I'm new to the E28 and I would like to change the wheels.
What do I need to look for? What's the offset for the factory wheels on a 86 524td?
I'd like to go with some newer OEM wheels, but I'm not sure what models will fit.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Todd

Pretty much any wheel from any year 5 or 7 series car will fit. Something with an offset in the 15mm-20mm range works fine up to about 7.5" wide with no extra work.
Good luck

Pretty much any wheel from any year 5 or 7 series car will fit. Something with an offset in the 15mm-20mm range works fine up to about 7.5" wide with no extra work.
Good luck

Only 7.5" wide? That's new to me... :(

The E34, IIRC, can fit ~ 10" in back.

10s wont work in the back without MAJOR work.

10s wont work in the back without MAJOR work.

What will fit in the back with minor/no work? 8.5"s?

8" will fit if you roll the rear fenders.

So why are the fenders so narrow on the E28 as compared to the E34?

I have 17x8 AT Italia Style 23 M-Kontur's on my E28, shod with P225/45 ZR17 Continental Contact Sport. They fit nice.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/kenm10759/BMW%20535i/rt-sd23.jpg

Well, I'm no expert but it seems that if you got the correct offset (ET) for the rear wheels you should be able to fit 9" wide wheels with only minor rolling of the fender lip. The fitment ET range for the fronts is around 13mm - 20mm (I've heard that ET 11 will fit, but I haven't tried it), the rear ET will get into the mid 20's.

I've seen several E28's here with 9' wide BMW throwing stars, so I know the 9" wide wheel will fit. I have a staggered set of euro M5 throwing stars that will eventually make their way onto the 5er.....at least until the BBS-RZ can get re-finished. I'm eager to see how it handles with the wider meats.


:pullover

I have et11 BBS RSs on my car. Even with spring spacers and insane lip rolling, it still rubs on occasion. I'm on 225/50/16 Goodyear Eagle F1s. I'm either going to stretch 205/40/16s or get the wheels machined to et13.

I have et11 BBS RSs on my car. Even with spring spacers and insane lip rolling, it still rubs on occasion. I'm on 225/50/16 Goodyear Eagle F1s. I'm either going to stretch 205/40/16s or get the wheels machined to et13.

:eek:

Lip rolling and still rubbing? That sucks.

Your offset must be too low...?

Please don't do the stretched look. Reserve it for VWs. IMO it ruins BMW as a performance car.

1) throwing stars are 8" wide almost always

2) you can fit more tire than you could ever use in an E28 524td on a 16x7.5" rim.

I run front ET11 16x7.5 bbs rs with 245/50 and they do rub if you lock steering wheel. The rub on the strut tower.

1) throwing stars are 8" wide almost always

2) you can fit more tire than you could ever use in an E28 524td on a 16x7.5" rim.

What about an E28 535i(S)?

:eek:

Lip rolling and still rubbing? That sucks.

Your offset must be too low...?

Please don't do the stretched look. Reserve it for VWs. IMO it ruins BMW as a performance car.


I know the offset is too low. I knew when I bought 'em. But 200 bucks for 4 BBS RSs is too much of a screaming deal to pass up, even though it looks like mine were found at the bottom of a tar pit. If I do decide to run stretched tires I'm not going to go crazy, hell I had 225/45/18s on my old 18X8s, and even with that slight stretch I did just fine in the twisties.

What about an E28 535i(S)?


unless its forcefed, a good set of 225/50-16s (think azenis, etc) will be more tire than you can ever actually use. especially if the car is reasonable on weight. my 533i curbed at 2977lbs... then I yanked the AC and slimmed down the exhaust...

maybe a 245/40-17 in an extreme case, but you just don't NEED that much tire with these cars.

unless its forcefed, a good set of 225/50-16s (think azenis, etc) will be more tire than you can ever actually use. especially if the car is reasonable on weight. my 533i curbed at 2977lbs... then I yanked the AC and slimmed down the exhaust...

maybe a 245/40-17 in an extreme case, but you just don't NEED that much tire with these cars.

Ah, I see.

So why is it people with E34s put such huge tires (275/40/17, etc.) on them? Is the E34 really that much heavier?

about 600lbs heavier, yes.

and while the basic suspension setup isn't a lot different, it is more developed.

most of those E34s don't need such brutally wide tires either... the M5s came with 17x8s all around... but they also had a more sophisticated back-end than the base cars.

mine are 9 1/2, no problems, no work, see sig

about 600lbs heavier, yes.

and while the basic suspension setup isn't a lot different, it is more developed.

most of those E34s don't need such brutally wide tires either... the M5s came with 17x8s all around... but they also had a more sophisticated back-end than the base cars.

I see. Well, I'd still like to be able to run ~ 255's or thereabouts, even if it doesn't need it. I just like the look of wide tires. Wide tire fetish, I guess. :shifty

mine are 9 1/2, no problems, no work, see sig

What tire size?

im running 16x8 +10 rear and 16x8 +22 in the front. The rear is only running on Heavy Duty bilsteins and stock springs...tire sizes are 225/50/17 and the rear rubs...but the fronts are just fine.

even with the spare tire pulled...

I see. Well, I'd still like to be able to run ~ 255's or thereabouts, even if it doesn't need it. I just like the look of wide tires. Wide tire fetish, I guess. :shifty



What tire size?
i meant the tires were 9 1/2, i bought it like that, ill measure today when its warmer...its a little cold outside like 6 degrees

you should be able to get a 255 under their with the right wheel (8-8.5") and a little bit of rolling.

getting that under the front might be a touchier subject.

you should be able to get a 255 under their with the right wheel (8-8.5") and a little bit of rolling.

getting that under the front might be a touchier subject.

Sounds good.

I would run a staggered setup if I had to, but this will add a bit of understeer, won't it?

BTW, is fender rolling hard? I mean, I know how to do it theoretically, but everyone always seems to make a big deal about it. From the how-tos I've read, it seems pretty darn easy--so why all the fuss?

10s wont work in the back without MAJOR work.


Awww, c'mon Bill. If 11's will fit then 10's will be a piece of cake!

http://www.oo00oo.com/other/teilegott/images/Teilegott%20(Marco)'s%20e28%201.jpg

any decent speed-shop can help you with the fenders.

the trick is that if you screw it up, you're looking at repairing a quarter-panel... which sucks.

staggered is OK and all, an FI E28 with a firmed-up suspension would still be fine with a mildly staggered setup, but you don't want extreme stagger.

I ran 205/60-15s on my E28 with mostly stock suspension save the adjustable sways bars, and it had almost enough grip, and was nicely balanced. a really nice 225/50-16 would have been brilliant on that car. that was a basically stock B34 in a ~2900lb chasis.

ohnoes needs to buy a bad ass e28. :)

I have an M30B34 for sale... if you want one.