Can lug bolt with 17mm head be used instead of one with 19mm head?
 

Can a lug bolt with 17mm head be used instead of one with a 19mm head? I have factory style 87 wheels and getting spacers. The spacers come with longer bolts (conical seat wheel bolt - 14x1.5x43mm) but the head of those bolts is 17mm, whereas the factory bolt head is 19mm. Would there be an issue if the 17mm head bolt is used on style 87 wheel?

I was surprised to find 17mm lug bolts on my E70 when I bought it a couple of months ago. I would assume since those wheels are interchangeable on to the E53 that they would be fine. I'm not exactly an authority though.

Bolt head size makes no difference, could even be an internal drive like the lock head. More important would be the conical seat part.

Head size on my 2006 is 17mm. The one my wife used to have was the same. Style 87's on hers.

Thanks for the verifying the 17mm would be fine. Actually, the vehicle factory wheels were style 132 and the bolts are 19mm head. I got the vehicle CPO so the 19mm head bolts most likely are factory. Incidentally, my F86 with 21" factory wheels has 17mm head bolts. It sounds like 17mm head bolts is standard.

This is very odd. I thought all e53s use 19mm. My 2004 LCI use 19mm from factory.

I was thinking the same thing. Fifty150, I would double check that your lug wrench in the trunk is 17mm. Could be that a previous owner swapped out the lugs but left the 19mm wrench in the trunk, which would put you up a creek without a paddle if you get a flat.

The newer m14 lugs from BMW are usually 17mm but be careful on pitch. E53 course pitch E70 fine pitch. I've seen e53 bolts with 17 and 19 but after damaging a couple of my e53 bolts I bought replacements with the captive cone washer they were 19. If the source of the spacers was aware of use on e53 you should have the correct pitch.

Just an FYI - while working on the cars today, was able to take this picture comparing 17mm vs 19mm bolts. My e86 Z4MC uses 17mm (88 ft-lbs) while the e53 X5 uses 19mm (101 ft-lbs). The diameter of the 17mm is 10mm and the 19mm is 12mm. I'll let you decide if you think the 17mm is safe to use on the e53.

Depending on E53 manufacturing time both 17 and 19 mm bolts were used and are still available. Other than the hex size they are similar.

M14X1,5/SW19MM ->12/2005 36136756298
M14X1,5/SW17MM 12/2005-> 36136781153