Quote:
Originally Posted by Bdc101
...I'm trying to convince myself about which way to go:
1. Keep using my style 57s and just buy new 235/65/17s: about $600 total
2. Buy some local style 58s and buy a set of 255s: $300 for rims plus another $700 for tires
3. Drive 2.5 hours for some style 209s and buy 255s: A long drive plus $300 for rims plus another $700 for tires
4. Buy some local style 214s and buy new staggered 20" tires: $300 plus another $900 for tires
5. Drive 5 hours for some black-painted Style 131s that I really want: $100 for rims plus $700 for tires plus a day of my life.
I'd really like to get the bigger wheels for better stability when towing. ....
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What is the stability problem you have with your present 17" tires? how much does your loaded trailer weigh? are you exceeding the GVWR?
I haven't yet towed using my X5, but the way it handles so well on the road as it is, makes me confident it'd tow my 2225 lb squareback camping trailer, or my 4.5x10 utility trailer OK (as long as I didn't load it past it's 3500 lb rating). I let go of my car-hauler trailer when I got the X5 (part of the trade), so I'm unlikely to ever tow anything heavier with the BMW. I have two pickups at home (a '98 GMC 1500 and a '04 Chevy 2500HD) that are both modified for towing, so they would suffice.
I've towed heavy loads using those and other trucks I've owned, and only experienced stability problems when the truck was much lighter than the loaded trailer, when the trailer was improperly loaded, and occasionally when there was a severe crosswind (at highway speeds).
When there was a problem, I started using a Weight Distributing Hitch (+/- a sway-control device, depending on the situation). I even made my own, adapting my normal WDH to fit the single-beam tongue on my squareback trailer (it originally had a balance problem, later solved). Both of my present trucks have WDH's mounted, but not the X5.
Not racing anymore, nor camping very often, so I'm just slowly prepping my X5 for an excursion to a nearby State Park (not sure about long distant campouts in Oklahoma, yet,
not that BMW's might have problems...). But, anyway, I have a chart comparing my present, past, and future tow vehicles' specs, that I feel affect towing (vehicle height, weight, wheelbase, tow rating, etc.):
However, it seems you've got your heart set on bigger tires & wheels, and have the money to get them. Go for it! I've been there and done that, myself, back in the day. And wish I could still justify the expense, today.