1.) What size is the emblem on the center caps? I need to buy replacements for all four wheels. If you have suggestions on best place to buy that would be great.

Edit: upon further research on realoem.com it appears the center caps measure 68mm. Interesting coincidence. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, they're all the same (on the E46... and quite a few other models). Part 36136783536.

BMW changed them a few years ago so they look slightly different (the older ones have a white outer lip and look like they're 3-piece, while the new ones are two and look concave) -- since you're getting all 4, you should be good to go.

www.getbmwparts.com has them for $11.60 each...

2.) I currently had 225/45/17 around all four tires. I am in need of new ones and in my research I found that my car came with staggered tires. Front - 225/45/17 Rear - 245/40/17 So my question is what would the benefit be of going back to those two different measurements? Does it justify the cost and inability to rotate the tires?

*Bonus: I'm also wanting to get run-flats (which is what I was currently running). I'd like to hear some pros and cons.

I kept my 325 square when I went 18" (225/40R18) because I like to rotate the tires and extend their life. My ZHP's staggered, and I kept the 225/40R18 and 255/35R18 setup.

To your questions: If you like understeer, wider rears are a pro, and I can see why you might want it with the power behind a 330. Having had said that, I do miss the feel of non-understeer (my wife took the 325). Of course, this is coming after 120,000 miles and 13 years on my 325 on squares, so I'd grown used to a certain response that's different on my ZHP. I'd say it's really personal preference, except that you [should] have staggered M68 rims -- if that's the case, then you can't rotate the tires anyways, even if you kept it square rubber, and the point becomes moot. At the very least, you probably shouldn't run wider, heavier rims in the front.

As for cost, looks like a difference of $60 (total) for staggered Michelin SuperSports (assuming that's what you went with), so it's not much -- $525 vs. $585.

Lastly, I considered run-flats, then decided against it. They offer a harsher ride and handling that the E46 was not designed for, they're much more expensive, and they're more difficult to repair (can you plug a RF tire, so long as the sidewall's OK?). Also, I only run Michelin SuperSports, and they don't come in run-flats, so...

 

At the very least, you probably shouldn't run wider, heavier rims in the front.

I don't buy this. The 68 is the lightest factory 17" E46 wheel. An 8.5" style 68 (the widest factory 17") is still lighter than most of the narrower factory wheels. It's a bunch lighter than the 18" and 19" wheels that everybody wants to put on. And it's lighter than many aftermarket wheels.

So yes, it's heavier than a 7.5" style 68, but that's no justification for not using it.

 

The only benefit of staggered wheels/tires is pimpy good looks. If you're into that...

There are a lot of downsides to runflats. When's the last time you got a flat on a regular tire? Mine was 10 years ago. The spare on my 330 has never been on the ground. Who needs runflats? Not me.

As for your current setup, non-M cars came with 7.5" fronts and 8.5' rears. Better make sure what you actually have. And note that M cars had an optional factory 7.5" all-around fitment with different offset than non-M, and you don't want those wheels for a non-M.

 

I found the OEM center caps x4 for $10 on amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AUJI35U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

^^^ I agree, and sadly I ordered different caps... lol, I think it is important when picking a seller on Amazon, and not going to the default.

 

What tires would you guys suggest for these wheels? The tires I have on the front are causing bad tramlining and I want to change them out asap. They're Bridgestone Potenza RE050As

 

I've always run Michelin PSS 225/45/17 and 245/40/17 rears on style 68's. :dunno:

 

ARe you still runnning the staggereed setup? I have no experience with your Bridgestones, but I'd first suspect an alignment issue for your tramlining problem. I've always run Continentals (except for some kind of Toyos that were on the car when I got it). I've just changed to squared 8.5s with 245s but don't have any miles on it yet. I'm about to drive from FL to NY so I'll have a report soon. I run all seasons so it can be driven safely in feezing temps and/or light snow if I get caught out before installing winter tires.

 

Yeah it is a staggered setup. The front tires are 205/45s. Do you think the fact that the tire is not wider could be causing that? Granted, I need to do an alignment anyway

 

I have never run "stretched" tires, so I have no personal experience to back up why I think they're a bad thing. I have a lot of reasons, just no proof. My advice is don't do it. That's one less thing to wonder about when your car doesn't drive right.

Read the various threads about alignment. Between finding a shop that is even basically competent, or one that will use ballast when aligning, or deciding to trust the "ballast compensating" software (if they have it), or deciding whether to use factory spec or some other spec (and understanding why), there's a lot to think about.

 

I got these tires with the wheels when I bough them. Threw them on after they sat in the garage through the winter. I definitely want to say they are the culprit

 

I had a set of 205/40/17 on a 17x8, didn't like it. Too low profile, and skinny stretched look isn't my thing. 225/45/17 and 245/40/17

 

I think my problem with the Bridgestones is that they indeed are too low profile. Not enough room for the tire to absorb the road before sending the car in different directions

 

Took a road trip with that tire setup, encountered some bad roads along the way, and I blame the low profile for having replaced two wheels after.

 

I'd sooner blame the distortion of the tread/sidewall/rim relationship due to the stretched fitment. Properly fitted tires will have tread rubber and structure protecting the rim under most impacts. Stretched tires will theoretically let the tread structure tuck up between the beads, leaving nothing but the sidewall between the edge of a pothole and your wheel rims.





Fence, I'm sure some people drive hard enough to find understeer on public roads. I did that kind of thing when I was a teenager, though my cars back then had much lower limits than our E46s.... These days, it'd have to be a serious emergency situation for that to happen.

 

What tire pressure would you guys run on these wheels? I'm not sure if it would make a big difference in tramlining but it helped some people, apparently fixing it for some as well

 

All this talk of understeer. Are you talking about track use?
Are you really taking turns so hard that you're losing traction on the public roads?

 

What would be the stock tire size you guys recommend for the front wheels, 7.5x17? I need to change the tires I have on ASAP cause it tramlines so bad

 

stock tire size

That's the words, right there. 225/45/17. Quality brand tires. Suspension parts in good condition, good alignment job done by a guy who knows BMWs, just a hair of toe-in and minimum negative camber.

 

BTW, I'm very happy with my square 245/8.5" setup and new alignment specs so far. Drove from FL to NY with no tramlining or other complaints on the highway. I've got 36psi all around. Now I can rotate the tires, and it looks subtly cooler.

It was a real challenge to find a pair of decent 8.5" rears to use in the front. Took a year of periodic Craigslist searching in 3 major metro areas. I ended up buying a staggered set of 4 in FL, but the price was close to what I'd have gladly paid for just a pair. SO now I have four 7.5" wheels in storage in FL.

 

We're in a style 68 thread and his sig pic shows style 68 wheels. That means on a non-M3 he should have 225/45 and 245/40 on 7.5 and 8.5" wheels.

Razor, my computer just flushed the longer response I wrote. Short version is, runflats do contribute, even with correct fitment. You should be able to find plenty of online comments to that effect, including that specific tire model on BMWs. With wrong fitment they probably contribute more. You've got several things wrong, start fixing them and it can only get better.

 

We're in a style 68 thread and his sig pic shows style 68 wheels. That means on a non-M3 he should have 225/45 and 245/40 on 7.5 and 8.5" wheels.

I know its a style 68' thread. I asked because he commented about having the wrong size tires. Having a large mismatch in tire size between front and rear would cause some weirdness.

 

To all owners of staggered style 68s: what size rim is your spare wheel?

 

I have a mini spare. It works to get me to a Dis**** Tire but I rarely take trips in this car.

 

Everything I've read says 7.5" for the spare. FWIW. I have a donut...

 

Gotcha thanks again

 

So what sizes did u end up going with? Also, for the guys that are running the 17x8.5" square set up can u run a 255/40 tires on the front without a spacer?

 

Streetfighter-- Tire fit might depend more on your suspension. With stock sport suspension, the 245/40 fit great on my car. A 255 is only (nominally) 10mm wider, so a problem is unlikely. There's probably a bigger difference between different brands in the same size than there is in the same tire, one size larger...

 

Does it look like u have a lot more room for that extra 10mm? 17x8.5" ET50 seems like they'd be really close to the struts.

 

Sorry, I can't get my hand back there with the car on the ground. It might be on jacks soon, so I'll try to get you an answer. It's close, for sure, but don't forget the extra 10mm width is only 5mm on each side...

 

I have a 330cic with the standard style 68 17x7.5 17x8.5 staggered setup. I want to run a square setup because I drive 15k per year and the tire cost is making me crazy because without rotating the tires I can't get a warranty. I am not keen on 8.5 all around, and would prefer not to have to buy new wheels to go 17x8 all around.

Has anyone run 17x7.5 with 225/45R17 on all four corners? I have factory sport suspension (refreshed, of course, but not lowered or modded)

And would I need spacers on the rear to make the wheels even?

 

That will work. A lota folks runnin all four 17x7.5s as their winter set ups. I'd use 235/45R17s though.