Lifted E70 X5 with Oversized Tires

StradaRedlands · 10-28-2023, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbryantaz

It will depend on the tire but I think that 20mm of spacing is required with and isn't enough for all tires all tires.

With that rim (8.5" wide and 46mm offset) if the tires are square or have any knobbies on the sidewalls then they probably won't fit even with 20mm....

My cooper AT3s clear by about 6-7mm (an 8mm round screwdriver won't fit between it and the front upper ball joint. The tire is not perfectly square though, the sidewall is actually under the ball joint but the thread is tapering away to get this clearance.

This is with a 265/60/18 on a wheel with a 8" wide wheel 24mm offset wheel.

This puts my wheels 8mm farther out than what you are proposing... (2mm less than mine due to offset and 6mm due to extra width).

So it would be VERY close with 20mm spacers based on my setup and you might need 24mm spacers to fit the fronts to fit some tires... This does seem like the same setup from another member though so if those are falken wildpeaks you just just barely fit with the 20mm spacers. I am not a fan of spacers, there is just more stuff to go wrong with them which is why I opted for a wheel with an offset that fits. Unfortunately I had to get the centers machined to fit the X5 but overall it is better than spacers IMO...

-Rich

THANKS, Rich! I have been obsessing over this for a week now. The Xer has sport package staggered 20s, and I want something better for the occasional fire road up in Big Bear twice a year :-) But I'm really questioning the 265 tires... I just think they may be overkill for my usage. I think I'll go to some 209 style 18s, but mount some stock size tires. I don't want to mess with machining, spacers, etc. etc. etc. I luckily don't need to make a decision right away, but the current tires are ending the end of their lifespan, so need to start committing to something!

Thanks again for the feedback on this... it's a GREAT thread!!!

rbryantaz · 10-28-2023, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

THANKS, Rich! I have been obsessing over this for a week now. The Xer has sport package staggered 20s, and I want something better for the occasional fire road up in Big Bear twice a year :-) But I'm really questioning the 265 tires... I just think they may be overkill for my usage. I think I'll go to some 209 style 18s, but mount some stock size tires. I don't want to mess with machining, spacers, etc. etc. etc. I luckily don't need to make a decision right away, but the current tires are ending the end of their lifespan, so need to start committing to something!

Thanks again for the feedback on this... it's a GREAT thread!!!

The hard part is that if you want an AT tire they tend to need a taller sidewall than a passenger tire has. Falken does make a 255/55/18 in the wildpeak and BFG makes it in the trail-terrain. That would only be 29" so it would be 13mm or so closer on the top side so it would need less of a spacer, I am not sure if it would fit without one. To get to stock size in an AT you might need to be at 235/55/18 which is narrowing it up quite a bit. That will be better in snow but might start to look pretty narrow on an X5...

Note: Strangely because of low profile tire truck trends you can get a wildpeak in 245/45/19... So there are more low profile options in the 19" wheels than in 18... Note that some brakes might also not fit over the 18s. For instance I doubt that the M brakes or would fit behind my 18" wheels. I almost changed to the bigger brakes because the stock non M brake seem pretty prone to brake squeal but then didn't because of that.

-Rich

StradaRedlands · 10-28-2023, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbryantaz

The hard part is that if you want an AT tire they tend to need a taller sidewall than a passenger tire has. Falken does make a 255/55/18 in the wildpeak and BFG makes it in the trail-terrain. That would only be 29" so it would be 13mm or so closer on the top side so it would need less of a spacer, I am not sure if it would fit without one. To get to stock size in an AT you might need to be at 235/55/18 which is narrowing it up quite a bit. That will be better in snow but might start to look pretty narrow on an X5...

Note: Strangely because of low profile tire truck trends you can get a wildpeak in 245/45/19... So there are more low profile options in the 19" wheels than in 18... Note that some brakes might also not fit over the 18s. For instance I doubt that the M brakes or would fit behind my 18" wheels. I almost changed to the bigger brakes because the stock non M brake seem pretty prone to brake squeal but then didn't because of that.

-Rich

Keep the ideas coming... they're great! We had the Falken Wildpeak A/T on our GL450, and they were perfect for our needs. If those can fit with minimal or no spacer, I would be a happy camper (literally)!

The X5 has sport package, but not M Sport, so I presume standard calipers and nothing larger, but would probably behoove me to find that out before I start investing! The stock 20s are great for pure street driving, but I hate low profiles anywhere near rocks and ruts! Plus the tread just doesn't give me the traction for driving up fire roads locally (Big Bear Lake).

jbash87 · 10-29-2023, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

The X5 has sport package, but not M Sport, so I presume standard calipers and nothing larger, but would probably behoove me to find that out before I start investing!

I have 18's for my winter setup and they fit just fine on my 35d w/ the sport package.

I believe only the X5M and 50i's got larger brakes so you should be OK, but always best to double check.

rbryantaz · 10-30-2023, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbash87

I have 18's for my winter setup and they fit just fine on my 35d w/ the sport package.

I believe only the X5M and 50i's got larger brakes so you should be OK, but always best to double check.

The X5M probably won't fit with 18's. Based on my research the 50i brakes fit some 18" wheels but not all. I wasn't sure they would fit my modified 93s so I stayed with the stock ones. I still squeal even after a new set of calipers, rotors and pads though. These brakes and I just don't get along...

I bedded them in decently and they still squeal a bit on slow light stops. Perhaps I need to try to bed them in a second time more aggressively. They always seem to squeal on me even with a couple of different sets of pads over the past year so I went with new ATE rotors and EOM Jurid pads and it is better but still there.

-Rich