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[CliffJumper]

As some of you might recall in previous threads, I have been looking for a cheap set of winter tires/wheels. Since I will only use them for 5 - 10 days per year, I didn't want to buy a new set, and everyone selling a used set off of an M3 was charging an arm and a leg.

So, after looking around, I finally found a set of rims + tires that a guy was willing to sell a set of winter wheels/tires off his E39 (2003 540i sport) for $550 (local pickup). I checked the wheel manufacturer's website (which formerly showed 18" options for M3s, but only 20" now), and it showed that the offsets for my E90 M3 were the same as a non-M E39. I wasn't completely sure if it'd work, but at that price, I figured it was worth a try.

Wheels are TSW Nogaros with fairly new Continental ContiWinter Contact TS810S tires (235/40 R18 all around, despite diff wheel widths).
Front: 18x8", +20 offset
Rear: 18x9", +20 offset

After keeping in storage for 6 weeks, I finally tried them on today. Everything seems to fit well, with no rubbing (I turned the front wheels lock-to-lock). The closest thing to rubbing was on the front wheels. There's only a small gap around the brake caliper, and when the wheel weights go past the caliper, I barely hear a faint rubbing sound.

I THINK I'll be okay, but just to check the collective genius of this forum, is there any chance that the calipers will expand (due to heat to cause any problems)? I plan on getting the wheels rebalanced and moving the wheel weights so they're not in the way.

Anyway other than that question above, I mainly wanted to post that YES, you can CAN use aftermarket wheels from other Bimmers and save some $$$.

[Radiation Joe]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. They will almost certainly vibrate. And worse, they may cause your wheel bolts to break. You can't use those wheels. They have the wrong center bore diameter. The e39s used an oddball larger diameter hub, so the wheels have a larger center bore than our 3 series or even the new 5 series cars.

All of the loads from your wheels are being transmitted through the wheel bolts. This is not the way your car was designed. The load is supposed to be transmitted through the hub.

[GTM]

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. They will almost certainly vibrate. And worse, they may cause your wheel bolts to break. You can't use those wheels. They have the wrong center bore diameter. The e39s used an oddball larger diameter hub, so the wheels have a larger center bore than our 3 series or even the new 5 series cars.

All of the loads from your wheels are being transmitted through the wheel bolts. This is not the way your car was designed. The load is supposed to be transmitted through the hub.

As long as he has proper fitting hub-ring, he should be fine.



BTW, It looks like you have enough clearance between wheel weight and brake caliper.
You sure the weight is touching the caliper??

[quality_sound]

It should be fine. I've had less than a credit card's thickness between a wheel and caliper before with no problems.

[09E92M34ME]

Not trying to be a jerk but I would store the car for winter vice driving around with those wheels. IMO it looks horrible.

[quality_sound]

That is a stupid reason NOT to drive a car.

[Radiation Joe]

GTM is right.

Those hub rings should be available. Pick them up from any TSW distributor and you should be golden.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

GTM is right.

Those hub rings should be available. Pick them up from any TSW distributor and you should be golden.

My track wheels use the larger hub bore and I run the rings with no issues.As far as the wheel weights just get your tire guy to rebalance and place the weights where caliper clearance is a non issue.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by 09E92M34ME

Not trying to be a jerk but I would store the car for winter vice driving around with those wheels. IMO it looks horrible.

You quite obviously do not live in a snow belt area.You use what works.

[CliffJumper]

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. They will almost certainly vibrate. And worse, they may cause your wheel bolts to break. You can't use those wheels. They have the wrong center bore diameter. The e39s used an oddball larger diameter hub, so the wheels have a larger center bore than our 3 series or even the new 5 series cars.

All of the loads from your wheels are being transmitted through the wheel bolts. This is not the way your car was designed. The load is supposed to be transmitted through the hub.

As GTM says below, I just need the proper hubcentric rings. There are plenty of wheels that use hubcentric rings to fit properly, and I don't believe they are unsafe. I won't be using any spacers or anything else.

Originally Posted by GTM

As long as he has proper fitting hub-ring, he should be fine.

BTW, It looks like you have enough clearance between wheel weight and brake caliper.
You sure the weight is touching the caliper??

I couldn't see it touching b/c it was dark in the garage, but when I had the car jacked up, I spun the wheel, and I could hear a faint rubbing sound only when the wheel weights were behind the calipers. Anyway, I'm going to have it rebalanced anyway, so I figure that should be a non-issue.

Originally Posted by 09E92M34ME

Not trying to be a jerk but I would store the car for winter vice driving around with those wheels. IMO it looks horrible.

In my original post, I mentioned that I will only use these wheels for about 5 - 10 days per year. I've posted more about this in other threads, but I live in LA, and simply want to make my car safer for a few snowboarding trips per year, where I drive 350 miles on perfectly dry roads, and then last 10 on snow/ice. I can survive w/o them, but why not enjoy my car and be safe if I can find a good deal?