Tires size to get that raked look
 

I have 18" and want to stay with them. They run 255/55r18. What size tires do I need on the front and back to get that raked look (staggered plus zero)? Where it's slanted with the back being bigger. Do I keep the front at 255/55/18 or change front and back? I know what brand tires I'm going with but just need a little help on the sizes to give me the look. Or is it better to keep square and go with a bigger tire all around? Any suggestions? Please and thank you any and everybody!

You need to keep front and rear within a tight range of each other in terms of rolling diameter to not mess with the awd and DSC. Why not just use the same size?

If you really need a 'raked' look park on a hill.

What year is your X5 and does it have air suspension?

:bustingupI like that, lol. Actually chuckling over here. But was wondering if staying square instead of 255/55/18 how would 275/55/18 look on all 4's. Any input? Has anyone rode on those did you like the look of a little bigger?

BCredliner, it's a 2003 4.4 and yes it has air suspension.

It would be easier to adjust the air suspension to get the raked look you are seeking. Any tires that will give you a raked look will likely cause problems with your drivetrain. The width of your rim will restrict how wide a tire should use anyway.

Don't want any problems so I'll stay square. But what do you think about the larger size 275/55/18?

The best thing you can do is chuck those wimpy 18" wheels in the recycle bin and get a set of factory (any style) 20" wheels. No matter what you do tire wise you're still gonna have a big ass truck sitting on skinny wheels and tires, so now's your time to upgrade.

Sounds like a plan. I'll start looking! Thx!

there is a big thread somewhere here about rolling diameters, tire sizes and if we should go bigger (or smaller!)... given the level of the electronic controls in the car, it is better to stay within the recommended tire sizes for the given rim - however, the factory itself specifies the plus sizes, up to 20" staggered set up, that will look much better than an experimentation with tire sizes... the car is predialed for certain variation in the tire specs, but the rolling diameter still stays the same even on the bigger wheel...

On the other hand, if you have adequate resources to experiment with the various sizes to achieve the look while keeping the functionality, the rest of the folks here would be interested to see what your results are...

good luck