package whose standard wheel/tire combo is 225/50/R16. I am wondering if 235/45/R17's (from a BMW 5 series) would fit on my car.
Diameter of 225/50/R16 is 24.9 inches
Diameter of 235/45/R17 is 25.3 inches. (0.4 inches larger)

Tire rack recommends 225/45/17s for the fronts and 245/40/17s for the rears.


I was wondering if anyone has 235/45/17s on their cars and if they are usable on the 328i with sport package. i.e No scrapping during sharp turns in parking lots etc.
Any advice would be helpful.

I have factory M sport suspension and opted for 225-50-17 for the rough roads I drive everyday in my DD. No rubbing, no problems. IIRC, there are many members running 235-45-17 on all 4 corners with no problems.

[kchilaka]

I have factory M sport suspension and opted for 225-50-17 for the rough roads I drive everyday in my DD. No rubbing, no problems. IIRC, there are many members running 235-45-17 on all 4 corners with no problems.

Are there any offset considerations I need to look at , these wheels are from a BMW 5 series. Also, anyone running 245-40-18s ? These have a diameter of 25.7 inches (24.9 is stock on the 328i sport)

[richbarn2]

Are there any offset considerations I need to look at , these wheels are from a BMW 5 series. Also, anyone running 245-40-18s ? These have a diameter of 25.7 inches (24.9 is stock on the 328i sport)

IIRC yes, I cant quote you numbers with 100% certainty though as Im running contour replicas... If you dont get a concrete answer here try here.


http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=126

[kchilaka]

IIRC yes, I cant quote you numbers with 100% certainty though as Im running contour replicas... If you dont get a concrete answer here try here.


http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=126

Thank you for the information. I will look into it.

[dcskate102]

I run a 235/45/17 on the M3 suspension with no problems at all.

[328iJunkie]

5 series wheels usually will not fit an E36... Offset is usually too low.

[kchilaka]

I run a 235/45/17 on the M3 suspension with no problems at all.

Did you have to use any spacers. I am thinking of using the 17 inch rims from the standard E46 3-series so the offset should be ok.

[Paul NJ]

Tires is not your problem here, but the offset on the wheels of the 5series, FWIW I run 235/40/17 even before I got my coilovers and I wouldnt rubb anything I didnt have any problem at all, If I was still stock I would probably run 235/45/17 tho.

[randywalters]

Tires is not your problem here, but the offset on the wheels of the 5series, FWIW I run 235/40/17 even before I got my coilovers and I wouldnt rubb anything I didnt have any problem at all, If I was still stock I would probably run 235/45/17 tho.I'm running 235/45-17 Dunlop DZ101s with 7.5" M Contours on my 328is with a stock M3 suspension setup with no problems whatsoever.

It's not clear if you (the OP) intend to use 5-series wheels with those tires but the 5-series wheels have a lot less offset so they stick out a lot farther than E36 wheels so if you do plan to use 5-series wheels i'm pretty sure the tires will rub the fenders. I can tell just by looking at my setup that it will not tolerate moving my tires outwards by another 20mm (which is about what you'd get with 5-series wheels).

[kchilaka]

I'm running 235/45-17 Dunlop DZ101s with 7.5" M Contours on my 328is with a stock M3 suspension setup with no problems whatsoever.

It's not clear if you (the OP) intend to use 5-series wheels with those tires but the 5-series wheels have a lot less offset so they stick out a lot farther than E36 wheels so if you do plan to use 5-series wheels i'm pretty sure the tires will rub the fenders. I can tell just by looking at my setup that it will not tolerate moving my tires outwards by another 20mm (which is about what you'd get with 5-series wheels).

I guess I should have been clearer in my post. In my original post I was referencing the rims on which I bought the tires (which were from a 5 series) but I intend to mount these tires on 17x8 rims from a E46 and then put these wheels on my E36 :)

[kchilaka]

I guess I should have been clearer in my post. In my original post I was referencing the rims on which I bought the tires (which were from a 5 series) but I intend to mount these tires on 17x8 rims from a E46 and then put these wheels on my E36 :)

I have an update on my tire change. I installed the 235/45/17 Nokian WR tires on 17x7 rims from a stock e46 330i. I bough these wheels thinking that all 17 inch wheels from the E46 are 17x8 but I ended up with perhaps the only rim from an E46 which is a 17x7. These wheels have an offset of 47. The tires mounted without a problem and the wheels were installed on my 328i. The setup works fine. No rubbing on the fronts or rears so I can definitely attest that 235/45/17 works on a 328i with sport package. The only thing I noticed is that the ride feels very soft now. It could be the result of stuffing a 235/45/17 tire on a 17x7 rim or it could be the tire itself which a Nokian WR. These tires are primarily snow/winter tires with the high wear capability to be used in all 4 seasons. For my next set of tires I will probably go with a 205/50 which is the OEM tire size for these 17x7 wheels. The wheels I got where the Type 73 from the Kalach website.