What is a good wheel for 19x8.5 low profile wheel

HI All,


I bought me a set of wheels as you can see on the images, they are 5x120, 19's 8.5 both.

Im gonna put them on my e46 323i 2000, i am running stock everything, and i am a noob when it comes to wheels tires suspension etc.

Now i need your recommendation on what tire size i should put on my car to make it a low profile, i will possibly drop it once i put the tires and wheels on, but i need a good size tire that will look nice, someone suggested 225/40/19?

Also, will my suspension hold 19's? will it mess up my sub frame etc?


I would need all your recommendation please!

thanks!

Well what offsets?

19s are on the verge of being too big for the car, much of the problem being weight and some of it being that the tire options are seriously limited and the options available should be expensive. The car takes a 225/45x17, so if you wanted to use a 225 on a 19, then you would get a 225/35x19, the 225/40x19 will be too tall. You might find that there is no such thing as 225/35x19, but you can look on www.tirerack.com to see if it is an available size.

Moving on...

The factory wheel is a 7.5x17 (width x diameter). There are other options, but this one has an ET of 41. ET is the distance from the surface that fits against the hub to the centerline of the wheel. I get a bit turned around, so feel free to correct me on this next point -- If a 7.5 wheel takes an ET of 41, then an 8.5 wheel should see the ET at about 47 to 50. The idea is that as the wheel gets wider, you need to move the plate in the center of the wheel to maintain the same distance to the centerline. If the wheel is wider and the ET is the same, then all of the new width is pushed outboard, if the plate in the center of the wheel is also pushed outboard, then the wheel is drawn in to maintain clearance with the fenders.

If the ET is low then the tires will be moved outboard where the issue is that they can strike the fenders, if the ET is high then the tires can strike the suspension components. Tires striking anything other than the ground is usually bad, and in some cases striking the ground is even worse than hitting stuff on the car.

Those wheels appear to be for a FWD car, by the way.

Look at this site (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/) and find Style 127. It is available in your size, 8.5x19, and the ET and tire fitment specs are shown.

I'm only offering this to give you the dimensions you want for the wheel, and the tire size you needed for the wheels you are interested in.

Originally Posted by jdstrickland

Those wheels appear to be for a FWD car, by the way.

HHmm how can you tell? im RWD, i think all bimmers are? correct me if im wrong.

Originally Posted by jdstrickland

Look at this site (http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/) and find Style 127. It is available in your size, 8.5x19, and the ET and tire fitment specs are shown.
Good link i appreciate it, now what tire do you recommend if the one they mention does not exist );


I'm only offering this to give you the dimensions you want for the wheel, and the tire size you needed for the wheels you are interested in.

Originally Posted by illestminimike

Well what offsets?

Offset is 38mm.

Thanks to both.

You are correct, all BMWs are RWD.

Your offset is a bit lean, you may find that you are rolling the fenders to get the clearance you need.

The general consensus is that you should have asked here before you bought those 19s, I believe you would have been encouraged to get 18s instead.

Visit www.tirerack.com for the available tires. It looks like you will be spending about $150 - $200 apiece or more for tires. Tirerack will tell you what all of the numbers and letters mean, and you need to know this so you don't put Yugo tires on your BMW. You can get your tire size with a 91H rating, which is okay for an Accord, but not a good enough tire for your BMW. You need to learn what 91H means so you know how to shop around it, or know what it means if you are a price shopper more than a quality shopper. Tires are also rated 320/A/A or 300/B/C or 520/AA/A. You need to know what all of this means because the price will change dramatically and you need to learn why.

Originally Posted by jdstrickland

You are correct, all BMWs are RWD.

except the XI and Minis

The fitment is a little bit aggressive on the car, but the 19" fitment on the E46 is totally a possible fitment. We have done it many times with great success. Most of the customers would be running a 225/35R19 and 255/30R19 when running staggered and just simply a 225/35R19 if running squared like yourself. The front wheels on this car are 19x8.5 et.35. Here are a few shots! Hope it helps!

Originally Posted by jdstrickland

You are correct, all BMWs are RWD.

Your offset is a bit lean, you may find that you are rolling the fenders to get the clearance you need.

The general consensus is that you should have asked here before you bought those 19s, I believe you would have been encouraged to get 18s instead.

Visit www.tirerack.com for the available tires. It looks like you will be spending about $150 - $200 apiece or more for tires. Tirerack will tell you what all of the numbers and letters mean, and you need to know this so you don't put Yugo tires on your BMW. You can get your tire size with a 91H rating, which is okay for an Accord, but not a good enough tire for your BMW. You need to learn what 91H means so you know how to shop around it, or know what it means if you are a price shopper more than a quality shopper. Tires are also rated 320/A/A or 300/B/C or 520/AA/A. You need to know what all of this means because the price will change dramatically and you need to learn why.

Yeah ill have to look into it! too bad i already bought this rims... thanks doe!

Originally Posted by ModBargains

The fitment is a little bit aggressive on the car, but the 19" fitment on the E46 is totally a possible fitment. We have done it many times with great success. Most of the customers would be running a 225/35R19 and 255/30R19 when running staggered and just simply a 225/35R19 if running squared like yourself. The front wheels on this car are 19x8.5 et.35. Here are a few shots! Hope it helps!

Ah, they look nice!

Now would i need fender rolling!?

let me know! thanks

With the appropriate tire size and stick with a rounded sidewall tire you should be great!

So what are the recommended tires i should get?

You could fit a 235/35/19 size tire on that wheel

Whats the biggest size i can get, as the thinner ones are more expensive than the wheels, haha. im on a budget right now, 235/35/19, what about 235/40/192 or 235-50-19?


Let me know! THANKS!

he already told you 235/35/19.....

Originally Posted by gray323i2000

Whats the biggest size i can get, as the thinner ones are more expensive than the wheels, haha. im on a budget right now, 235/35/19, what about 235/40/192 or 235-50-19?


Let me know! THANKS!

As Freddie mentioned, you would want to run the 235/35R19. i would look at the Hankook Ventus V12 or the Falken FK452.