15" steel wheels on E39 535i?
Discussion
I know they don't fit, they foul on the brake caliper.
But if I were to obtain suitable spacers, would that stop them hitting the calipers? And if so, anyone know what size spacers I'd need?
I've read that the E39 hub diameter is a different size than other BMs of that era, does the 0.4mm difference really make any difference?
I'm asking as I have a set of 4 steel wheels with unused good winter tyres on them, and I'm loath to lose money selling these and spending a whole heap on replacements.
Did E39s come with 15" wheels that I could use with these tyres? Anyone know of a set going anywhere?
Thanks.
But if I were to obtain suitable spacers, would that stop them hitting the calipers? And if so, anyone know what size spacers I'd need?
I've read that the E39 hub diameter is a different size than other BMs of that era, does the 0.4mm difference really make any difference?
I'm asking as I have a set of 4 steel wheels with unused good winter tyres on them, and I'm loath to lose money selling these and spending a whole heap on replacements.
Did E39s come with 15" wheels that I could use with these tyres? Anyone know of a set going anywhere?
Thanks.
I'll dig the micrometer out tomorrow and measure the hub OD and steel wheels ID but it looks like these may be what I need to get the existing wheels to (maybe) fit:-
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-860-hr-15mm-whee...
Doesn't have to look pretty, the 535 is a winter shed so just needs to work through the cold, wet, snowy, winter months.
(and the cold, wet, snowy spring months...)
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-860-hr-15mm-whee...
Doesn't have to look pretty, the 535 is a winter shed so just needs to work through the cold, wet, snowy, winter months.
(and the cold, wet, snowy spring months...)
Spacers are only going to help if the inside of the face of the wheels is fouling the caliper, in which case the wheels are the wrong offset. If the disc/caliper set is too big for a 15" wheel to physically fit over no spacer is of any help.
The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either, they do for the 528i a 15", but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either, they do for the 528i a 15", but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
Edited by E30M3SE on Saturday 3rd September 15:46
E30M3SE said:
Spacers are only going to help if the inside of the face of the wheels is fouling the caliper, in which case the wheels are the wrong offset. If the disc/caliper set is too big for a 15" wheel to physically fit over no spacer is of any help.
The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either they do not the 528i in 15" but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
+1 The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either they do not the 528i in 15" but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
Edited by E30M3SE on Saturday 3rd September 15:21
, the only way wheel spacers will help is if you go Carlos Fandango style:
But then wheels wont be legal!.
E30M3SE said:
Spacers are only going to help if the inside of the face of the wheels is fouling the caliper, in which case the wheels are the wrong offset. If the disc/caliper set is too big for a 15" wheel to physically fit over no spacer is of any help.
The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either, they do for the 528i a 15", but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
Thanks.The smallest winter wheels tyre package recommended by BMW for the E39 is 16" in diameter, they do not list a steel wheel and remember the diameter of the hub on a E39 is 74mm all other BMW's is 72.5mm so unless the wheels you have are for a E39 they will not fit anyway.
Mytyres do not list a steel wheel/tyre pack for the 535i either, they do for the 528i a 15", but the disc size of the 528i is 296mm, 535i has 324mm.
I'll offer up the steel wheels and double check if 20mm of spacing will make them fit before buying anything.
From memory, the inner surface of the steel wheels isn't flat, it has a pronounced (10~15mm) lip where the steel hub is welded to the steel rim, and it was this that the caliper was touching. It was close to fitting though, maybe 5mm gap between wheel and hub at the hub, so my hope is that a 20mm adapting spacer will do the trick.
Note that those spacers are also adapters, they correctly fit on the E39 hub and have an outer hub dia of 72.5mm, so you can fit any other BMW series wheels (obviously providing offset, width, outer dia, etc, etc, are suitable) to your E39.
I'm surprised they haven't been mentioned on here before, couldn't find them in a quick search.
A quick update on this for anyone interested.
I ordered two sets of the adapters (with 20mm spacing). I had my doubts that they would work on the front but the rear should have been fine.
And so it turned out to be.
Using these I can fit the 15" wheels to the rear. Sorted! I won't get stuck this winter. (I just won't have any control over where I'm going
)
(Just for a laugh I tried stacking 3 adapters on the front and the wheel still hit the brake caliper, so short of taking a grinder to the brake caliper, no chance!)
So I've sorted out winter tyres for the driven wheels on my car and I'm now left with a pair of steel wheels with new winter tyres + adapters to fit them to the rear of any E39, up for grabs to the first decent offer.
Ad coming up shortly in the PH classifieds (or PM me)
I ordered two sets of the adapters (with 20mm spacing). I had my doubts that they would work on the front but the rear should have been fine.
And so it turned out to be.
Using these I can fit the 15" wheels to the rear. Sorted! I won't get stuck this winter. (I just won't have any control over where I'm going
)(Just for a laugh I tried stacking 3 adapters on the front and the wheel still hit the brake caliper, so short of taking a grinder to the brake caliper, no chance!)
So I've sorted out winter tyres for the driven wheels on my car and I'm now left with a pair of steel wheels with new winter tyres + adapters to fit them to the rear of any E39, up for grabs to the first decent offer.
Ad coming up shortly in the PH classifieds (or PM me)
wolfie1978 said:
fwaggie said:
4 x 16" or 17" wheels = £250 at a minimum
4 x winter tyres = £400
Total £650.
£200 for four of these adapters is a *lot* cheaper!
i beg to differ, two weeks ago i aquired a set of 16" fan blade alloys for my e39 for £1004 x winter tyres = £400
Total £650.
£200 for four of these adapters is a *lot* cheaper!
Still going to come in with a total of £500 so my point still stands.
(unless those wheels came with new winter tyres, in which case well done, there's one born every minute!)
fwaggie said:
What about when you've added 4 new winter tyres + the fitting cost?
Still going to come in with a total of £500 so my point still stands.
(unless those wheels came with new winter tyres, in which case well done, there's one born every minute!)
i wasn't quite that lucky, 4 continental winter sport 2's with 5 mm of tread delivered for £160, add another £40 for fitting. there will probably be enough tread on the tyres i've bought for this winter and possibly next. whilst i appreciate not everyone is happy with part worns it can be done relatively cheaply if you so wish Still going to come in with a total of £500 so my point still stands.
(unless those wheels came with new winter tyres, in which case well done, there's one born every minute!)
wolfie1978 said:
i wasn't quite that lucky, 4 continental winter sport 2's with 5 mm of tread delivered for £160, add another £40 for fitting. there will probably be enough tread on the tyres i've bought for this winter and possibly next. whilst i appreciate not everyone is happy with part worns it can be done relatively cheaply if you so wish
That was a good find.I've got no problems with part worns so long as the price reflects the life they have left and there's no damage.
I'm not intending to keep the 535 for all that long, probably sell it in spring (for whatever it's worth by then) and try to buy something with better mpg, Passat TDi or something similar, so I didn't want to spend any more than necessary for it to see me through winter.
(saying that it's already had 4 new tyres, 2 alloys unbuckled, plugs & air filters changed, oil & filter ready to go on, 2 rear ABS sensors so it'll be leaving my hands in a lot better shape than it came to me)
rb5er said:
Good luck with that, there was a thread on here last winter by a guy with winter tyres on his BMW 3series. He still got stuck on a meagre patch of ice that my awd legacy on summer tyres would have had no problem with.
There's winter tyres and there's winter tyres.If these were cheap nasty ones I wouldn't be this determined to use the damn things!
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