Staggering my car

[Danung21]

I am looking into getting getting 17" wheels and wider tires. However, because it is a RWD, my friend told me I can stagger it. I do know staggering a car with not enough torque is not good for the car but I think my 2003 Bmw Z4 2.5i can handle it. I also am thinking of adding BC racing BR series coilovers.

My question is, what is the best wheel and tire size for the front and also for the rear?

[Piper1]

Originally Posted by Danung21

I am looking into getting getting 17" wheels and wider tires. However, because it is a RWD, my friend told me I can stagger it. I do know staggering a car with not enough torque is not good for the car but I think my 2003 Bmw Z4 2.5i can handle it. I also am thinking of adding BC racing BR series coilovers.

My question is, what is the best wheel and tire size for the front and also for the rear?

Read this for the best info on wheels and offsets for our cars:
https://support.apexraceparts.com/hc...-Fitment-Guide

If you're not familiar with it staggering will INCREASE understeer when cornering. Higher tq/hp cars are tuned from factory like this to keep the back end from stepping out. Staying as wide as possible square will keep it more neutral. What are your intensions with the car? To a point there's nothing wrong with staggering a lower power car you just have to know what you're doing and what it will affect with what you're doing with the car.
Stock stagger is 225 wide front 255 wide rear. Stock square is 225.

Edit: when I ran 17s since stock 17s aren’t staggered I ran 235/40/17 falken azenis 615k square stock 17x8 turbines 25mm spacers rear 15mm spacers front to bring the outer of the rim more flush and widen the stance and was happy with handling prior to heavy mods. Going wider than 235 front you need to increase neg camber. My current stance is square 18x9 et31 front camber plates apex ec7 255/35/18 Toyo r1r on eibach/koni.

Keep in mind if you’re mainly street driving you can rotate your tires front to back for tread wear square, can’t on staggered. If you’re just wanting to flush the look and want to stay neutral rather than add understeer/reduce oversteer from your current performance consider spacers. Again all depends on what you’re wanting to do with the car.

[cbpip]

You can go 235/40R18 8" 47 offset and 265/35R18 8.5" 50 offset on the stock 18" rims.

And Bilstien B12 set up.

[Danung21]

Originally Posted by Piper1

Read this for the best info on wheels and offsets for our cars:
https://support.apexraceparts.com/hc...-Fitment-Guide

If you're not familiar with it staggering will INCREASE understeer when cornering. Higher tq/hp cars are tuned from factory like this to keep the back end from stepping out. Staying as wide as possible square will keep it more neutral. What are your intensions with the car? To a point there's nothing wrong with staggering a lower power car you just have to know what you're doing and what it will affect with what you're doing with the car.
Stock stagger is 225 wide front 255 wide rear. Stock square is 225.

Edit: when I ran 17s since stock 17s aren’t staggered I ran 235/40/17 falken azenis 615k square stock 17x8 turbines 25mm spacers rear 15mm spacers front to bring the outer of the rim more flush and widen the stance and was happy with handling prior to heavy mods. Going wider than 235 front you need to increase neg camber. My current stance is square 18x9 et31 front camber plates apex ec7 255/35/18 Toyo r1r on eibach/koni.

Keep in mind if you’re mainly street driving you can rotate your tires front to back for tread wear square, can’t on staggered. If you’re just wanting to flush the look and want to stay neutral rather than add understeer from your current performance consider spacers. Again all depends on what you’re wanting to do with the car.

I do hope to one day go to the track with the car but right now, I want to take to the canyon and have some fun. Thank you for explaining it me very well. I need to think again for staggering.

Would you recommend 17" wheel with 35+ offset and 245/45/17 tires with BC Racing Br Series coil overs?

[Danung21]

Originally Posted by cbpip

You can go 235/40R18 8" 47 offset and 265/35R18 8.5" 50 offset on the stock 18" rims.

And Bilstien B12 set up.

Isn't 50 offset abit too much? I want to stay with 17" because I think 16 is a bit too small and 18 is a bit too big. 17 looks just in the sweet spot.

[Piper1]

Originally Posted by Danung21

I do hope to one day go to the track with the car but right now, I want to take to the canyon and have some fun. Thank you for explaining it me very well. I need to think again for staggering.

Would you recommend 17" wheel with 35+ offset and 245/45/17 tires with BC Racing Br Series coil overs?

245/45/17 is too tall you’d have to do 245/40. Offset depends on width not diameter of the wheel. Check out apex's link I put up there that’ll give you all the answers you’re looking for and the best offsets for what ever width you go with, also explains coilover clearance and square vs staggered. Also any comparison go to https://www.1010tires.com/Tools/Wheel-Offset-Calculator they have a tire calculator and wheel offset calculator. There’s already been a topic in wheels/tire section beating to death 17 or 18. Ultimately 18 will give best performance results for handling, I mentioned it before in the other thread but there’s a reason the M didn’t come with 16s or 17s stock, buy the size wheels/tires for what you want to do the first time so you don’t waste money.

[cbpip]

Originally Posted by Danung21

Isn't 50 offset abit too much? I want to stay with 17" because I think 16 is a bit too small and 18 is a bit too big. 17 looks just in the sweet spot.

18" wheels look much nicer and fill to wheel openings better, the 18" wheels are what BMW used for the sport suspension setup on the face-lift Z4. 19" which some run are IMO a bit large for the Z4.

2007 Z4 E863.0si stock wheels are BMW 203 front is 8Jx18 ET 47 rear is 8.5Jx18 ET50 which I run one size up with 235/40x18 and 265/35x18 Michelin PS4S on the street.

Autox running BMW M193 Spider spoke wheel, these are 8J18 ET34 and 8.5x18 ET 37 . Tires are Kumho Ecsta730 265/35x18 or 235/40R18 front and 265/35R18. The ET34 and ET37 offset is only 13mm (1/2") further outward toward the fender from stock. Neither setups rub anywhere. Using the 255 on the front for autox gets close to square setup . Not running any spacers.

Street picture is with 203 , second is showing the 255 up front just for test fit.

[grannyknot]

Originally Posted by Danung21

Isn't 50 offset abit too much? I want to stay with 17" because I think 16 is a bit too small and 18 is a bit too big. 17 looks just in the sweet spot.

Right, if you like the look of 17" then go with it, it is all subjective.
If 18" doesn't look good to you then it doesn't look good.
I remember when race cars went to 15" and that was considered huge at the time and those cars didn't lack for good handling.

Play around with the online tire size calculators, there is lots of them, find a combination of tire/wheel that fits your wheel well and back spacing requirements.

A lower profile tire will give you overall better handling but you will pay a price for it with more noise, vibration and harshness than compared with a higher profile tire.

[thrak410]

I like the 19" look

[javis20]

Those 19's look really nice!

[Huz-Z]

Some details on my rims which other than the cosmetic look, are the same size and offsets as my OEM Style 108 staggered set up:

https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1294464