BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

E90/E91/E92/E93 OEM Spare Tire source

956K views 709 replies 262 participants last post by  tcphoto 
#1 ·
I know the leather-Z kit has been out for a while. it just never sat right with me that a) it was almost 400 for the kit that fit the 335i ( tire + tools + spacer & bolts)
b) you needed to use a 15mm spacer to get it to work.

digging through the ETK, it looks like the leather-z spare is the spare from the E46 cab.
3.50BX17 ET:30

a little more digging shows that the E60 550i uses front brake rotors the same size (348mm) and thickness as the 335i. brake calipers look to be of approximate same size.

the compact spare for the 550i is:
4BX17 ET:18

the offset is close to that of the E46 spare plus spacer-- ET 15 for the E46 spare wheel + spacer vs ET 18

now the fun part. BMW sells a retrofit spare kit for the E60. it includes:


the wheel +tire diameter is within 2% of stock tires.

total price from tischer BMW, for the whole retrofit kit listed above, before shipping, is $239.

I've ordered up a set, will keep everyone posted as to if it works. if it doesnt, i have a new flower planter. if it does, a spare that works without having to deal with the spacer, and for a lower price.
 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
Very interesting finding. Please keep us posted. (Already bought the LeatherZ but it is good to have alternatives).

Some folks had mentioned at one point using an X3 spare. Have you looked into it?


FM
 
#3 ·
Very interesting finding. Please keep us posted. (Already bought the LeatherZ but it is good to have alternatives).

Some folks had mentioned at one point using an X3 spare. Have you looked into it?

FM
yeah, the 550i and the X3 use the same spare rim. same P/N. i was drilling down using the brake size as a guide and the 550i was the best choice that had an optional spare.

i ran into a problem getting the tire-- when not bundled in the set i found, the tire has a lead time of 6-8 weeks from bmw and tire rack. alone its 120-150 bucks for the tire.
 
#4 ·
Did you get a price for just the wheel/tire/valve? Or does it just come as a kit. Cuz I don't need a jack/chock/bracket... I already bought the BMW jack kit. I was planning on using a snow as a spare, but I'm sure your solution would be a thinner, lighter tire.
 
#5 · (Edited)
rim is about 52, tire is 116 from the tire rack, valve, usually 2 bucks when you get the tire mounted. bmw doesnt sell the rim and tire premounted unless its in the kit.
i was actually going to get the rim and tire only, but i only have full sized jacks.

i'm actually hoping i can mount the tire, somehow, to the roof of the trunk.
 
#6 ·
the wheel +tire diameter is within 2% of stock tires.
Where did you get the data on wheel + tire diameter?

total price from tischer BMW, for the whole retrofit kit listed above, before shipping, is $239.

I've ordered up a set, will keep everyone posted as to if it works. if it doesnt, i have a new flower planter. if it does, a spare that works without having to deal with the spacer, and for a lower price.
Add me to those who are interested in your testing results.
 
#7 ·
Where did you get the data on wheel + tire diameter?

Add me to those who are interested in your testing results.
easy... tire size is: tirewidth/sidewall height (expressed as a % of tire width) / rim size.

stock tire size is 225/40/18

225*0.4=90/25.4=3.54"

3.54*2= 7.08" +18"= 25.08" diameter

spare tire size: 135/80/17

135*0.8=108/25.4=4.25"

4.25*2=8.5"+17"=25.5" diameter

25.4 is the mm -> inch conversion.
 
#8 ·
$400 bucks for a spare is highway robbery... I am also interested of there are any alternatives. I have 2006 330xi and I just changed to non-RFT's. I was considering just using AAA, but the problem is if you get a flat and need a new tire it will take 3 days minimum to get one from Tirerack (if the shop doesn't stock those). That's where the spare comes in. It also helps you to get to your destination and not be forced to abandon your trip.

Please keep us informed if any other BMW or other brand spares would fit E90. I assume that '06 330xi and new 335i's would require the same spare, right?
 
#9 ·
the 330i is a *little* easier, the front brakes are a little smaller than the ones on the 335i. but everything else would be the same
 
#11 · (Edited)
being completely honest, i'm not too worried-- its not exact on any of the other models. and of course its a temporary spare.


there's even a varience between the front and rear wheels with staggered tires... as well as tire wear varience. the rears will wear out faster than the fronts.

most modern traction control systems can handle 2-3% differences in diameters.

a 125/80/17 spare tire would be almost spot on, but i dont think a 4" rim will take a 125 tire ok.

also-- a runflat tire running on zero pressure has more a diameter difference than the temp spare (the FTM system doesnt trip until there's about a 10-15% diameter difference)
 
#16 ·
being completely honest, i'm not too worried-- its not exact on any of the other models. and of course its a temporary spare.

there's even a varience between the front and rear wheels with staggered tires... as well as tire wear varience. the rears will wear out faster than the fronts.

most modern traction control systems can handle 2-3% differences in diameters.

a 125/80/17 spare tire would be almost spot on, but i dont think a 4" rim will take a 125 tire ok.

also-- a runflat tire running on zero pressure has more a diameter difference than the temp spare (the FTM system doesnt trip until there's about a 10-15% diameter difference)
Generally agreed, a few % off (ideally below 2-4) should be ok. 10-15% diameter difference is huge. I think you mean, 10-15% pressure/PSI difference.

Are you planning to mount/test?
 
#13 ·
So, let me get this straight. If the total diameter is approximately equal to the regular tire, then any BMW spare will do? Is the bolt pattern the same? What about spares from older 5- and 3-series? Would they be okay?
 
#14 · (Edited)
E39 5 series wont fit-- the E39 for some reason had a centerbore that was different than any other bmw. the E39 had a 74.1mm centerbore. almost every other bmw has used 72.56.

E46 3 series will fit, but needs a spacer to clear the brakes.

the whole point of the E60 550i spare is to avoid the use of a spacer and the longer lugs needed.
 
#18 ·
For how many miles is it safe to drive on a spare (if the spare is close in size to the original tire)? I know there are speed restrictions, but are there distance restrictions as well?
 
#26 ·
interesting... this is what bmw has to say about using the compact spare (which i take to mean no specific distance, just get it changed as soon as you can):
Only one compact wheel may be mounted. You should re-equip with wheels and tires of the original size as quickly as possible.

 
#19 ·
it depends on the tire... but i believe its about 150km or ~93 miles.
 
#20 ·
small update: kit shipped out. it came to 259 shipped from tischer bmw to my apt in manhattan.

i'll probably have time to test fit it this weekend.
 
#21 ·
Please let us know or PM me. I am interested in knowing. Tischer lists the spare wheel at $60 or so. Why did it come out to $259? What else did you order?
 
#22 · (Edited)
i have the ETK listing of whats in the kit i got in my first post

its:
Spare rim
Spare tire
Jack
wrench
chock
in-tire tray to hold all

i got the whole set for two reasons
1) the tire itself is backordered nationally for 6-8 weeks from both bmw and tire rack
2) seperately, the tire costs 115-150 depending on source.

115+60 + 20S&H
$195
+15 mount and balance
210

then add in the cost of the tools....

the kit arrived today, so i should be able to test it soon.

I'll be disappointed if the tire comes unmounted.... with my luck it will be..
 
#23 ·
and here's what the kit looks like, in box:


all the tools fit neatly into a foam tray that sits in the wheel hub.
 
#25 ·
well, need to test mount it this weekend. almost tempted to go to the garage now and try it
 
#27 ·
My only concern is, it may take 3-5 days to get the tires from Tirerack. Not many shops keep specific low profiles in stock (I just put on Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S on). In the meantime I would need to go to work (60 miles roundtrip). So, I would have to drive 180-300 miles on a spare. If this is too much, I would have to garage the car and sit home. Then a question comes up - why not skip the whole spare tire thing and use the mobility kit, which is lighter, smaller and cheaper. I am only leaning towards a spare if it allows me to use the car while I am awaiting the new tire. Any thoughts, guys?
 
#29 · (Edited)
there is no mileage limitation that i can find anywhere online. i suspect that unless you wore the spare tire out, there's no issue with running it for a few hundred miles. similar compact spares are rated for 1-3,000 miles of treadwear. as long as you keep within the speed limit, the tire properly inflated and load limits, you should be find up to the tread life of the spare.

the issue with the mobility kit is, i actually have one of those, is that a sidewall rupture caused by a pothole, or a puncture beyond a certain size, cannot be sealed by a moblility kit.

TireRack said:
Without even removing the foreign object (such as nails or screws) in the case of a fast leak or a flat tire, activating the ContiComfortKit sealant will inject the liquid latex tire sealant and the compressor will reinflate the tire to comfortably provide a quick and simple temporary repair of the most common tire hazards, such as tread area punctures caused by nails and screws up to approximately 1/4-inch (6mm) in diameter.
A typical passenger car tire that is flat will take less than seven minutes to fill.
Once the sealant is activated and inflation pressure is correctly set and confirmed with the ContiComfortKit's integral air pressure gauge (NOTE: normal pencil, dial and/or digital tire pressure gauge may become contaminated by the sealant and should not be used) after driving a few miles, the temporarily repaired tire is ready to be driven for up to 125 miles (200 km) at speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h).
the really interesting thing is, i looked up the "M" Speed rating that the continental spare tire carries.
M corresponds to 81mph or 130kph. not that i would ever recommend running a compact spare above the manufacturer's stated limit of 50mph, but it does look like the tire is capable of higher speeds.

the full descriptor is 102 M

a load index of 102 corresponds to 1874lbs compared to the stock load rating of 88 for the fronts and 90 for the rears.... 1235lbs and 1323lbs respectively.

i suspect that this is a worse case scenario, to ensure that the tire can handle any possible extreme load. it does suggest that the temp spare is pretty rugged for what it is.
 
#28 · (Edited)
well, i couldnt wait and dragged the whole thing down to my garage and did a test fit on the troublesome front wheels. I did only the driver's side front wheel.

IT FITS!

no rubbing, no contact with the brake caliper, nothing. The jack included with the kit fits our jack points perfectly, the tire iron is standard BMW 17mm.

i drove around the inside of my parking garage, up and down the ramps, left and right full lock, no rubbing, no problems. i couldnt go faster than about 20mph as its an indoor garage, but visually, there's at least 3mm of clearance between the caliper and the wheel. i had the windows open and listen carefully for any signs of rubbing. inspection of the wheel after remove revealed no contact scratches.


I cannot guarantee fit for any car but my own, but unless there's a massive production variance, this *should* fit all E9X cars without a spacer.

my next project is to figure out if i want to mount the spare to the roof of the trunk or leave it stuck in a corner.
 
#57 ·
I cannot guarantee fit for any car but my own, but unless there's a massive production variance, this *should* fit all E9X cars without a spacer.
When you say "all e9x cars" are you including the e90 325i with sport package/17 in. wheels? I saw a reference to those in another of your posts but wanted to check. Granted you can not guarantee this. I'm asking in the effort of trying this out and possibly adding to the list of specific applications for which this would be a solution.

This is a very nice write-up by the way and thanks for posting your steps along the way!
 
#30 ·
I like that the tools fit in the wheel hub. Much neater than having a separate jack kit. I am going to order today or tomorrow, if no other concerns come up. Awesome find.
 
#31 ·
Thanks a lot for the experiment. Could you post pics of the spare mounted on the car?


FM
 
#32 ·
Thanks a lot for the experiment. Could you post pics of the spare mounted on the car?

FM
right now its tossed in a corner. i'm going to see if i can attach it to the roof of the trunk and if that saves any space.
 
#34 ·
i would say that it will almost certainly fit-- the 328i has smaller rotors. the issue with the 335i/330i is rotor diameter and caliper clearance, the E46 spare needs a 15mm spacer to clear the brakes. offset and well clearance should be identical to the 335i

the E60 spare fits without any spacer. smaller brake rotors, more clearance off the bat
 
#39 ·
I have an '08 335i Coupe with sport and 19" wheels. The 19" wheel combo has approximately the same outside diameter as you mentioned. My question is: does the couple have anything different about it that would prevent this solution from working (eg larger calipers)?
 
#44 ·
Orient:
Thanks for the research on this topic. I have same vehicle as you and am also interested in this solution.

Was at a local dealer and noticed a 2008 535xiT service loaner (non ZSP, all-season tires). It had a T135/80R17 102M compact spare just like the one you discovered from the 550i. Didn't feel right about pulling it out to check the rim size :) , so don't know if it is the 4BX17 ET:18 that you found fits our 335s.

Tried researching 535xiT parts for spare rim size, but Tischer site doesn't have that vehicle. Can you suggest another source to find if the 535xiT emergency rim would fit our cars?

Cheers, ED
 
#45 ·
Orient:
Thanks for the research on this topic. I have same vehicle as you and am also interested in this solution.

Was at a local dealer and noticed a 2008 535xiT service loaner (non ZSP, all-season tires). It had a T135/80R17 102M compact spare just like the one you discovered from the 550i. Didn't feel right about pulling it out to check the rim size :) , so don't know if it is the 4BX17 ET:18 that you found fits our 335s.

Tried researching 535xiT parts for spare rim size, but Tischer site doesn't have that vehicle. Can you suggest another source to find if the 535xiT emergency rim would fit our cars?

Cheers, ED
i just checked, all the E60s use the same tire and wheel. the retrofit kit application covers all E60s.

are you looking for just the rim? warning being, the reason i got the whole kit was that the tire to go on the rim is quite hard to find.
 
Top