Got my rims and tires....tires are big as hell!

[BMWDON]

So the rims and tires showed up yesterday, while it was snowing of course. So I put them on lastnight, and man, when I look at it, the tires look too damn big to me. They are Toyo Proxes S/T 255/45x20's on TSW Thruxton 20x8.5" rims. It is scary how close that upper suspension comes to the back end of that tire, I guess everybody sees this when they put on new rims/tires, but it makes me a little nervous. The tires stand about 3/4" taller than stock tires, which I thought would fit the fenderwell a little better and maybe I wouldn't have to lower the car, but as you can see, the car needs to be lowered that eibach 1.3" drop. I like the way the "hyper black" finish stands out against the cool vanilla, but the rims aren't black at all, they look more like graphite. I have been asking, what color would you paint the brake calipers on this car? I had yellow on my black bmw, I liked the contrast and the difference to everybody else that did the typical red. I think I'll go with the Tirerack paint kits they sell, and the color variety is there for sure. I guess red would look good, but I was thinking maybe gold would look good too. Anyways, let me know what you think....good or bad. Later

http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/1328Jan202005Magnumnewrims1.jpg

http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/1328Jan202005Magnumnewrims2.jpg

http://photos.e46fanatics.com/data/500/1328Jan202005Magnumnewrims3.jpg

[bipto]

Like 'em! 8)

As far as the calipers are concerned, do you really want to introduce another color there? I think with the vanilla / graphite combo HAVING a fairly subtle appearance, bright red or yellow calipers are going to scream! If it were me, I'd paint 'em black just to prevent rust and call it a day. Just my $ .02...

Nice ride!

[Rev.Hammer]

looks kinda tight in there could be dicey.. I was thinking about those tires myself... I think that they look really nice..

[Taz]

I like the look 8)
Of course I like a little side wall on my tires as oppossed to rubber bands wrpped around the rims. :P
I wouldn't go crazy painting the calipers, black sounds good.
Just my .02

[done]

I am not a big fan of big wheels, especially with "rubber bands", but those look pretty good and fill the wheel wells. I don't think it needs to be lowered. I agree with the consensus so far, no paint or black on the calipers.

[OA-5599]

Agree on the look of the tires, now if they only came with a subtle red stripe.. as for the calipers, black or match the body color. That would be trick!

[Davesatdoasisbar]

I agree w/ bipto on the subtleness of the current color scheme. If you were to add some sort of striping or painting onto the white then maybe coordinate the calipers to one of those colors.
Perhaps you can get a close matching graphite or graphite flake paint to coordinate with the rims.

[ANTGIO]

I agree with everyone else. Wouldn't change a thing. Go with the black calipers. I do have a question regarding the rims. Were they the proper bolt pattern 5x115 ??? If so where did you get them ?

[ANTGIO]

I agree with everyone else. Wouldn't change a thing. Go with the black calipers. I do have a question regarding the rims. Were they the proper bolt pattern 5x115 ??? If so where did you get them ?

[ANTGIO]

I agree with everyone else. Wouldn't change a thing. Go with the black calipers. I do have a question regarding the rims. Were they the proper bolt pattern 5x115 ??? If so where did you get them ?

[ckofod]

I am an understated look kind of guy. Try to match the caliper color with the wheels. I am not INTO flashy.

I was looking at TSW wheels also. I was wondering what the hyper black finish looked like. Now I know. I think they are a good deal. They have at least 3 wheels that fit the LX. I like the GR8(I think they fit) and Carlton models. I have seen the Carlton and they were sharp in 20" on a black SXT. Trying to find out what the OEM R/T tire wheel set up weights? Anybody know??????

[hotvanilla]

I would keep the caliper color simple. Black or pewter in color. I would also paint the hat portion of the rotor a semi gloss black to eleminate the contrast you have now. The hats jump out just as much as those good looking wheels.

[BMWDON]

Thanks folks, I like the look of the rim, still not sure on the tire....they have plenty of sidewall I think....too much for the look I like, but enough to keep the ride nice and smooth. I think I might follow advice on painting the hats black....but I want a small shot of some color in there too...thinking red, might wuss out and go silver...still not sure. :)

[nitromike]

I do have a question regarding the rims. Were they the proper bolt pattern 5x115 ??? If so where did you get them ?

5x115 = 5x4.52755 inch
5x114.3 = 5x4.49999 inch

Doubt it'll be a problem .. seriously.

[BMWDON]

TSW makes these rims in 20x8.5" and 20x10", the bolt pattern is 5x114.3, I wanted to try 20x10's, but TSW is supposed to be backlogged a few weeks on that size and I didn't want to wait for it.

[NicktheRN]

Definitely Yellow calipers, definitelytl

[Black on Black]

[quote="BMWDON"]The tires stand about 3/4" taller than stock tires, which I thought would fit the fenderwell a little better and maybe I wouldn't have to lower the car, but as you can see, the car needs to be lowered that eibach 1.3" drop.[quote="BMWDON"]

The tires should stand about 0.4" taller than the stock tires, not 3/4". You're within a reasonable tolerance.

Your setup: 255*0.45*2 + 20*(25.4mm/in.) = 737.5 mm outside tire diameter (29.0 in.)

Stock setup: 225*0.60*2 + 18*(25.4mm/in.) = 727.2 mm outside tire diameter (28.6 in.)

I'm looking to get the same wheel, but in 18x8. I like the lower price, better performance, and more comfortable ride associated with lighter weight 18" wheels and the tires available for them. I'm a fan of the 255/55/18 BFGoodrich G-Force T/A KDW tire. Very highly rated on tirerack.

Have you had any vibrations at highway speeds with the slightly smaller lug pattern (5x114.3)??? That's my only worry with these wheels. I still want them, though, because they look so dang hot!

[BMWDON]

I know what the www.miata.com tire calculator says, but when the old and new tires are sitting side by side, it looks to me like 3/4", and here's the link to the toyo website proxes s/t spec sheet, when you look up the 255/45x20's, they measure them to be 29.6" diameter http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=6

The rims come with a hub centric plastic ring, makes it a true pain in the ass tightening up the lugs (lugs and wheel locks were included!), so for like the last 1/4" of gap between the rotor hat and the back of the mounting surface of the rim, it was air drive all the way, little bitty jumps in progress in the good ol' star pattern to get it all on there good and tight. But it rides pretty good so far, only had it up to 80-85, I've got a minor shake at 75ish, they probably balanced the rim at a lower speed, but it goes away when you hit 80. Obviously the lower profile lets you feel more of the roads imperfections, but the cornering feels more solid. And acceleration took a hit, I guess it's sucked up whatever the exhaust and intake did.

[nitromike]

I'm a fan of the 255/55/18 BFGoodrich G-Force T/A KDW tire.!

I have that exact tire in the garage waiting for my rims to come in.

[Black on Black]

NitroMike, what kind of wheels are you waiting on?

With the BFGoodrich tires, did you go with the version 1 tread pattern (classic) or with the version 2 tread (looks like flames, lotta smooth rubber for mucho contact with dry pavement)?

I can't decide if the type 2 tread looks great or looks ricey. I think I need to see it on a car. If that's what you got, I'd love to see pictures of them mounted!!!

Let me know...

[nitromike]

Ordering a set of TSW Catalunya's in 18x8 as soon as my Dodge Ram sells .. I dumped all my disposable cash INTO the down payment on the Magnum for now. Oh, I have the non-flame lookin ones, the type 1s

http://www.bigwheels.net/wheels/tsw/catalunya.jpg

[Zog]

Antgio is pretty adamant about those black calipers! :)

I like the rims! Any problems with speedo calibration?

[Scorpx]

This website is pretty useful, it is a tire/speedo calculator.

http://www.paspeedo.com/calculator.htm

Punch in your tire specs and a speed and it will tell you the measurement difference and the speedo difference between the two.

It says with my tires I am going 1.5mph faster at 65mph than what my speedo says.

I went FROM 215/65/17's to 275/40/20's.

[PBatt]

This is a bit overkill but try:

http://ejelta.com/tiresize/

Peter

[Zog]

I've read on here that a dealer can recalibrate your speedo for the new tire size.

[2003z]

looks great. If you can handle a week downtime, I can powdercoat your calipers black chrome, which is very similar to hyper black, and I'm cheap :)

[BMWDON]

thanks for the offer 2003z, but I'm still up in the air about the caliper color, and if I do it, it'll be the same day I do the eibach springs....one day of downtime is ok, a whole week is too long for me :) Thanks anyways!!! I like the rims, the tires are growing on me, mainly because the ride difference isn't bad at all (to me atleast), and the improved cornering is nice as well.

[BMWDON]

damnit nitro, you can't get those! I went with hyperblack to get away FROM the "norm" of what everybody else was doing with chrome/polished rims....now you're going to do it too....so much for being an inovator :cry: I think those will look pretty hot though 8)

Ordering a set of TSW Catalunya's in 18x8 as soon as my Dodge Ram sells .. I dumped all my disposable cash INTO the down payment on the Magnum for now. Oh, I have the non-flame lookin ones, the type 1s

http://www.bigwheels.net/wheels/tsw/catalunya.jpg