tires and wheels Got some new wheels - now I need tire help (Please?)...

[Guest Anonymous]

...suitable tires if you don't use spacers.

[JohnN]

will decrease, not increase the offset.

Not much you can easily do, short of taking the wheel to a machine shop and having some of the hat on the wheel milled off. I certainly would not recommend doing that though.

Easiest is to buy the right wheel, or put on the flairs you always wanted :-)

John N

[Kidasters]

Yeah - I'm slow on the uptake. I drew a picture and now I see....

Adding 8 mm spacers decreases my offset on these wheels to 11 mm.

Shit.

[PSloan]

You can run wheels with a 19mm offset - it will be OK. Just don't get too fat of tires.

[boxy02]

What a minute, How does the rim look when you mount it on your front hub? What's the measurement between the inner rim lip and your strut? What's the measurement between the outer rim lip and your fender lip? You should have more room on one of the sides (probably the fender lip side).......oh........light bulb went on. Yeah, there isn't an anti-spacer invented yet that will help move your rim in toward your strut. I'm sorry, I gave you bad information.

I should've known better. CD's info is almost always chiseled in marble...no mistakes.

[Kidasters]

I hope we never have to find out.

I've been doing lots of drawing on the whiteboard in my office. Luckily, since I'm an engineer, people think I'm doing work.....

I think I'm going to try it. I realize that the 19 mm offset is a little shallower, but then again - it's a wider rim (it's a 5-1/2" wheel remember). So - if I check the "T" distance (from the lip of the wheel to the inside of the lug pattern of the wheel) it should be within 1 mm between both sets - I think I calculated it to be 88 mm on one and 89 mm on the other.

So - I'm going to try what c.d. suggested - put one on. After I see if it works, then I'll put the alloys up for sale. So - for those of you that are interested - please be patient!

And to the original question - tire size - I'm going to try a 185/70.

Thanks everyone for the help. I really appreciate it.

And c.d. - if you don't mind, I printed your educational response and I'm putting that inside my "blue book". Thanks again.

Ken

[c.d.iesel]

. . . . .your welcome. Give your new tires a 4-wheel alignment

check afterwards.

post a photo of one of the Campy's mounted on the car.

my favorite motor journalist - Jenk's meeting the 6-wheel Tyrrell

[Delia]

Hmmmm...this is all so very interesting

Engineer-Speak" and all...

But wait a minute, we've got Mike Macartney's Guide handy...

Mike states that the ideal offset (inset) for a 2002 is ET 26-28mm. The 320i wheels with ET13 (inset) will "foul the bodywork," but they do indeed fit if the car isn't lowered or overloaded.

So, if I read this correctly, the inset for a 320i (E21) is ET 13 and not 19. And...19 is about halfway between stock 2002 and stock 320i.

Hmmmmm...

OK, I know that there are 2002 styled steelies with an offset (inset) of ET 29.

An ET higher than 29 on an 02 is likely equated with the preponderance of E30 14" wheels so often used (incorrectly) on '02s.

FWIW, I have a set of E30 basketweaves on my '74tii.

Anyway, After consulting Mike Macartney's book, I bought a set of staggered Alpina 13-inchers (5.5" and 6") with an ET 18 a few months ago from an faq board member.

I think, relatively speaking, they'd be just fine with 185/70s on either of my tiis.

If that tire won't work, there's always 175/70s.

See pic of "Orange Julius" in the year in the first picture in 2006, and with his 320is basketweaves, way back in the YEAR 2002.

Cheers!

Delia

[blue7500]

My Cromodora CD36s are ET18 and are listed specifically for the 2002 in the catalog that came with them. I have had zero rubbing issues; they are the same wheel size as these Campagnolos and I am running 195/60R13 Sumitomo HTR-200s on them.

IIRC, they're even listed for E21s -- which would make it seem like, to me, that ET18 should fit both with minimal drama.

[Beaner7102]

...But wait a minute, we've got Mike Macartney's Guide handy...

Mike states that the ideal offset (inset) for a 2002 is ET 26-28mm. The 320i wheels with ET13 (inset) will "foul the bodywork," but they do indeed fit if the car isn't lowered or overloaded.

So, if I read this correctly, the inset for a 320i (E21) is ET 13 and not 19. And...19 is about halfway between stock 2002 and stock 320i...

Dont forget stock offset is quoted on the stock wheel width. And if you get a wider rim, the offset should increase proportionally - to keep the same % of rotating mass either side of the wheel hub.

If you fit say a ET00 or ET44 (ignoring rubbing issues just for a moment) you will cause unpredictable bearing wear, steering problems etc. Thats why people fit E30 rims with less hassles than the E21 rims, as the E30's offset is closer proportionally to our beloved 2002.

Mucho research needed to really understand wheel offset and effects. Just because they bolt up does not mean they 'fit'.

Beaner7102 (soon to have his fenders flared to fit a set of E30 15x6 Alpina replicas)

[jgmgti]

Great choice of wheels,I used 13x6 BBS 13mm offset new old stock on my 72 Inka Tii for the first 6mos. or so with Pirelli 3000s and got a little rubbing on tight left hand downhill turns at speed.

Now with 13x6 Superlites 25 offset on the 175x70 x13s no issues ever.The Pirelli 175s while being an all season tire running 34 LBS never an issue.13k and are good most conditions wet dry etc.

Getting to be time for 195-60s or 205-50s .The 175x70s are fun for kicking the back end out with little effort while cornering.

Just one guys opinion.

Jonathan

[TimMN]

I'm running e21 offset revolution wheels on my car (ET19 IIRC). It did take some work, but they're great now. Watch the tire size (185/70 works for me), if the fronts rub, try Ireland fixed camber plates to get the top of the tire in a bit, and finally, I did have to do some body work on my fender lips. Not just rolling, but hammer and dolly stuff to really get some room. Otherwise the sharp lip was cutting into the tire, it wasn't just rubbing! Luckily, I was in the midst of body and paintwork at the time.

Good luck, those are great wheels!

Tim