# Style 32 Wheels question (E39 540i)



## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

I've got an 02 540i with the factory 8" front and 9" rear *style 32 * wheels.

Will the factory 9" style 32s fit on the front? I want to fill up the wheel well.

Thanks!


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

MMMM_ERT said:


> I've got an 02 540i with the factory 8" front and 9" rear *style 32 * wheels.
> 
> Will the factory 9" style 32s fit on the front? I want to fill up the wheel well.
> 
> Thanks!


9" will probably be too wide to fit under the front.


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## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

PropellerHead said:


> 9" will probably be too wide to fit under the front.


Hmmmm...

I have heard of some E39 M5 owners running the factory 9.5 "M" wheels up front (with a 3 MM spacer) I figured a 9" should fit on a non-M car.

I've done a pretty extensive search on a bunch of boards but have not found anything.


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

MMMM_ERT said:


> I've got an 02 540i with the factory 8" front and 9" rear *style 32 * wheels.
> 
> Will the factory 9" style 32s fit on the front? I want to fill up the wheel well.


They will fit in front, but you will need to use at least a 5mm spacer to keep the tire from rubbing against the shock. And you may get some rubbing of the inner fender liner when you turn the wheel full lock.

If you're looking for an improvement in aesthetics and you really like the style of the 15-spoke Style 32 wheels, then here's another option you might consider. BMW makes this wheel in 18" sizes too. Pacific BMW sells them for $338 each (18"x8" front) and $360 each (18"x9" rear). See: http://pacificbmw.com/catalog/wheels/detail.asp?series=5 Series&pid=8

If you go this way, I suggest using 265/35-18 tires in back and 245/40-18 tires in front. I've seen this combination in person and it looks much better than the standard 17" staggered set-up.


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## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

Thanks for the input Dave :thumbup:

I'm more looking to fill _out_ the front wheel well, meaning I'd like the tire to stick
further out to the edge of the body...right now..the tire/wheel is somewhat inset.
I think (I may be wrong) that the 18x8 version would give me the same "inset"
look. I do love the look of the style 32's best on the 5 series...next to the M5 wheels of course.

What are the drawbacks to using a 5 or 6MM spacer? ...and for the rubbing, will
the M5 liners eliminate that? How do the M5 guys get away with an OEM 9.5" wheel up front with only a 3 MM?

Thanks again for your input.


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

MMMM_ERT said:


> Thanks for the input Dave :thumbup:
> 
> I'm more looking to fill _out_ the front wheel well, meaning I'd like the tire to stick further out to the edge of the body...right now..the tire/wheel is somewhat inset.
> I think (I may be wrong) that the 18x8 version would give me the same "inset"
> look. I do love the look of the style 32's best on the 5 series...next to the M5 wheels of course.


And don't forget the forged Style 37 M Parallel wheels that came on the 2003 540i 6-Speed! 

By going to 18" wheels and using the wider 245 front tire, you do get the look of the front being more filled up. I've done that to mine AND added the Dinan Stage 3 suspension, so it really looks good now.


> What are the drawbacks to using a 5 or 6MM spacer? ...and for the rubbing, will
> the M5 liners eliminate that? How do the M5 guys get away with an OEM 9.5" wheel up front with only a 3 MM?


A 5mm spacer allows BARELY enough of the hub lip to protrude through the spacer in order to engage the wheel centerbore of SOME types of wheels. I'm not sure it will work with the Style 32. A 6mm spacer would definitely not work and you would have shimmy problems because the wheel bolts would be all that is centering your wheel.

I have 10mm spacers (front only) that have a lip on them so they will positively engage the wheel centerbore. Anything thinner than 10mm doesn't allow the machine shop to add a lip to the spacer. So the range of 6mm - 9mm is like a spacer "never never land." You either make do with 3mm or you jump all the way to 10mm. Probably the safest route would be for me to send you a set of 10mm spacers and you could try moving a rear wheel up front temporarily to see what it looks like and if it clears everything.


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## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

So the 03 540i sports came with 18s?  I like the look of the 37's, but the thing I like about
the 32's (especially the rears) is the deep dish (the 2.5-3" lip)

Plus...I was trying to be $$$ concious and not having to buy 4 new wheels. :eeps: 

Is it safe to run a spacer of 10MM? 

I'm interested in trying the 10MM spacer..I'll send you my addy via PM let me know
cost. Thanks again! :thumbup: 

-Pete


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

MMMM_ERT said:


> So the 03 540i sports came with 18s?


It sure did! :thumbup:



> Is it safe to run a spacer of 10MM?


A 10mm spacer is fine to run. Many of the E46 guys are running 15mm to 18mm spacers in front. But that chassis is less sensitive to spacers than the E39 chassis. I wouldn't want to run anything larger than 12mm on the E39 for fear of awakening the shimmy monster.


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## CSBM5 (Mar 10, 2004)

MMMM_ERT said:


> How do the M5 guys get away with an OEM 9.5" wheel up front with only a 3 MM?


It must be the offset differences between the 9.5" M5 rear wheels and the 9" Style 32 rear wheels (i.e. the backspacing on each wheel) that allows only a 3mm spacer to be used. I'm running 9.5" rears on the front of my M5 with the 3mm spacer and 275/35 tires (Pilot Sports), and I have zero problems thankfully. It still amazes me that this monster wheel/tire will fit and not rub even at full lock, etc. If I ran a 265/35 front tire I think I could get away without a spacer at all -- assuming that the 265 is 10mm smaller in section width, 5mm per side, then theoretically with no spacer it would have 2mm more clearance compared to a 275 with a 3mm spacer.

Chuck


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## Oscswa (Sep 23, 2004)

MMMM ERT,

I also have Style 32 wheels and wanted to ask you if your wheels are Brilliant Line?

If they are, has the finish started to peel off?


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## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

Oscswa said:


> MMMM ERT,
> 
> I also have Style 32 wheels and wanted to ask you if your wheels are Brilliant Line?
> 
> If they are, has the finish started to peel off?


Yes, they are the brilliant ones (Bright silver) They have started to peel on the
front ones in the spokes...mostly due to the previous owner not caring for them I think.
The backs are fine.


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## jensenh (Jul 29, 2003)

i'm running 9x18 et12 in front with 245/40 tires on H&R/Bilstein sport suspension camber plates. i have no rubbing in normal and even aggressive driving. the only rubbing on the inner fender occurs during extrme crank to crank driving like on an autocross course or countersteering a high speed drift (on closed roads) both of which i participate. i think those 32s will fit just fine.


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## 540 M-Sport (Apr 23, 2004)

MMMM_ERT said:


> Yes, they are the brilliant ones (Bright silver) They have started to peel on the
> front ones in the spokes...mostly due to the previous owner not caring for them I think.
> The backs are fine.


I don't think it has to do with the owner; when I was shopping for a 540 sport (used) I noticed that ALL of them had problems with the paint peeling on the style 32 wheels...some worse than others, but they all had one or more wheels that had started peeling. Some were quite bad.


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## Oscswa (Sep 23, 2004)

540 M-Sport said:


> I don't think it has to do with the owner; when I was shopping for a 540 sport (used) I noticed that ALL of them had problems with the paint peeling on the style 32 wheels...some worse than others, but they all had one or more wheels that had started peeling. Some were quite bad.


Ya I just bought my 01 540 Sport and noticed that on other Style 32 Wheels when I was shopping. I have the same issue as MMMM_ERT, my front ones are peeling but the backs are fine. Probably a discussion for another post.

MMMM_ERT keep us posted on what you come up up with for the wheel combo. I'd like to see how everything turns out.


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## MMMM_ERT (Mar 13, 2004)

I will keep you updated on the 9"x17s on the front, I should have those spacers any day now. :thumbup: 

As far as previous ownership...the front wheels are badly pitted from brake dust 
being left on.


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