BMW E39 5 Series Wheel & Tire Fitment Guide

Looking for the ideal wheel and tire fitment to let you run bolt-on square wheels and tires for your 1995-2004 BMW E39 5 series? Our E39 5 Series fitment guide lets you run wide and rotatable tires with the correct centerbore. The unique bore of these classic BMW models means direct-fit wheels are not commonly available on the aftermarket. Our ARC-8s are made specifically these cars and can work on all 5 series models including 523i, 525i,  528i, 530i, 540i,  in a direct-fit square wheel option perfect for anyone looking to upgrade or add a second set to keep their beast on the road. If you’re looking to see which colors are in stock, head over to our E39 5 series wheel configurator.

E39 Centerbore Notes:

All E39 5 series hubs from the factory come with a larger wheel centerbore of 74.1mm. The vast majority of 5x120 BMW wheels have a 72.56mm centerbore. The E39 5 series requires wheels with the larger diameter centerbore and our standard BMW 5x120 wheels will not bolt on to an E39 5 series with factory or OE spec hubs.

To provide a solution for the E39 community that does not involve adapters or hub conversions, APEX will offer a limited-production E39-Specific ARC-8 wheel fitment with the correct factory E39 centerbore. These wheels will bolt onto the E39 hubs and be compatible with factory wheel bolts.

APEX does not offer spacers in a compatible centerbore for E39 applications. Quality spacers in a 74.1mm bore can be purchased from ECS Tuning or Turner Motorsport. 10mm spacers are not recommended.

Whether you enjoy spirited street driving or you are a weekend track warrior chasing lap times, this wheel & tire configuration is ideal for enthusiasts looking for a dramatic improvement in performance. 

The suspension type, alignment settings, and tire brand/size can be changed accordingly to set the car up for either environment. See fitment notes under each tire configuration below to see if modifications are required.

Wheels

• Front & Rear: 18x9.5" ET22
• Available in: ARC-8 E39-Specific wheel only.
• Front spacers will be required with certain aftermarket suspensions that reduce inner clearance or wider tires. See suspension clearance section at the bottom of the guide.

Tires

• APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 265/35-18 
• Tires that run wide may require a 3mm front spacer.
• All Season: Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06+ (560 TW), Michelin Pilot AS4 (540 TW)
• Max Performance Summer: Continental ExtremeContact Sport (340TW), Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 (320TW) 
• Extreme Performance Summer: Hankook Ventus RS4 (200TW), Dunlop Direzza ZIII (200TW), Falken Azenis RT660 (200TW), Falken Azenis RT615k+ (200TW), Yokohama A052 (200TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS (200TW)
• R-Compound: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R (100TW), Toyo R888R (100TW)

• Wider Alternative: Front & Rear 275/35-18 
• A small increase in negative camber may be required if the car is lowered and/or the tire model used runs wide.
• 3mm spacers required.
• 5mm spacers required with tires that run wide. Thicker spacers required with suspension that limits inner clearance.
• Front rubbing may occur at full steering lock with wider tire models.
• All Season: Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06+ (560 TW), Michelin Pilot AS4 (540 TW)
• Max Performance Summer: Continental ExtremeContact Sport (340TW), Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2 (320TW) 
• Extreme Performance Summer: Hankook Ventus RS4 (200TW), Dunlop Direzza ZIII (200TW), Falken Azenis RT660 (200TW), Falken Azenis RT615k+ (200TW), Yokohama A052 (200TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS (200TW)
• R-Compound: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R (100TW), Toyo R888R (100TW)

Aftermarket Suspensions known to reduce inner clearance (includes but not limited to):

• Bilstein PSS9 & PSS10
• KW Height-Adjustable Spring (HAS) kit
• KW Variants
• KW Clubsports
• Öhlins Road & Track

Should I Dial in Negative Camber, and How Much is Right for me?

Whether you are a casual weekend track warrior that still enjoys your car on the street, or a hard core racer competing for a spot on the podium, negative camber is a vital part of chassis setup that has many benefits. Not only will adding negative camber create more room for wider wheel and tire configurations, it more importantly improves handling, turn-in and tire longevity. Learn more in our blog article, The Positives of Negative Camber.