[Victor G]

Can you run 18 or 19" square setup on an X3 that came with 20" staggered setup Front 245/40 r20 and Rear 275/35 r20 from the factory?
Has anyone done it? Any issues?

Thanks

[Tjalle]

I have 20" staggered on my summer tires, and 18" square winterwheels - no problem.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by Victor G

Can you run 18 or 19" square setup on an X3 that came with 20" staggered setup Front 245/40 r20 and Rear 275/35 r20 from the factory?
Has anyone done it? Any issues?

Thanks

Why even bother with a square setup? I had my local shop put the wider wheels on the front and put the narrower wheels in the rear to make the X3 handle more neutrally. It now goes exactly where I point the steering wheel instead of completely understeering. I made this change after a near death incident on some mountainous roads. I was driving way too aggressively and veered into the oncoming lane around a bend. It scared the bejesus out of me when I saw the words "Freightliner" on the front grille of the car that I almost hit head on. After that incident, I asked the shop what could I do to improve grip around a turn so that this never happens again. They said to flip the front and back wheels and I should have a car that won't understeer as much. After doing the tire rotation, I tried to drive the same route again and was able to stick to the road despite going through that corner almost 8mph faster than the previous time.

[Andy_o]

Originally Posted by Victor G

Can you run 18 or 19" square setup on an X3 that came with 20" staggered setup Front 245/40 r20 and Rear 275/35 r20 from the factory?
Has anyone done it? Any issues?

Thanks

Yes

X3's start with 17's and square set up

Just look in your manual or on the door pillar which will show you correct sizes in 17/18/19 set ups

[Peter_R]

I will join the chorus of yeses. I have a 19" staggered setup with summer tyres and square setup of 18" wheels with winter tyres.

[Mr Comfort]

I also run a staggered 20" summer setup with a square 19" winter set. No problems.

[pokerface]

Originally Posted by Polo08816

Why even bother with a square setup? I had my local shop put the wider wheels on the front and put the narrower wheels in the rear to make the X3 handle more neutrally. It now goes exactly where I point the steering wheel instead of completely understeering. I made this change after a near death incident on some mountainous roads. I was driving way too aggressively and veered into the oncoming lane around a bend. It scared the bejesus out of me when I saw the words "Freightliner" on the front grille of the car that I almost hit head on. After that incident, I asked the shop what could I do to improve grip around a turn so that this never happens again. They said to flip the front and back wheels and I should have a car that won't understeer as much. After doing the tire rotation, I tried to drive the same route again and was able to stick to the road despite going through that corner almost 8mph faster than the previous time.

Wouldn't the better solution be to slow down than to try to neutralize understeer that only persisted when the car was pushed beyond its limit??

Push the car in the corners hard enough eventually that rear end will break free... then you will be sliding sideways toward that Freightliner.

[Peter_R]

Originally Posted by pokerface

Wouldn't the better solution be to slow down than to try to neutralize understeer that only persisted when the car was pushed beyond its limit??

Precisely! This is the correct answer!