[AWSAWS]

Does anyone run 18's on a 335i? Most seem to run 19's and 20's which makes sense for a small side wall, less flex and better cornering in theory.
I was wondering how 18's look as I'd quite like a bit more side wall just to protect the alloy itself. It's also cheaper for some Toyo R888's for Santa Pod.

265 19" £199
265 18" £185
255 18" £157

I'm wondering about some small rear alloys just for Santa Pod. 18" to be sure of brake disc clearance. Some 17" can fit.

But also like the idea of a second set of alloys in a 19" CSL style. Could I live with 18's??? I wonder?

[Dann]

I run 18"s on my 335i.

They are Eagle f1s in 225/45 fronts and 255/40 rears on standard MV3s.
Eagle F1s have the sidewall protection so it sticks out a little bit past the rim itself.

This picture is on the Re050s though

[achu]

i'm running 17s on my 335i - e34 throwing stars lol
the offsets are low so i could only get 215/265 on... my car isn't running anywhere near as much power as you so i don't know if my set up would help you...

have you ever considered running crazy wide tyres?

I think I have the space for 245 295 on 18s and I want to try it for that bulging tyre look but who knows what it'll do to performance and handling...

[smuler]

I fun 17s , square set up, for my winters.
It's a good ride. Car kinda feels lighter, reminds me of my old E46

19s is the stock set up.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by achu

i'm running 17s on my 335i - e34 throwing stars lol
the offsets are low so i could only get 215/265 on... my car isn't running anywhere near as much power as you so i don't know if my set up would help you...

have you ever considered running crazy wide tyres?

I think I have the space for 245 295 on 18s and I want to try it for that bulging tyre look but who knows what it'll do to performance and handling...

I'm running a 265 on the back right now (PSS). In the past when I tried a 20mm and 15mm spacer on my 255 Hankooks I got rubbing on the near side rear wheel arch. 20mm was constant rubbing over the smallest of bumps. 15mm was now and again over descent size bumps. Too annoying I had to take them off. I'd be interested to run a 275 but from what I read it can be detrimental to the performance. The pressure on the tyre gets reduced as you spread the load over a wider area. What actually seems to happen is the added area you gain by having a wider tyre, you loose by reducing the lateral foot print. Contact patch becomes wider and shorter rather than narrow and longer. That might mean the pressure actually remains constant.

[pmmcbl]

Originally Posted by Dann

I run 18"s on my 335i.

They are Eagle f1s in 225/45 fronts and 255/40 rears on standard MV3s.
Eagle F1s have the sidewall protection so it sticks out a little bit past the rim itself.

This picture is on the Re050s though

Are you sure you have 45 and 40? They should be 40 and 35.

[Dann]

Yeah that's the one.
I got confused with my E36 sizes

[achu]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

I'm running a 265 on the back right now (PSS). In the past when I tried a 20mm and 15mm spacer on my 255 Hankooks I got rubbing on the near side rear wheel arch. 20mm was constant rubbing over the smallest of bumps. 15mm was now and again over descent size bumps. Too annoying I had to take them off. I'd be interested to run a 275 but from what I read it can be detrimental to the performance. The pressure on the tyre gets reduced as you spread the load over a wider area. What actually seems to happen is the added area you gain by having a wider tyre, you loose by reducing the lateral foot print. Contact patch becomes wider and shorter rather than narrow and longer. That might mean the pressure actually remains constant.

i havent heard that before... but i can see the logic behind it... buuttt the area of contact patch is so small, the difference in grip would overcome the difference in pressure i would think...

my dad's e60 was on 245s all round and i could get it to wheel spin under full throttle in the wet, now i've put 285s in the rear and now it's virtually impossible to wheel spin... i'd go as wide as you can fit!

btw, i run 275 in the summer and the grip is awesome!

i would try go as wide as you can

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by achu

i havent heard that before... but i can see the logic behind it... buuttt the area of contact patch is so small, the difference in grip would overcome the difference in pressure i would think...

my dad's e60 was on 245s all round and i could get it to wheel spin under full throttle in the wet, now i've put 285s in the rear and now it's virtually impossible to wheel spin... i'd go as wide as you can fit!

btw, i run 275 in the summer and the grip is awesome!

i would try go as wide as you can

Thanks Achu,
I like your car. I'm not sure if it was yours I saw at the BMW show or not? Read your posts where you'd had the Police take your car away and where I think you'd changed to green. Was the 285 on the E60, the same brand of tyre? Obviously different tyres and rubber compounds can make all the difference.

I'm on the stock 225M alloys right now, so I don't know if a 275 is possible?

My grip on regular roads when dry with the 255 and 265 is great. It's only on the drag strip that I get the wheel spin which is really irritating.

I think the best bet is to find a pair of 17 or 18 inch rears for drag racing only and a nice set of aftermarket 19's for road use. However just going with the Toyo R888 in summer on the stock wheel and paying the £195 might work out just as cheap if not getting another pair of alloys.

The E60 M5 is on 285 size tyres.

[achu]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

Thanks Achu,
I like your car. I'm not sure if it was yours I saw at the BMW show or not? Read your posts where you'd had the Police take your car away and where I think you'd changed to green. Was the 285 on the E60, the same brand of tyre? Obviously different tyres and rubber compounds can make all the difference.

I'm on the stock 225M alloys right now, so I don't know if a 275 is possible?

My grip on regular roads when dry with the 255 and 265 is great. It's only on the drag strip that I get the wheel spin which is really irritating.

I think the best bet is to find a pair of 17 or 18 inch rears for drag racing only and a nice set of aftermarket 19's for road use. However just going with the Toyo R888 in summer on the stock wheel and paying the £195 might work out just as cheap if not getting another pair of alloys.

The E60 M5 is on 285 size tyres.

thank you bro - yeah i was on my way to vinyl wrappers when the police impounded the car lol, i rescheduled it a week late...

my dads went from Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas to Vortis... They're almost the same grip wise so musta been the increase in size...

ahh yeah, the 225m is a 9j at the rear so 265 is maximum advisable but some people have put 275 on a 9j before...

throwing on 18s for the strip sounds like a good idea... just remember that only some 17s fit over the 335 brakes... r888s are really expensive i thought, £195 each im guessing?

[mob17]

For santa pod i'd say 17" are better, more flex in the sidewall which should help with traction. I think you can get OEM 8.5j and 9.5j wheels in 17", then fit budgets on the front and drag radials on the back. Or if you're worried about the stress this may cause you could fit another grippier tire.