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[Seagull]

I just got my car TODAY! My requiremnets were fairly slim - power & handling - screw the rest.

330i, 6spd, Sport Package, Aluminum Trim, SG, Black Leatherette. That's it.

Since I had an e46 to trade in, and all they wanted were my alloy wheels, I was left with my steel winters with maybe a year left of tread life. Well, I searched around and found some conflicting data on whether or not they'd actually fit the e90 330i. I think someone here even said that the rears will fit, but the fronts won't. Since I had difficulty finding a definitive answer, I decided to try my luck...

For the record, 17 inch e46 steel wheels/rims fit on the e90 330i with sport package!!!!

Wooohooo, I don't have to buy a brand new set of winters for just 1.5 months!

[mreloc]

I live in Detroit- how do you get away with only 1.5 months???

[noflash]

Because it's March.

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Good news gull.

I wanted to add that my 16" steelies fit my 325i sport package.

I have also heard that they would not have fit a 325xi -- although, I cannot imagine why.

Just spreading the gospel.

[Tierfreund]

BMW does not allow the use of steel wheels on the E90 330i. The reason beeing the heat spreading of the 330 brakes. Something about the wrong heat spreading coefficient of the steel wheels compared to the alloy wheel hub of the 330 brakes that can make the bolts loosen when the brake heats up.

The same also applied to the E46 330i if you put on the optional cross drilled sports brake disks.

Only on the 325 are you allowed to run steel wheels.

besides the E46 wheels have the wrong (too big) offset, so you´ll have cearance issues when the suspension travels (rubbing at the springs) unless you use spacers.

Come on now, if you have the dough for a new 330 you should also be able to spit out a few more bucks for a pair of fitting winter wheels.

I certainly wouldn´t try to run my E90 with the olde E46 steel wheels. Not even in winter. Besides, they look juck.

[noflash]

Originally Posted by Tierfreund

besides the E46 wheels have the wrong (too big) offset, so you´ll have cearance issues when the suspension travels (rubbing at the springs) unless you use spacers.

The tirerack offers the same wheels for the e46 and the e90, do they not?

My BBS RGR were a direct fit from my e46 to my e90. There are no rubbing issues.

[Tierfreund]

Originally Posted by noflash

The tirerack offers the same wheels for the e46 and the e90, do they not?

My BBS RGR were a direct fit from my e46 to my e90. There are no rubbing issues.

The wheels at tirerack are aftermarket wheels with a smaller offset. Thus they fit both the E46 and the E90. The E46 can handle the smaller offset, it just gets a wider track by it. The E90 cannot handle the bigger offset of the factory E46 wheels. And thus you get rubbing (and a smaller track btw which is really bad for handling). The nasty thing is, you don´t get rubbing under normal circumstances. Only when the front wheel is at the same time angled from sharp steering and pushed up from a bump. Then the inside of the tire rubs at the spring. Difficult to simulate, but it will occur when driving and can damage your tires sidewall on the inside where you won´t notice it until the tire blows. Not good.

Your BBS from your E46 were probably not factory offset but less. Thus they´ll fit the E90 fine. The problem is mostly with factory E46 wheels (45-48 mm offset, while the E90 needs 35-37mm)

[noflash]

Good explanation.

I was planning on putting my E90's stock 17" rims (from the sport package) on my wife's e46 2000 323it in a month or so.

Think they'll fit?

Thanks for your help.

[Seagull]

Can you actually quote a source please. As I've said, I haven't found any definitive answer.

p.s. can you loan me some money.



Weird. I had the e46 330i sport package and the 17inch steel wheels for 5 winters. No issues ever. I'll check for noticable rubbing tonight - NOT THAT kind of rubbing!

[KL2DC]

On the same subject...

Can someone please help shed some light if whether e46 wheel Radial Spoke 73s (17x7) will fit satisfactorily on my 325 non-zsp (on 156s). Not too well versed in all this tech talk on offsets etc. If spacers are required, what will be the correct size?

Thanks.

[Kevindshea]

Originally Posted by Tierfreund

BMW does not allow the use of steel wheels on the E90 330i. The reason beeing the heat spreading of the 330 brakes. Something about the wrong heat spreading coefficient of the steel wheels compared to the alloy wheel hub of the 330 brakes that can make the bolts loosen when the brake heats up.

The same also applied to the E46 330i if you put on the optional cross drilled sports brake disks.

Only on the 325 are you allowed to run steel wheels.

besides the E46 wheels have the wrong (too big) offset, so you´ll have cearance issues when the suspension travels (rubbing at the springs) unless you use spacers.

Come on now, if you have the dough for a new 330 you should also be able to spit out a few more bucks for a pair of fitting winter wheels.

I certainly wouldn´t try to run my E90 with the olde E46 steel wheels. Not even in winter. Besides, they look juck.

I see this is like 14 years old, but wow “ BMW does not allow the use of steel wheels on the E90 330i. The reason beeing the heat spreading of the 330 brakes. Something about the wrong heat spreading coefficient of the steel wheels compared to the alloy wheel hub of the 330 brakes that can make the bolts loosen when the brake heats up.” did you have any proof of this info or are u just repeating somebody else’s ramblings? I doubt you could back up any of these claims- “spreading coefficient” just using the word coefficient doesn’t make it true... back up your info or just call it your opinion that you don’t like steel wheels on a bmw

[Emilime75]

Originally Posted by Kevindshea

I see this is like 14 years old, but wow “ BMW does not allow the use of steel wheels on the E90 330i. The reason beeing the heat spreading of the 330 brakes. Something about the wrong heat spreading coefficient of the steel wheels compared to the alloy wheel hub of the 330 brakes that can make the bolts loosen when the brake heats up.” did you have any proof of this info or are u just repeating somebody else’s ramblings? I doubt you could back up any of these claims- “spreading coefficient” just using the word coefficient doesn’t make it true... back up your info or just call it your opinion that you don’t like steel wheels on a bmw

Are you having a rough morning?

Where's your data to prove him wrong?