Square or Staggered? Widest Front Tires?

335iPSI · 03-17-2009, 10:50 AM

Hello all,

I have been doing some searching/browsing here. I recently picked up my 2007 335i Coupe (Sport/Premium/Cold Weather) this weekend (Just sold my EVO IX SE). I am planning on replacing the tires for something more auto-x friendly --- Dunlop Direzza Z1 SS.

What is the widest front tire you guys are squeezing on your Coupes with the Sport package? I was hoping the 255 or 265 dunlops would fit on there nicely.

My 2nd question, I was either going to go with a square setup (255/35 or 265/35 all around), or do a staggered (245/40 front and 265/35 rear). Have any of you had experience with either setup?

Thanks much, glad to finally own my bimmer!

ALPINE6SPD · 03-17-2009, 12:01 PM

I like staggered myself. To really make the car handle best tour rear should be only 20mm wider at most. For best results to take the understeer out of our cars you may just want to go 10mm wider in the rear. I like the looks of staggered setup and 20mm difference front to rear so that is what I would get. I reall wish the front tire on ly car was a 235/40/18 and not 225/40/18.

mike-y · 03-17-2009, 12:21 PM

I run a square setup with the sport package suspension, and the car is much more neutral than staggered. If you are auto crossing, then no question about it - you need a square setup for better rotation. wider rears do look better, but they cause more understeer and will end up being slower.

not sure how wide you can go in the front though, hopefully someone else can help with that.

ALPINE6SPD · 03-17-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike-y

I run a square setup with the sport package suspension, and the car is much more neutral than staggered. If you are auto crossing, then no question about it - you need a square setup for better rotation. wider rears do look better, but they cause more understeer and will end up being slower.

not sure how wide you can go in the front though, hopefully someone else can help with that.

Dinan runs 255 up front.

335iPSI · 03-17-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALPINE6SPD

Dinan runs 255 up front.

Is that on the stock sport suspension and the same sport wheels? If not, the wheels may have a different offset.

Rugs · 03-17-2009, 03:36 PM

No, DINAN has their own wheels & offsets.

Ramos · 03-17-2009, 03:41 PM

The stock 18x8.5 rear wheels and tires 255-35-18 fit up front on an E90 with no rubbing, not sure about the E92 though

Chowbow · 03-17-2009, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramos

The stock 18x8.5 rear wheels and tires 255-35-18 fit up front on an E90 with no rubbing, not sure about the E92 though

Good to know. That was going to be my next question.

For autoX, the staggered setup definitely DOESN'T help with the understeer. In fact, adding a front sway only (if you're gonna run FS) actually helps with the understeer because you can only get about -0.6-0.8* camber anyway, so the front sway helps with the contact patch. If you're going to run a square setup though then I'd assume you're not running stock class?

I can't say much as I'm running 235/35/19 and 265/30/19s for autoX, but I'm not competing at all this season and just running fun runs. The front outers are damn near gone now...

mike-y · 03-17-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chowbow

For autoX, the staggered setup definitely DOESN'T help with the understeer. In fact, adding a front sway only (if you're gonna run FS) actually helps with the understeer because you can only get about -0.6-0.8* camber anyway,

have you tried removing the alignment pins on the spring hats? That would allow you to run a little more negative camber up front (the strut holes are slotted)

I jacked this pic from another thread

Chowbow · 03-17-2009, 05:39 PM

Yeah, I'm going to drill them out this week actually and have it aligned, as well as have the shop flip my front tires since the outsides are DONE!

335iPSI · 03-18-2009, 08:35 AM

That's some good info there... so the 255's fit up front... that's pretty sweet... i'm going to do some measuring... I would love to put 265/35/18 Dunlop Direzza's on all 4 corners.

jgalaxy · 03-18-2009, 09:07 AM

I havent heard anyone stuffing 265s up front on the coupe without rubbing. Rear yes.

Ramos · 03-18-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 335iPSI

That's some good info there... so the 255's fit up front... that's pretty sweet... i'm going to do some measuring... I would love to put 265/35/18 Dunlop Direzza's on all 4 corners.

harold from HPAutowerks had that setup on a lowered car..
But you would need rolled fenders and lots of negative camber and a high offset to make it work..

The 255-35-18 works all around without fender rolling provided the offset of the wheels is around 35-37...

I think I will try 245-35-18 on my 18x8.5 offset 32 SSR's next
Don't think I can get away with anything wider

03-17-2009, 10:50 AM	#1
335iPSI PSI 15 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 2011 AW 335D Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: FL iTrader: (2)	Square or Staggered? Widest Front Tires? Hello all, I have been doing some searching/browsing here. I recently picked up my 2007 335i Coupe (Sport/Premium/Cold Weather) this weekend (Just sold my EVO IX SE). I am planning on replacing the tires for something more auto-x friendly --- Dunlop Direzza Z1 SS. What is the widest front tire you guys are squeezing on your Coupes with the Sport package? I was hoping the 255 or 265 dunlops would fit on there nicely. My 2nd question, I was either going to go with a square setup (255/35 or 265/35 all around), or do a staggered (245/40 front and 265/35 rear). Have any of you had experience with either setup? Thanks much, glad to finally own my bimmer!
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03-17-2009, 12:01 PM	#2
ALPINE6SPD Lieutenant General 156 Rep 10,411 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW 328i Sport Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Highland Lakes NJ iTrader: (2)	I like staggered myself. To really make the car handle best tour rear should be only 20mm wider at most. For best results to take the understeer out of our cars you may just want to go 10mm wider in the rear. I like the looks of staggered setup and 20mm difference front to rear so that is what I would get. I reall wish the front tire on ly car was a 235/40/18 and not 225/40/18. __________________ 2010 AW e90 328i: 6 speed, Black Leather, Dark Wood trim, ZPP, ZCW, ZVP,ZSP, Nav, Xenon BMW Performance CF Rear spolier and Gloss black grills 2008 Candy White MKV GTI 2.0T 6 Speed Manul Gone 2008 AW X3 3.0si: 6 speed Returned 2006 AW e90 330i: 6 speed Dinan Stage 1 Returned
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03-17-2009, 12:21 PM	#3
mike-y just another bmw douche bag 195 Rep 3,640 Posts Drives: 1.9L of fury Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (4)	I run a square setup with the sport package suspension, and the car is much more neutral than staggered. If you are auto crossing, then no question about it - you need a square setup for better rotation. wider rears do look better, but they cause more understeer and will end up being slower. not sure how wide you can go in the front though, hopefully someone else can help with that.
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03-17-2009, 03:36 PM	#6
Rugs Lieutenant 46 Rep 502 Posts Drives: E93 335i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southeast U.S. iTrader: (2)	No, DINAN has their own wheels & offsets. __________________ "WorldsQuickest 335i E93" SMART-Top /One-Off Opaque Vinyl EYELIDS / 30% TINT / A.C.SCHNITZER Pedals / "M" Tri-Color Wheel w/Paddles / EIBACH Pro-Kit / AKEBONA F. & EBC RED-STUFF R.Dustless Pads / Drilled & Slotted ROTORS / MIRO M6 Reps / MICHELIN PS2's / U.R.Coated DP's / CYBA-QUAD Exhaust Tips / BMS-TUNED...
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03-17-2009, 03:41 PM	#7
Ramos Colonel 863 Rep 2,897 Posts Drives: G20 2020 M340 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: So-Cal iTrader: (6)	The stock 18x8.5 rear wheels and tires 255-35-18 fit up front on an E90 with no rubbing, not sure about the E92 though
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03-17-2009, 05:39 PM	#10
Chowbow pew pew 166 Rep 6,781 Posts Drives: 三三五i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CA iTrader: (6) Garage List 2015 BMW 328i wagon [0.00] 2007 BMW 335i sedan [10.00] 1997 BMW 328i track ... [10.00]	Yeah, I'm going to drill them out this week actually and have it aligned, as well as have the shop flip my front tires since the outsides are DONE! __________________ CSL replicas are now CSL counterfeits. Jesus saves, like Valentine1.
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03-18-2009, 08:35 AM	#11
335iPSI PSI 15 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 2011 AW 335D Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: FL iTrader: (2)	That's some good info there... so the 255's fit up front... that's pretty sweet... i'm going to do some measuring... I would love to put 265/35/18 Dunlop Direzza's on all 4 corners. __________________ 2011 335d, M-sport, Alpine White, Nav
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03-18-2009, 09:07 AM	#12
jgalaxy Gearing 86 Rep 3,965 Posts Drives: E46 M3, F22 M240 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Out East Canada iTrader: (3)	I havent heard anyone stuffing 265s up front on the coupe without rubbing. Rear yes. __________________ If at first you don't succeed ...
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