Is it mechanically safe to run non-star tires on a SQUARE setup?
Hey everyone, looking for some real-world mechanical advice, preferably from BMW techs or anyone running a similar setup long-term.
I have a 2022 G31 530d xDrive Touring. The car is out of warranty, so I don't care about dealership claims being denied. My only goal is to avoid mechanically frying the ATC13 transfer case.
I’m putting together a winter set using the 792M wheels I kept from my 3 Series:
- Wheels: 4x 8Jx19 ET27 (Square)
- Tires: 245/40 R19 all around
- The catch: I want to use standard, non-homologated tires (no BMW Star mark) to save some cash.
I know that running non-homologated tires on a staggered setup is a death sentence for xDrive because the rolling circumferences can vary between the front and rear molds. But since I am running a perfectly square setup (identical 8J wheels and identical 245 tires on all four corners), the rotational speed should be mathematically identical, right?
Is anyone here running standard, non-homologated tires on a square xDrive setup without issues? As long as I rotate them front-to-back to keep tread wear perfectly even, is there any actual mechanical risk to the transfer case, or is the "always use star marks" strictly a dealership warranty rule?
Appreciate any insight!