[marty]

Seasons Greetings,

I am after some new wheels for my e91.

I always change the wheels on my cars but when going up a size from standard it always seems to result in a larger gap from the tyre to wheel arch and then needs lowering.

It sits well on the original 18" but I fancy some 19" staggered replacements but don't want to go down the lowering route. Will the M Sport suspension I have compensate for the larger 19" wheels??

I'm not sure how much lower the M Sport suspension is over the SE.

The cars covered 165k and from the service history seems to be on the original shocks and springs.

Thanks in advance.

[IanS100]

The tyre to wheel arch gap should be near enough the same regardless of whether you have 18", 19" or even 20" wheels, because you should fit lower profile tyres with a similar rolling radius as the OE wheels.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by IanS100

The tyre to wheel arch gap should be near enough the same regardless of whether you have 18", 19" or even 20" wheels, because you should fit lower profile tyres with a similar rolling radius as the OE wheels.

+1

There should be no physical wheel gap variation across wheel sizes. If it looks different (with correct tyres) it is simply an optical illusion. There is one thing where it may appear to look different. If the rims have more or less offset, and the wheel position gives a slightly different look from some angles.

HighlandPete

[Sxanth]

There are few examples of this as it has been discussed before.

In the end I stuck with 18's the front doesn't look right unless you lower the suspension in my opinion and I couldn't be bothered with it. As personally I would have spent a lot of money in changing everything not just getting springs so I decided against it.

[Not a Diesel!!!]

I have 19s on mine only time the front looks a little high is when its parked on hill handbrake on which seems to pull the back down and lift the front.

Remember the E90/92 etc. came with 17,18 or 19 as standard on sport packed cars all with same suspension.

[Aragorn30d]

While the overall tyre diameter doesnt change, and as such the arch gap doesnt change, the visual look of a thinner tyre and bigger wheel seems to accentuate the arch gap in some situations.

Thus a gap which might look fine with 17" wheels, looks silly on 19" wheels.

I found this on my old A4 when i swapped the 16's for 17's. The 16's looked fine on the factory suspension. The 17's however immediately required lowering as it looked awful.

However, MSport sits quite nicely anyway, so i doubt you'll have too much of an issue. 19" on SE suspension might look a bit odd.

[marty]

Cheers for all the info guys.

It's wearing 17" winters at the moment but i'm pretty sure when the 18's are on the top of the rear tyre sits nicely into the arches and the front level with the arch.

So from all your info I can order some 19's only problem now is I came across the e91 wheel picture thread which has made it harder to decide which style

Thanks all.

[N11KDJ]

Thought this pic might help, it's my 320d on standard sport suspension with 19's.

I think the front could do with a 10/15mm drop , I've got some Pro Kit Eibach springs but undecided if I'm going to fit them or not.

[JM85]

Originally Posted by marty

Cheers for all the info guys.

It's wearing 17" winters at the moment but i'm pretty sure when the 18's are on the top of the rear tyre sits nicely into the arches and the front level with the arch.

So from all your info I can order some 19's only problem now is I came across the e91 wheel picture thread which has made it harder to decide which style

Thanks all.

Which ones are you fancying?

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by marty

Cheers for all the info guys.

It's wearing 17" winters at the moment but i'm pretty sure when the 18's are on the top of the rear tyre sits nicely into the arches and the front level with the arch.

Whether you have the 17" winter's or 18" summers fitted shouldn't make any difference because, as stated previously, the top of the tyre should be identical in relation to the wheel arch regardless of wheel size, provided of course that you have fitted them with the correct aspect ratio tyres.

[djDori_C]

I have found this with all German cars... For some reason, all German cars sit lower in the rear and higher in the front... Might be because of overcompensated spring rates in the front to compensate for engine weight... You may have to change the suspension to correct the look... I personally did not as I did not want to alter the perfectly engineered suspension of the beautiful ///M cars

[IanS100]

It could also be in an effort to increase understeer especially if it comes with a square setup?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by IanS100

It could also be in an effort to increase understeer especially if it comes with a square setup?

When you measure a BMW body, the front wheel arches are higher into the body, compared to the rear. Measure from the sill line and the difference can be up to 30mm or more. The cars are still typically lower at the front than rear as stock.

[marty]

Originally Posted by N11KDJ

Thought this pic might help, it's my 320d on standard sport suspension with 19's.

I think the front could do with a 10/15mm drop , I've got some Pro Kit Eibach springs but undecided if I'm going to fit them or not.

Thanks, that's pretty much the same gap as I have now.

Originally Posted by JM85

Which ones are you fancying?

I'm a fan of the styles where the spokes go right to the edge of the rim so they look bigger. I like the AXE 15 multi spokes or the 3sdm style but in gunmetal grey.

From what I've read on here the 3sdm are an old style now but I love the concave on the rears.