To stagger or not is the question

[M-technik-3]

I recent picked up my BBS RS from the coaters, they were factory staggered but if you move the lips to the other barrels you get a symmetrical set minus the dish and offset. But having non staggered helps the handling.





I think I want to lean staggered. They were 16x8 and 16x9 now they are 16x8.5 square.

This was what they looked like about 4 years ago.

[Charley]

I was running a staggered set last summer 205/215 and hated the understeer.
I had to adjust the sways to get a semi neutral handling but I still had way too
much grip in the rear.

Edit: the camber on my car isn't corrected either just have H&R sports on but they give
more camber in the rear than in the front.

[Wh33lhop]

Actually originally "staggering" referred to different offsets front and rear, not different widths (IIRC), so either way they will be staggered ;)

I'd do 16x8.5 all around though, you get the neutral handling and the staggered "look" without the gayness of staggered widths.

When I see an E30 M3, I think "hey look, a real enthusiast." When I see an E30 M3 with staggered width fitment without putting down 400whp, I think "hey look, a real poser."

[mikeedler]

When I see an E30 M3, I think "hey look, a real enthusiast." When I see an E30 M3 with staggered width fitment without putting down 400whp, I think "hey look, a real poser."

because everything that is not performance oriented is crap. I know I am ruining my lap times on my non track car everytime I drive it. man am I a poser.

[Wh33lhop]

because everything that is not performance oriented is crap. I know I am ruining my lap times on my non track car everytime I drive it. man am I a poser.

I exaggerated, but the whole point of E30 M3s is that they are meant to be driven, not looked at. If you stagger wheel (more importantly, tire) fitment you are taking away from that. If you disagree, then my opinion shouldn't matter to you.

[M-technik-3]

These wheels are circa 88 and were made for M3 and M5 and were OEM packaged as two different widths when 245-40-16's were available, plus 225-45-16 were common.

I like the look of both but hate stretched tires so most likely I will be doing a neutral setup on that fact. These are not on a tracked car, more like a quick road car. My red M3 gets more DE time than my white M3.

Basically tire selection is going to be a major factor.

I exaggerated, but the whole point of E30 M3s is that they are meant to be driven, not looked at. If you stagger wheel (more importantly, tire) fitment you are taking away from that. If you disagree, then my opinion shouldn't matter to you.

Not everyone uses them for track events. I like driving mine but they draw sometimes too much attention which makes them tough to use these days.

[efreak]

All this stagger jibber jabber, ever stop and think, "hey this guys car might have a suspension that is prone to oversteer and he got staggered tires to even out the handling AND be able to put power down sooner coming out of a corner"..... WELL NO YOU DIDNT SO STFU AND GTFO

OK lol now that I got that out, I like the look of staggered on M3s, and who the hell runs street rubber on the track anyways!?

[einstein57]

My car used to rotate like crazy and loose traction big time on a square setup. Now that i'm running 9s inthe back and boosted i really have to try to get the back end squirly. Does it push? A liitle but i've seen more accidents caused by oversteer then under steer. Plius i still have my sway bar on the softest setting.

[Wh33lhop]

All this stagger jibber jabber, ever stop and think, "hey this guys car might have a suspension that is prone to oversteer and he got staggered tires to even out the handling AND be able to put power down sooner coming out of a corner"..... WELL NO YOU DIDNT SO STFU AND GTFO

OK lol now that I got that out, I like the look of staggered on M3s, and who the hell runs street rubber on the track anyways!?

Oh shit, I just got told.

[Supadave]

[efreak]

Oh shit, I just got told.

LOL, not picking on you, just years of pent up aggression for ppl bitching about staggered tires. It ALL depends on the specific car and suspension and everyone seems to forget that :)

I run 225 on the back and 205 on the front and bc of my suspension setup, it's nuetral who would have guessed hahahahaha

[Wh33lhop]

Calm down.

[Sagaris]

LOL, not picking on you, just years of pent up aggression for ppl bitching about staggered tires. It ALL depends on the specific car and suspension and everyone seems to forget that :)

I run 225 on the back and 205 on the front and bc of my suspension setup, it's nuetral who would have guessed hahahahaha

Must have been a poor suspension choice to begin with.

[Smelser]

I must be outta touch with the ASSphalt racing world. On DIRT, stagger was always the differance in circumfrence of the tire. racing on an oval I heard of some people running almost 9 INCHES of height differance in the left to right side. wich is ok, but its just like putting a "dora band aid on a shotgun wound"

In most cases you never want too much in stagger, you should be able to set the camber/caster and toe and run the height of the springs to get the car to turn, trying to keep the tire path as solid on the ground as possible (to do this, get a point and shoot temp gun, and check your tire temps, it will tell you alot)

Short and sweet, Even your tires, play with the suspension and the car will come to you


DIRT is for racing, Asphalt is for getting there!

[7pilot]

All this stagger jibber jabber, ever stop and think, "hey this guys car might have a suspension that is prone to oversteer and he got staggered tires to even out the handling AND be able to put power down sooner coming out of a corner"..... WELL NO YOU DIDNT SO STFU AND GTFO

OK lol now that I got that out, I like the look of staggered on M3s, and who the hell runs street rubber on the track anyways!?

If the car is oversteer prone , then the set up is shit.
More wheel/tyre in the back swallows up the torque and now the thing is slow on the straights as well as the corners.
No Asphalt racer wants an oversteering car.

m