Yes. Ensure that the rolling diameters are uniform. Yes, according to BMW, the difference between the diameters of the front and rear tires should not exceed 1%. Additionally, the tires should only have a 3% diameter difference from the original wheels.
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chaz58
You should specifically match the BMW recommended rim size and tire. For AWD vehicles, BMW does indeed provide the option of staggered wheels and tires.
It is crucial to maintain the same rolling diameter whether using RWD or AWD, however doing so with AWD could potentially damage the AWD system.
You will still have Various rolling diameters of the tires even if you use the same size tire on different width wheels. For this reason, when quoting the tire diameter, tire manufacturers often include the wheel width. The diameter will NOT remain the same at a changing width.
Additionally, it explains why BMW puts so much effort into determining which tires will fit their staggered wheels without causing any other issues.
The warning: You could only do this if you could locate a set of tires whose diameter matched the measurement of the width of the rims you were considering. However, other than what BMW publishes, I have only ever seen tire manufacturers provide the diameter with a single rim width. I am not sure where else you might obtain this information.
So, sure, what you mentioned WILL have a detrimental impact on the car. Is the difference significant enough for you to care? Do you care if your AWD, traction control, or other system’s ABS is operating at 98% efficiency? You have the choice…
My current whees are not in a staggered 162 style, so I want to upgrade them.
I need some advice on whether the all-wheel drive system will be harmed or affected by the staggered wheel setup.
Depending on the tire size, you should be fine as long as it is proportionate. If you want evidence, Sport package XI vehicles have staggered setups from BMW.
That’s accurate. The setup for my 335I was only slightly staggered. No worries, I am now running 18×9 and 18×10 correspondingly. Just make sure the “rolling diameter” of the tires you choose is within specifications.
On your XI-equipped car, a staggered layout is safe to use. All of the sizes indicated above will function flawlessly! Please send me a private message if you have any questions at all.
It refers to the discrepancy in tire diameter between the front and rear tires. The sizes won’t be exactly the same because of the staggered placement. Different tire size combinations lead to variations in the rolling diameter of the tires between the front and rear; for xi’s, this variation should be kept to within 1%. The Wheels and Tires area of this topic has a calculator at the top.
What the heck is a “rolling diameter”? I want to use a staggered design, but I’ve heard that there could be issues. Please explain what this 1% means.
Obviously, the diameter of your wheels won’t change, but as tires go wider, the sidewall rating does. The 35 or 40 number in a tire size refers to a ratio of the tire’s outside diameter to its width rather than a nominal distance.
The entire diameter (wheel + tire or “rolling diameter”) should be the same from front to back on an AWD vehicle. Make sure the sidwall size is sufficient to put the front and rear rolling diameters within a 1 to 2% fluctuation if you’re working with staggered setups (wider rubber in the back).
I’m sorry to revive an old question, but I was looking at a new set of wheels for my xDrive and I was just wondering if you guys thought they’d be alright.
Why 235/35/19 and 265/30/19 instead? I believe they are the typical size for the Xdrive system.
I’m new to this site, but I haven’t encountered any issues with my 2006 BMW 330xi’s staggered fitment of 265 30 19 in the rear on 9.5 wheels and 235 35 in the front on 8.5 wheels. However, I’ve only put a little over 5,000 miles on the car. I’m looking forward to using this site to learn and hear.
Can you please help me determine the tire sizes for my 2009 335i xdrive? I’m trying to run 19×9.5 et 20 front and 19×11 et 25 rear.
Complications
Your front tires move faster and have a lower overall surface area when they are smaller than your rear tires. The AWD system will therefore believe your front tires are slipping and limit the power as a result. There could also be additional issues, such increased tread wear.
Then there are several little issues like changing wheels, tread patterns, and widths that might wind up throwing your automobile out of alignment.
Overall, running staggered on an AWD car is a bit of a challenge, but it is doable with the right information, and many enthusiasts do it.
Can an AWD vehicle have staggered wheels?
Due to the nature of all-wheel-drive systems, it’s probable that driving a staggered layout in an AWD vehicle will be more difficult. You run larger wheels and tires in the back when the design is staggered. This type of setup, where the front tires are slim and the rear tires are FAT, is common on drag builds. The rear wheels and tires of a RWD vehicle get all of the vehicle’s power when it is being driven.
Can a BMW xDrive have staggered wheels?
Yes. Ensure that the rolling diameters are uniform. Yes, according to BMW, the difference between the diameters of the front and rear tires should not exceed 1%. Additionally, the tires should only have a 3% diameter difference from the original wheels.
Why do BMW wheels have an offset pattern?
A staggered application is another name for a staggered fitment. Basically, it indicates that the front and rear wheels of the car have different sizes. Wider wheels, such as a 19×8 on the front and a 19×9.5 on the back, are typically run on the back. Usually, rear-wheel drive vehicles like the Infiniti G35, Nissan 350Z, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW, Ford Mustang, and others will undergo this. Larger lips and higher traction during acceleration are both benefits of running staggered wheels or wider wheels on the drive wheels. A staggered fitment might also entail larger rear wheels, such as those with an 18″ rear wheel and a 17″ front wheel. Aftermarket Chevy Corvettes and Acura NSXs are two examples of this. The broadest selection of staggered wheels is produced by TSW.
BMW staggered wheels: what are they?
A staggered application is another name for a staggered fitment. In essence, it means that the wheels on the back of your BMW are different sizes from the ones on the front. A staggered wheel fitment typically refers to bigger wheels on the back of the car, such as 19×8.5 up front and 19×9.5 in the back. Running wider wheels on the driving wheels results in greater lips and, from an aesthetic standpoint, higher traction during acceleration.
Wheels that are staggered can you align?
Before a wheel alignment can be accomplished, a car must undergo a number of checks.
These include inspecting the suspension and steering parts, as well as the wheels and tires. If these tests are not made, the wheel alignment may vary soon after being completed.
Wheel alignment will be impacted by inspecting the wheels and tires for damage and adjusting the air pressure in the tires.
Verify that all of the wheels are the same diameter and that all of the tires are the same size and free from obvious sidewall or tread damage.
Some cars have wheels that vary in size from the front to the back. As long as the front and rear tires are the same size from side to side, wheel alignment on these cars is safe.
Before finishing a wheel alignment, it is also necessary to inspect the steering and suspension parts.
Verify that no parts are damaged that might prevent a proper adjustment or jeopardize the vehicle’s driving safety. Prior to doing the wheel alignment, they should be replaced.
The ride height of the car will alter when the suspension springs deteriorate and start to sag over time.
Additionally, the ride height should be examined because it influences wheel alignment. The negative camber of the automobile will naturally rise with a lower ride height, and there may not be enough suspension adjustment to bring it back to factory standards, increasing tyre wear.
Can I change the size of the tires on my AWD vehicle?
On some four-wheel and all-wheel drive cars, having various sizes might actually harm the vehicle. Because tires vary between brands and even between models, damage can happen to tires of the same size if there is a significant variance in diameter between them.
Do wheels with a stagger look better?
A vehicle with rear wheels that are different sizes from those on the front is said to have a staggered fitment or staggered application, if you drive one or have ever seen one. For rear-drive cars like the Ford Mustang or other high-performance cars, such a wheel arrangement is typical. In these situations, the difference between the front and rear wheels typically relates to width, with the wider wheels normally being located on the back. The reason for this is that a wider wheel enables a vehicle to grasp the pavement more effectively from the back, improving acceleration and grip. The wheels should be spaced so that the rear ones are wider than the front ones to make the car appear more streamlined.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, that not all variables can be staggered, including wheel width. Some cars could also have rear wheels that are bigger than front wheels. These are more common on sports automobiles that have undergone aftermarket modifications. Additionally, variations in wheel diameter are likely to result in variations in lip width, which improves the appearance and gives the car a more aggressive appearance.
After reading this brief summary, you might be thinking whether it’s worthwhile to equip your car with staggered wheels and rims. We’ll compare this article’s benefits and drawbacks.
Staggering your wheels and rims has a number of noteworthy benefits, two of which were highlighted in the overview of Aesthetics and Performance. And again, it is true that when mounted with larger (or wider) tires in the rear, the right vehicle will have a more commanding presence and benefit from improved performance due to increased road grip. However, these are by no means the sole advantages of staggered wheels and tires. Here are some more important examples:
- Weight support: The bulk of the weight of some automobiles (think Porches) is supported by just one axle. If this is the case, it makes logical to have larger wheels on the back of the car than the front as the rear carries a greater amount of weight. However, as vehicles should always stagger from rear to front, this wouldn’t truly apply if the majority of their weight was placed at the front.
- Larger or wider tires on the back of a car can improve stability in addition to performance, which is important for performance cars that you don’t want to wander from side to side when you press the gas pedal. Additionally, staggered wheels frequently provide for improved cornering and more responsive braking.
After discussing the benefits of staggered wheels and rims, it is important to discuss their drawbacks. By doing this, you will be more equipped to decide whether or not this configuration is appropriate for your car. Check this out:
- Any vehicle should have its tires rotated around every 6,000 miles as part of normal maintenance. You cannot rotate tires with two different sizes from front to back or vice versa to maintain even tread wear. Instead, whether you rotate the tires yourself or hire a professional to do it, you must make sure they are rotated laterally. It would be quite harmful to overlook this.
- Convenience: With 2 distinct sizes, buying a new set is a little more difficult.