genphreak
12-29-2009, 08:28 PM
I've a few e34s, but have never been absolutely happy with the rim/tyre sizes. 16s all need 55 series gumball tyres that are great for rough surfaces but dumb for spirited cornering. 17s and up look great but get clangy on the dodgy Sydney roads as they simply don't have enough 'wall height'.
So I just scored a set of e38 rims which may find a finer balance. Their size is very, very rare size on e34: ie the only model fitted with them was the hyper-rare 525ix Touring. They came as the ultra-rare style #6 like this- factory fitted;
http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/thumbnails/t_006a.jpg (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com)
I find them interesting. As many e34 owners learn, the best all round size (from a daily drivability point of view) is a 16x7" rim with 225x55 tyres (stock fitment on 'semi-phat' models, even with alloy lower control arms, lowered suspension, offset bushes and fat swaybars to keep it all singing together nicely once 'the going gets rough'. These are hardly M-sport rims though (ie M-tech; 17x8, or M5 spec; 17x8 and 17x9 staggered), which provide the best authobahn drive without a doubt. But here in Oz we don't have a single autobahn and it seems sometimes that dirt roads are more common than smooth ones. Anyway, what I'm after is something a little stiffer than stock, but not on a 17" rim.
BTW: I have tried using 225x50x16s also on stock 16x7 rims. These have the same rolling diameter as many e36 and e46 M-tech wheels, and provide a terrifically sharper drive due to the shorter wall heights and by lowering the car 5mm too. The smaller overall diameter is a bit obvious visually as the space between tyre and guard is increased (and the speedo runs a tad 'high').
Now I know I'm being pedantic, but I really want something with a diameter in the middle between that of the stock tyres 225/55 (123.75) and a 225/50 (112.5). Since there is no 225/52.5, I figure why not go 235/50x16 (117.5) instead. This requires a 7.5" rim. Looking around I found these e38 style #5s, which are more appealing than the e34 style #5, (and I suspect are a common fitment or upgrade on the 540i). It looks like they might well be ideal:
http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/thumbnails/t_005c.jpg (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/)
BTW; for those thinking they look old school and boring... okay fair point. But what I want here is the perfect size as well as perfect perfromance. That means weight has to be low, so a factory forged rim is cool. Oh, and did I mention they must have a durable finish and be easy to clean? LOL- I want it all!
Anyway, the set I bought came with the e38 gumball-size tyres (235/55x16s) so I sold them off immediately. Now I want to get something right for e34.
What I'd l need to do is verify the tyre size BMW used on the 525ix, but I can't find someone that owns one. I don't think a member here even has one- which is really strange... ??? Now it is probably 235x50x16, but I want to be sure. Maybe they used 245/50x16 (122.5) which might make more sense, but would simply be adding weight and width, which is not really what I am out to do.
As far as I can work out there is only one e34 in Australia (a metallic blue 525ix in Queensland). It came with this size rim from the factory, and I've NFI who owns it, so can't find out what it has. I think the 525ix Touring were only sold in Europe.
Does anyone know what the stock tyre size on the 525ix is? Does anyone run wide 16 tyres? If so, what rims and tyres work well?
So I just scored a set of e38 rims which may find a finer balance. Their size is very, very rare size on e34: ie the only model fitted with them was the hyper-rare 525ix Touring. They came as the ultra-rare style #6 like this- factory fitted;
http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/thumbnails/t_006a.jpg (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com)
I find them interesting. As many e34 owners learn, the best all round size (from a daily drivability point of view) is a 16x7" rim with 225x55 tyres (stock fitment on 'semi-phat' models, even with alloy lower control arms, lowered suspension, offset bushes and fat swaybars to keep it all singing together nicely once 'the going gets rough'. These are hardly M-sport rims though (ie M-tech; 17x8, or M5 spec; 17x8 and 17x9 staggered), which provide the best authobahn drive without a doubt. But here in Oz we don't have a single autobahn and it seems sometimes that dirt roads are more common than smooth ones. Anyway, what I'm after is something a little stiffer than stock, but not on a 17" rim.
BTW: I have tried using 225x50x16s also on stock 16x7 rims. These have the same rolling diameter as many e36 and e46 M-tech wheels, and provide a terrifically sharper drive due to the shorter wall heights and by lowering the car 5mm too. The smaller overall diameter is a bit obvious visually as the space between tyre and guard is increased (and the speedo runs a tad 'high').
Now I know I'm being pedantic, but I really want something with a diameter in the middle between that of the stock tyres 225/55 (123.75) and a 225/50 (112.5). Since there is no 225/52.5, I figure why not go 235/50x16 (117.5) instead. This requires a 7.5" rim. Looking around I found these e38 style #5s, which are more appealing than the e34 style #5, (and I suspect are a common fitment or upgrade on the 540i). It looks like they might well be ideal:
http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/thumbnails/t_005c.jpg (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/)
BTW; for those thinking they look old school and boring... okay fair point. But what I want here is the perfect size as well as perfect perfromance. That means weight has to be low, so a factory forged rim is cool. Oh, and did I mention they must have a durable finish and be easy to clean? LOL- I want it all!
Anyway, the set I bought came with the e38 gumball-size tyres (235/55x16s) so I sold them off immediately. Now I want to get something right for e34.
What I'd l need to do is verify the tyre size BMW used on the 525ix, but I can't find someone that owns one. I don't think a member here even has one- which is really strange... ??? Now it is probably 235x50x16, but I want to be sure. Maybe they used 245/50x16 (122.5) which might make more sense, but would simply be adding weight and width, which is not really what I am out to do.
As far as I can work out there is only one e34 in Australia (a metallic blue 525ix in Queensland). It came with this size rim from the factory, and I've NFI who owns it, so can't find out what it has. I think the 525ix Touring were only sold in Europe.
Does anyone know what the stock tyre size on the 525ix is? Does anyone run wide 16 tyres? If so, what rims and tyres work well?