E71 Wheels on F16

[hilals]

Hi!

I made the mistake of buying E71 wheels for my F16, it was a good deal. I then realized that the bore size for the rear in an E71 is 72.6mm and F16 hub bore size is 74.1mm.

Is it possible to use the E71 wheel on the F16? I can't find an adapter online, would I need to find a machinist to increase the bore to 74.1?


Thank you.

[lonestar22]

A wheel shop can bore out the wheels for you no problem. Just don't expect a place like discount tire to be able to do it. It'll have to be a place that specializes in wheel repair.

[Qsilver7]

Another solution would be to find a huc centric wheel spacer (not hub centric rings...but SPACERS) that will reduces from 74.1mm to 72.56mm.

You'll need to figure out how thick of a spacer you'll require based on the rear wheel's offset specs...and you'll probably also need to buy extended wheel bolts to cover the width of the spacer.

There are automotive wheel vendors in North America that sell hubcentric wheel spacers that reduce from 74.1mm to 72.56mm...you just need to do a good google search or forum search. For example...try a google search using this phrase: hub centric wheel spacer 74.1mm to 72.56mm. The wheel/tire forums may be a source of information, too.

If you're not familiar with wheel spacers...remember that the thickness of the spacer is SUBTRACTED from the wheels offset. So if your rear wheel has a 40mm offset...and you use a 12mm spacer...the new offset using both the wheel & spacer would now be 28mm (not 52mm like some would assume). You would also need to buy new extended wheel bolts that were 12mm longer than your original bolts (using the previous example). BMW wheel bolts are usually between 26-28mm.so you would need new wheel bots that were 38mm-40mm.

[hilals]

Thanks for the answers! I found someone to machine the wheels (after messing many wheel repair shops). I haven't tried the wheel sensors yet , but I'm guessing the tpms of the e71 won't work on the F16.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by hilals

Thanks for the answers! I found someone to machine the wheels (after messing many wheel repair shops). I haven't tried the wheel sensors yet , but I'm guessing the tpms of the e71 won't work on the F16.

It may depend on the build date of the e71. The quickest way to check is to look up the TPM sensor for each in one of the online part database sites like www.realoem.com or www.bimmercat.com.

BMW changed the frequency of the TPM sensors during the production years of the e71...so if it is an early build e71 the sensors aren't compatible...but if it was a latter built e71, they may be compatible. Either site will list the date range that the sensors can be used. You can also click on the 11 digit BMW part nbr and it will list all the other BMW models that use the same part nbr.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by hilals

Hi!

I made the mistake of buying E71 wheels for my F16, it was a good deal. I then realized that the bore size for the rear in an E71 is 72.6mm and F16 hub bore size is 74.1mm.

Is it possible to use the E71 wheel on the F16? I can't find an adapter online, would I need to find a machinist to increase the bore to 74.1?


Thank you.

I know people have already replied, given you solutions.

Just wanted to chime since in I'm using a set of E71, style 232 wheels, for my winter set up. I know of another member having had same set of 232's bored out, used on his F15.

Since I have fender flares, I also use spacers for both front and rear wheels, to make them not look so sunk in.
So if you have fender flares, don't want to bore out the rears, and can find spacer adapters for the rear, that should work just fine too, without being too wide.
If you don't have flares, the rear wheels with adapters, might stick out a bit, depending on adapter thickness.

[yupetc]

If you don't want to deal with boring out the wheels:

1: ECStuning has the specific hub-centric wheel spacers. Simple and cheap solution. And if you don't want it to protrude with much offset, you can just buy their thinnest profile spacer. I did 25mm rear and 10mm front, mated to a set of wheels from a previous gen 7-series, staggered. good luck.

2: Look to retrofit a new set of wheel hub bearing which can fit in the F16 knuckle and ensure the hub bore is 72.6mm. This will possibly take some empirical trials to see which other BMW has the same bolt pattern; I'm thinking an E71 chassis may have the same bolt pattern to the F16 since the multi-link suspension between the two generations are nearly identical.

[hilals]

I ended up getting the wheels machined.

About the rear tires , is it ok if I use 315/35/21 (found a good deal on Pirelli PZero) ? I currently have 285/35ZR21 fronts.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by hilals

I ended up getting the wheels machined.

About the rear tires , is it ok if I use 315/35/21 (found a good deal on Pirelli PZero) ? I currently have 285/35ZR21 fronts.

Just about any useful wheel/tire size calculator should give you an answer. If you have AWD…then you want the front and rear axle to be in close spec of overall wheel circumference/diameter.

Run the front & rear wheel/tire specs through this calculator to make sure the front & rear axles are within 3% of each other: https://tiresize.com/comparison/