Need wheel and tire size for drag tires on 2011 M3.

[shayne s]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2011 M3 that I want to buy a set of rear wheels to put some drag radials or slicks on for drag racing. What I need is a much taller tire or side wall. To do this I need a smaller wheel. I was hoping someone could tell me the size wheel that they have used. I need to find out what back spacing will work and want to keep the same footprint that I have now. I was told the bolt pattern is 5-120.

Now I need to mention that the wheel doesn't need to be bmw.

Thanks for your help.

[shayne s]

Anyone?

[pbonsalb]

Question is what smaller wheels fit over M3 rear brakes. I plan to test my ARC8 17x9 ET42 which I run on my turbo 99M3 with 275/40/17 NT555R drag radials. I think they will fit fine. I may run a 12 mm spacer to reduce the offset.

[shayne s]

Question is what smaller wheels fit over M3 rear brakes. I plan to test my ARC8 17x9 ET42 which I run on my turbo 99M3 with 275/40/17 NT555R drag radials. I think they will fit fine. I may run a 12 mm spacer to reduce the offset.

That is what back spacing is for. The tire size you mentioned sounds like a low profile tire like what comes on it. That is exactly what I don't want. For drag racing you need more sidewall, a lot more sidewall. Hints why I am looking for a smaller wheel. I just don't know how much back spacing I will need. I was hoping to find someone that has figured this out.

[pbonsalb]

275/40/17 is actually pretty squishy compared to stock 265/40/18 or 265/35/19. But you are right, its not a 50 or 60 or 70 series tire.

I drag race my 600 rwhp E36M3 with the 275/40/17. On that car, have also run 255/50/16 and 235/60/15 over the years. I forget the offset of those wheels, but for the 15s, I had to grind down the rear calipers to make them fit and run 12mm spacers. Spacers can reduce offset but at least on the E36, there is only so far you can go before hitting the fender. I had to jack up the ride height to run the 275/40/17, but will probably cut off the arches and run flares this year. I have rolled them as far as possible already.

I suggest you try to find some 16 x 7.5 off a base model and see if they clear the rear brakes. Have some spacers on hand. But I would not want to go 275 width on 7.5s.

If you want to spend some money, you can have anything you want made.

[shayne s]

This is no easy task.

[pbonsalb]

I think you are making this much harder than it needs to be. How much drag racing have you done? Do you want to run bias ply slicks and skinnies or radials? With bias ply, handling is sketchy so you should be experienced, and you really need bias ply fronts as well, making for a more expensive and complex set up. You also should not drive these on the street, so you have to bring 4 wheels to the track.

If you are not a very hard core drag racer, and my guess is you are not because you are asking fairly basic questions, just run a set of drag radials on 17s or 18s. This is what most people do. In fact, many run R888s, which a track tire not a drag radial, which means it has stiff sidewalls. The only issue with drag radials is that there is more chance of breakage than with bias ply. I won't be running my 08M3 on drag radials until I have installed my AKG 75A subframe and 95A diff bushings, for example. There are some reports of diff mounts breaking on these cars, even on street tires launching on the street. Drag radials offer predictable handling -- I drove 6000 miles last year on NT555R, for example, but there are also some drag radials that you should not daily drive since there is pretty much no tread.

Just pick up a pair of Apex ARC8 17 x 10 ET25

http://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-pr.../#.VvAS6-Y0NPI

and run 275/40/17 or even 315/35/17 Hoosier or Mickey Thompson or M&H drag radials. I have run all 3 brands. I can change the rear wheels in about minutes at the strip. I use a $60 HF aluminum jack under the rear and a Milwaukee 18V impact. I run studs and nuts instead of lugnuts so hanging wheels is easier.

[shayne s]

I think you are making this much harder than it needs to be. How much drag racing have you done? Do you want to run bias ply slicks and skinnies or radials? With bias ply, handling is sketchy so you should be experienced, and you really need bias ply fronts as well, making for a more expensive and complex set up. You also should not drive these on the street, so you have to bring 4 wheels to the track. If you are not a very hard core drag racer, and my guess is you are not because you are asking fairly basic questions, just run a set of drag radials on 17s or 18s. This is what most people do. In fact, many run R888s, which a track tire not a drag radial, which means it has stiff sidewalls. The only issue with drag radials is that there is more chance of breakage than with bias ply. I won't be running my 08M3 on drag radials until I have installed my AKG 75A subframe and 95A diff bushings, for example. There are some reports of diff mounts breaking on these cars, even on street tires launching on the street. Drag radials offer predictable handling -- I drove 6000 miles last year on NT555R, for example, but there are also some drag radials that you should not daily drive since there is pretty much no tread. Just pick up a pair of Apex ARC8 17 x 10 ET25 http://www.apexraceparts.com/apex-pr.../#.VvAS6-Y0NPI and run 275/40/17 or even 315/35/17 Hoosier or Mickey Thompson or M&H drag radials. I have run all 3 brands. I can change the rear wheels in about minutes at the strip. I use a $60 HF aluminum jack under the rear and a Milwaukee 18V impact. I run studs and nuts instead of lugnuts so hanging wheels is easier.

Thanks for that little tidbit of information but I have been racing for 35 years.

You are correct I am asking a very basic question yet it seems to be very difficult to get an answer. I simply was looking for the smallest rim size that will fit my car without the lectured of how to drag race.

Thanks.

[pbonsalb]

If you were as experienced as you claim, you would have this all figured out by now, but you are struggling with basic issues. As I recommended before, start by test fitting some 16 inch wheels. I suggest 16s because I know that at least some 17s fit and I know that most if not all 15s won't fit, but have never tried 16s. Try an offset in the ET20 to ET30 range (stock rear is ET23 or ET25). As you know, if the ET on the wheels you find is higher and they won't clear the brakes, you could try using a spacer and longer lugs to reduce the ET, but if the spacer is more than about 5mm, you should use a hubcentric spacer that is at least 12mm so it is strong enough to support the hub.

If you were hard core drag racing a domestic muscle car, many would have figured everything out for you. But as you can tell from the responses to your inquiry here, not many people drag race independent rear axle E90M3s. The ones I have read about who do, do it occasionally, and run 17s or 18s with drag radials or R compound track tires.

[shayne s]

I don't need to prove my credentials to you.

This is my first m3 so no amount of experience is going to tell me what wheel works without some trial and error. I came here in hopes that someone has already figured it out so I wouldn't have to start measuring and going through the hassle of trying out a bunch of rims. I really don't see why you have such an attitude in one breath and are helpful in the next. Kinda passive aggressive. Anyway I haven't had any time to do much research so sorry if I exceeded the time allotment given for figuring this out. Again, first m3 and don't know all the measurements of the car or the rims.

[Kevlar]

Too grip grip isn't good for these cars... Things start to break.

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[pbonsalb]

I don't need to prove my credentials to you.

This is my first m3 so no amount of experience is going to tell me what wheel works without some trial and error. I came here in hopes that someone has already figured it out so I wouldn't have to start measuring and going through the hassle of trying out a bunch of rims. I really don't see why you have such an attitude in one breath and are helpful in the next. Kinda passive aggressive. Anyway I haven't had any time to do much research so sorry if I exceeded the time allotment given for figuring this out. Again, first m3 and don't know all the measurements of the car or the rims.

I am helpful, more than everyone else who is helping you in your thread. But you don't want to help yourself and I lose patience with those sorts of people, especially when they claim lots of experience but can't seem to put any of it to use.

[kc jr 54]

I am helpful, more than everyone else who is helping you in your thread. But you don't want to help yourself and I lose patience with those sorts of people, especially when they claim lots of experience but can't seem to put any of it to use.

OP Is looking for someone to tell him exactly which wheel and tire setup to get. Obviously has little interest in doing a little bit of work to figure things out on his own to solve an "issue" that hasnt really been proached before. 335IS cars can fit 15" wheels. Research and see what it takes for them, might require different rear brakes. And NO, spacers wont always solve brake clearance issues.

[aus]

Why an M3 for drag racing?? It's not really a drag car, so I've NEVER seen your question asked. Plenty of people do drag the car, but mostly with a blown motor.

Also, do you have a manual or DCT? I ask because the manual's tend to block up the diff bolts from launches.
.

[NelsonAviles]

Why an M3 for drag racing?? It's not really a drag car, so I've NEVER seen your question asked. Plenty of people do drag the car, but mostly with a blown motor.

Also, do you have a manual or DCT? I ask because the manual's tend to block up the diff bolts from launches.
.

I have a manual M3 with nitrous and run 285/40/18 1.60 60 foot


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[Kevlar]

1.6 ?!?