Can I fit 245/40-17s or do I need fender flares?

[TheCarousel]

I searched and couldn't find a clear answer.

I want to run 17x8 APEX (ET25) wheels with 245/40 RE71Rs on my 87 325is. I am wondering if anyone has made this size fit without flares. My fenders have had the inner lip shaved off on both the front and rear.

If this size tire wont fit without fender flares, is ET25 offset enough to keep the car from looking ridiculous with fenders installed? (Basically will I need spacers to make the wheels fill the flares properly)

Thanks ahead of time for any insight!

[FredK]

It will fit. You may have to trim the front plastic fender liners. I ran 17x9 with 245/40R17 RE-71Rs and things fit after I trimmed the fender liners and rolled front and rear fenders flat.

[TheTacoMan]

You should consider spring rates as well, it will help in the effort.

[robgoesvroom]

TheCarousel - are you trying to fit 245's in a square or staggered setup?

FredK - were you able to fit 245 square on your car?

[FredK]

Yes, 245 square. Late model, 5 lug swap, using E36 wheels with spacers.

[TheCarousel]

It will fit. You may have to trim the front plastic fender liners. I ran 17x9 with 245/40R17 RE-71Rs and things fit after I trimmed the fender liners and rolled front and rear fenders flat.

Awesome! I have no fender liners and I trimmed the fender lip. I run 625# front springs and 800# rear springs.

It is going to be a good autocross and track season!

Do you have any photos of your car with this setup?

[Jb325is]

The biggest issue is overall diameter... Ours hits the top of the inner fenderwell in the front, pinch weld already ground flat. With perfect offsets you can fit 245's without rubbing on the fenders, but I'm not sure how to fix the inner fender interference short of raising the fender wells.

[FredK]

I run probably an inch higher in the front than most people, so I haven't had any interference with the pinch weld up top as far as I can tell. I'm sure I will run into an issue if I go lower. I'm running 550/750 springs.

Here is my car:

[Jb325is]

Yeah it looks like we might be a bit lower, not a ton though. We are mostly hitting in one or two spots @ Road Atlanta, one is a curb jump and the other is really heavy compression on LF. Running 600/800

2017-02-01_09-23-11 by Jonathan braswell, on Flickr

[FredK]

Yeah, there aren't many big curb hits for the tracks I went to when I had the RE-71s, but decent cambered bowl turns that I'd see maybe a momentary 1.5G or so. I'm sure if I hit the bus stop hard at WGI I would probably see some rub there, but I switched to NT-01s by then.

[TobyB]

You should consider spring rates as well

Camber plates, too...

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