A BMW 5 Serie E12 (1972–1981) uses a 5x120 PCD and a centre bore of 72.5 mm.
Any wheel must match the vehicle's PCD exactly: there is no tolerance, unless you use a PCD adapter.
Centre bore: the wheel must have a centre bore of 72.5 mm or more. If it is larger (as with most aftermarket wheels), add a hub centric ring wheel centre bore → 72.5 mm.
Offset: the original is ET20. Compare your future wheel with the offset calculator (your vehicle is already selected) to see how many millimetres further in or out it will sit.
Fixings: thread M12x1.50, tightened to 110 Nm. The nuts or bolts must have the same seat (conical, spherical or flat) as the wheel.
Vehicles with the same PCD and centre bore
Same 5x120 PCD and same 72.5 mm centre bore: wheels from these vehicles bolt on and centre on a BMW 5 Serie E12 without rings. Offset, width, diameter and caliper clearance still need checking.
Will wheels from another vehicle fit your 5 Serie E12?
Choose the vehicle the wheels come from: we compare the hub, then each original wheel to the millimetre.
Same PCD, different centre bore
These vehicles also use 5x120 but with a different centre bore: their wheels need a hub centric ring if their centre bore is larger than 72.5 mm, and will not fit if it is smaller.
A BMW 5 Serie E12 (1972–1981) has a PCD of 5x120: 5 studs or bolts spaced around a circle 120 mm in diameter.
Does a BMW 5 Serie E12 need a hub centric ring?
The centre bore (hub diameter) of a BMW 5 Serie E12 is 72.5 mm. A wheel with a larger centre bore is fitted with a hub centric ring that brings it down to the hub diameter. A wheel with a smaller centre bore cannot be fitted.
What offset (ET) for a BMW 5 Serie E12?
The recorded original offset is ET20. A lower ET pushes the wheel outwards, a higher ET pulls it inwards: check wheel well and caliper clearance before making any change.
What tightening torque for the wheels of a BMW 5 Serie E12?
The specified tightening torque is 110 Nm for M12x1.50 fixings. Tighten in a criss-cross pattern with a torque wrench and check the tightness again after about fifty kilometres.
Which vehicles have the same PCD as a BMW 5 Serie E12?
With the same PCD (5x120) and the same centre bore (72.5 mm), these include: BMW 2 Serie Convertible F22, BMW 4 Serie Convertible F33, BMW 4 Serie Gran Coupe F36, BMW M3 F80. Offset, width and rim diameter still need checking for each vehicle.
Does a value look wrong, or is a version missing? Let us know, we check every report.
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