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[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I'm in a debate right now. Either I use my alraedy fitting 442M wheels for winter or sell them OR try to find my old E46 17 inch wheels that currently don't fit at all and would need fiddling with spacers.

I think I could handle 19s tire price not to bad. Seems though the only tire there is is the Yokohama Ice Guard iG52c .

But anyhow, my question is how bad will I have it using the 19s compared to 17s? I see everyone praising to going lower, but how much better will it be.

I will barely be driving my car this winter, just for going out with friends at most or if I have to be somewhere.

If I keep my 19s, what is recommended tire size? Wheels are 19x8 and 19x8.5

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I'm in a debate right now. Either I use my alraedy fitting 442M wheels for winter or sell them OR try to find my old E46 17 inch wheels that currently don't fit at all and would need fiddling with spacers.

I think I could handle 19s tire price not to bad. Seems though the only tire there is is the Yokohama Ice Guard iG52c .

But anyhow, my question is how bad will I have it using the 19s compared to 17s? I see everyone praising to going lower, but how much better will it be.

I will barely be driving my car this winter, just for going out with friends at most or if I have to be somewhere.

If I keep my 19s, what is recommended tire size? Wheels are 19x8 and 19x8.5

Do you have an E90 or E92? My winter setup are Style 44's which are off on an E46 and they just fit with the offset, The fronts come close to the strut but they don't end up rubbing.

The reason I went to a 17 inch so that I can put a thicker tire, the thicker the tire you have the better traction you'll have since it can dig more into the snow compared to a 40 series tire.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by OTO335i

Do you have an E90 or E92? My winter setup are Style 44's which are off on an E46 and they just fit with the offset, The fronts come close to the strut but they don't end up rubbing.

The reason I went to a 17 inch so that I can put a thicker tire, the thicker the tire you have the better traction you'll have since it can dig more into the snow compared to a 40 series tire.

I have E92. My wheels are style 98. Specs are 17x7 ET 47. Tried fitting the front and it won't fit because of caliper. But now I'm thinking if I get 15mm spacer they should fit because then the specs will then ressemble oem with offset ET 35.

I'm not sure if my logic is right here?

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I have E92. My wheels are style 98. Specs are 17x7 ET 47. Tried fitting the front and it won't fit because of caliper. But now I'm thinking if I get 15mm spacer they should fit because then the specs will then ressemble oem with offset ET 35.

I'm not sure if my logic is right here?

So they won't go over the caliper at all or they clear over and rub? My 44's are 17x8 ET 47 and they just make it and barely touch the strut lol I was very lucky because when I bought them I had no clue about fitment issues being a possibility.

I think that your logic works about the spacer bringing your ET down to 35 but the question is will the wheel still be far enough to clear the caliper.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by OTO335i

So they won't go over the caliper at all or they clear over and rub? My 44's are 17x8 ET 47 and they just make it and barely touch the strut lol I was very lucky because when I bought them I had no clue about fitment issues being a possibility.

I think that your logic works about the spacer bringing your ET down to 35 but the question is will the wheel still be far enough to clear the caliper.

Yeah if I try to press it directly onto the hub it collides with the caliper and wheel won't stay flat.

But I don't understand you have same offset as me and yes and inch wider but still, shouldn't offset not be affected by wideness. like your wheel hub still has the same clearance as mine since both have same offsets and both are 17 inches. It's really complicated

I did find some used 17 inch wheels with one season of winter tire left, but they are replicas and seems to be like rusty ish so I don't konw... guy had them on a 2014 335i M sport so it must fit on our car right.

And that's the thing, I don't want to order spacers at like 130$ and then have to return them with like another 15$ shipping. I will try to take another look tonight and see what it looks like exactly.

If I recall correctly, when I held the wheel like hub level but closer to me, caliper wasn't touching.

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Yeah if I try to press it directly onto the hub it collides with the caliper and wheel won't stay flat.

But I don't understand you have same offset as me and yes and inch wider but still, shouldn't offset not be affected by wideness. like your wheel hub still has the same clearance as mine since both have same offsets and both are 17 inches. It's really complicated

I did find some used 17 inch wheels with one season of winter tire left, but they are replicas and seems to be like rusty ish so I don't konw... guy had them on a 2014 335i M sport so it must fit on our car right.

And that's the thing, I don't want to order spacers at like 130$ and then have to return them with like another 15$ shipping. I will try to take another look tonight and see what it looks like exactly.

If I recall correctly, when I held the wheel like hub level but closer to me, caliper wasn't touching.

hhmmm interesting, I wonder if that inch is what makes all the difference. I see that you're in Gatineau, I'm in Ottawa, If you'd like to come test out my winter wheels on your car to see we could always do that before you pull the trigger on anything.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by OTO335i

hhmmm interesting, I wonder if that inch is what makes all the difference. I see that you're in Gatineau, I'm in Ottawa, If you'd like to come test out my winter wheels on your car to see we could always do that before you pull the trigger on anything.

Hey man I would appreciate that for sure! I could bring one of my wheel to and compare, I'm really curious how much difference your wheel do compared to the ones I have!

I'll PM you!

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Yeah if I try to press it directly onto the hub it collides with the caliper and wheel won't stay flat.

But I don't understand you have same offset as me and yes and inch wider but still, shouldn't offset not be affected by wideness. like your wheel hub still has the same clearance as mine since both have same offsets and both are 17 inches. It's really complicated

I did find some used 17 inch wheels with one season of winter tire left, but they are replicas and seems to be like rusty ish so I don't konw... guy had them on a 2014 335i M sport so it must fit on our car right.

And that's the thing, I don't want to order spacers at like 130$ and then have to return them with like another 15$ shipping. I will try to take another look tonight and see what it looks like exactly.

If I recall correctly, when I held the wheel like hub level but closer to me, caliper wasn't touching.

It’s not that simple. Width and offset are both factors in clearances. 8” et37 and 7” et37 do not have the same clearance.

For beginners, a 7” et47 will look so sunken in. STOCK size is around 8” et37, this sticks out a full inch more than your wheel. And the stock fitment is conservative to say the least.

Secondly, not all 17” wheels fit over 335i brakes, diameter wise. If you did your research you would know this.

Thirdly, wheels have difference caliper clearances due to the spoke profile, laterally speaking.

Fourth, 17” vs 19” should have basically zero effect on traction in snow. Tire availability would be one of the only things that would affect it.

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by Antetokounmpo

It’s not that simple. Width and offset are both factors in clearances. 8” et37 and 7” et37 do not have the same clearance.

Fourth, 17” vs 19” should have basically zero effect on traction in snow. Tire availability would be one of the only things that would affect it.

I have to disagree with you here, the reason you would go down to a 17'' is so that you can put a thicker tire on which is essentially better for traction.

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by OTO335i

I have to disagree with you here, the reason you would go down to a 17'' is so that you can put a thicker tire on which is essentially better for traction.

It doesn't matter on snow when there's almost zero friction. The snow cannot exert enough opposite force on the tire to have the sidewall flex come into play at all.

On high friction surfaces you are certainly correct though.

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by Antetokounmpo

It doesn't matter on snow when there's almost zero friction. The snow cannot exert enough opposite force on the tire to have the sidewall flex come into play at all.

On high friction surfaces you are certainly correct though.

I still disagree from my experience.

If you put a 225/60 vs a 225/40 tire you'll get out of your spot much easier with the thicker tire since it'll be able to dig into the snow more and that tire isn't as stiff as the 40 series. It may not have flex like you're describing but a tire with a thicker sidewall will be softer and therefor have more "flex".

A few years ago I had a 99 impreza with 65 series tires for winter, I never got stuck, launching and stopping was amazing. Aftrer that car I ended up buying a Audi A4 (B6) and the winters I had were 45 series and I can tell you that I really wasn't impressed with the launch and the stopping force of the car with those tires on, the following year I threw on a thicker set of tires on the Audi and it made a difference all around.