# ET40 lightweights on E46?



## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

*OZ lightweights on E46*

hi,

considering lightweight wheels for my 330i

prefer OZ Ultraleggera 17 x 8J esthetically, they weigh 17.6 lbs

now thing is that these wheels have got ET40 and on E46 should be ideally ET47

my E46 is on OEM non-sport springs, so not lowered or anything

don't think it would be really a problem as many drive with lower ET-wheels, but the difference in ET, is it noticeable when driving? the car will handle more grippy and planted but less nimble? a big effect on steering as well? or is all this hardly noticeable with 7 mm lower ET?

other lightweights i've looked into are also ET40 or ET42, except one OZ-wheel with ET45, but don't like that design so much!

thanks


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## Llarry (May 17, 2002)

I would vote not at all noticeable. If memory serves, the BBS wheels I put on my E46 (325iT) were 17 x 8 ET38. No problems whatsoever.


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## kyfdx (Aug 4, 2003)

In a previous thread, Gary said you could go as far as ET35 without issues.. The lower number will give you a wider stance, but shouldn't rub.


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## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

Thursday the Alleggerita's were put on!
together with Mich. A4 winters 225/45/17

weight wheel 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs) + tyre 9.0 kg (20 lbs) = 16.5 kgs (36.5 lbs)

Alleggerita's come in all sorts of colour except standard silver! considered in advance that i may want to respray the wheels in silver before i put on the summer tyres (and then for next winter probably use my standard bmw wheels), prefer bmw's fat spoke wheels over lightweights for looks, but these OZ's still look quite cool i think

*2 wheels have got an extra balancing weight of 60 grams (2 oz.), isn't that a lot for new wheels? may also because of the tyres, bought them second hand (still have got about 7 mm though)
*
car feels a tad quicker and bit sportier

they're ET40, so a bit wider stance and think it also has a noticeable effect, feels more stable, maybe slight improvement in faster corners, at least in the dry...

also noticed the current setup is much less grippy in the wet! last Sunday, i had an extreme oh sh** moment at 60 mph, ye had put off DSC, but i'm not used to fooling around at these speeds! car went into oversteer and then i corrected once or twice and the car was stable again... i'm sure if i had the same setup as a week ago (normal wheels with my summer tyres) the car would've handled fine, temperature was 39° F (4° C)

i think it's the winter tyres (2nd hand buy 2011 Mich. Alpin A4 with a lot of thread (7 mm)), as i've heard older tyres become harder, less grippy, probably last time i buy 2nd hand tyres!

though could it also be the lightweight wheels?

i'm not talking about slippery when accelerating, the lightweight wheels spin more easily from take-off, i expected that, but *what do you think the effect of lightweight wheels is on cornering G in rather wet conditions?*


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## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

some pics taken with the OZ's last Sunday


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## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

i've been testing more on handling and i think cornering is worse with the OZ's

i think it's the offset

i know many guys drive their E46s with lower offsets than this (ET40), but i'm under the impression there's more understeer, less agility etc.

in a week gonna put the same winter tyres on ET47 wheels


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## kyfdx (Aug 4, 2003)

Pavone said:


> i've been testing more on handling and i think cornering is worse with the OZ's
> 
> i think it's the offset
> 
> ...


If anything, a lower offset would give you a wider track. Usually that improves handling. You have new tires, maybe that's it?


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## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

ye can feel track is wider, feels maybe more planted, though not faster

bought 2nd hand winter Mich. PA4 of 2011 but still with 7 mm thread
and ye i'm sure they're not as grippy as my summer's, but other than that think the ET40 wheels are to blame to making the car less nimble, read on some auto-x events they advise higher offsets than standard, guess for slaloms may be slightly better

anyway, will see diff. next week with same winter tyres on ET47 wheels

must say, i'm waiting for my Bilsteins to-be-adjusted-by-FatCatMotorsports so the suspension can be redone entirely as handling sucks anyway, even after alignment done


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## Broomer (Dec 26, 2014)

Any updates on et40 vs et45 wheels?

I'm getting new wheels for my 325ti. I'm getting 8"X17" wheels and am going to fit 225/45/17 tyres onto them, but I can't decide whether to get et40 or et45 wheels! I think et40 will look better, but I don't want to upset the handling or get any rubbing on track days.


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## Pavone (Oct 1, 2014)

Broomer i'm sure rubbing won't be an issue with 17x8 ET40 

i'm still running the ET40 wheels, decided to wait for new suspension until i compare these wheels with my standard ET47 wheels, so can't say that much, other than that i'm sure i feel an ET-difference! hard to believe that people don't feel a 15 mm difference whereas this is only 7 mm diff.

must say, i'm getting used to the different handling with the ET40 wheels, to go into corners fast i simply have to steer harder to undo the inital understeer (less initial understeer with standard ET i think) and then it easily gets into slight oversteer (which makes it more challenging esp. in the rain), it's possible (don't really know) the ET40 wheels are faster on faster corners, but the driving feels less intuitive, and i guess it's slower in slower corners, 

will test more, but think overall i'd prefer closer to ET47


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## Broomer (Dec 26, 2014)

Thanks for the info, I think I'll stick to et45's. I don't think et40 wheels 5mm further out will look too much different and I don't want the feel of the car to change from how it is now.


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