wider stock tires
 

it is almost time for me to replace my tires on stock 06 rims. i am thinkin of going a little wider and meatier. i know already those of u that will say just get wider rims but it's just not an option at the moment. i want tires that'll hold me over til i can afford rims and to fill the wheel well a little more. please help me out with tire sizes and some pics. thinkin about toyo t1r's or bf goodrich g force. thanks guys for any input and happy new year

What is the width of your '06 rims (18x8" all around)?

I assume the diameter is 18", but not sure what rim width you have.

--Spike

stock tires are 225/45/18 front and 245/45/18 rear

18x8 front and 18x8.5 rear also i think.

You could try spacers with OEM sizes until you can buy rims. It will make it look a lot more aggressive.

Could wind up costing a bit more cause you'd have to get the lugs changed for longer ones to use with the spacers and would likely change back once you buy wheels with a more aggressive offset...

I know, not much help, but definitely an option to consider...

245/40/18 front
275/40/18 rearAttachment 172646

Stock 06 & 07 rims:

F 18" X 8.0" / R 18" X 8.5"
F 225/45/18 / R 245/45/18


Queston, would it be ok to run 225 tires on the front and change the rears to 275?

That looks to be OK, thanks for the picture.

275/40 will be ok with oem 06 stock rear rims...i did use measuring tape to double check the width(tire/rim) before mounting. It all depends on the tire manufacturer. Some tires come wider than others and vise versa.

If I wanted wider tires I would get wider wheels.

EDIT: But that's just me.:)

yup...i'm currently running 225/45/18 front at the moment. Those 275s look much more aggressive than stock size looking from behind.;)

But that's just you davidv. :)

Not just you , its the proper thing to do.

please search...

Since that question is answered,
Im guessing its totally fine to put an 18x8 in a 245 tire also???

^ yes and T1-R side wall is too soft like cream...

are those gunmetal? look nice, any more pics?

are those gunmetal? look nice, any more pics?

t1-R is soft? ew i hate soft sidewalls. i always thought T1-R was super super nice... :/

what does it mean to have a soft side wall? and thanks guys for all the input.

It's the worst trait a performance tire can have....it makes the turn in crap. I love hard as a rock sidewalls, like Bridgestone Potenza S-03's, and even the stock Potenzas on my 07 18's had great initial turn in. Tires known for soft sidewalls? All Toyos I've driven....a lot of Sumitomos, some Michelins, those crap ass General Exclaim's, and all Kumhos except the MX's. Best known for hard sidewalls are Bridgestones and BFG's. Problem is a stiffer sidewall=more weight. But that's how the T1R's are light, they dont use enough support in the sidewall area.

they are cheap so many vendors supply them.

they are nice, but IMO it's not super nice..

only if you are looking for silky smooth ride and don't care about pushing your car to the limit @ the corners.

+1 I have Kumho MXs and compare to stock 040, it's softer. however, I had coilovers and ride was too stiff with stock 040s.. feeling every single bumps and rocks. MX are softer, but stiff enough to holds at the limit. I love my MX!!
I heard many autocross people run them!

and yeah, brigestones and BFGs have stiff side wall. especially Bridgestone!!

He was referring to sidewall rigidity or stiffness. I’m not sure if there is any industry rating on sidewall stiffness, but I do know there are instruments that will measure this. The benefits and handling characteristics of varying sidewall rigidity are certainly arguable.

A couple of sidewall characteristic I think everyone agrees with:
1) Softer sidewalls provide a more comfortable (i.e., softer) ride with all other factors being the same (e.g., suspension, tire pressure, etc.).
2) Tires with more rigid sidewall feel more secure when cornering hard since the wheel remains more over the center of the tires main axis. In other words, softer sidewalls feel a little more wiggly. Note: Whether or not the grip is better is debatable since that involves all sorts of things (e.g., tread design, the tire’s compound/material-makeup, etc.).
3) You can notice a handling difference between stiff and soft sidewalls when driving a car with a sophisticated suspension (the Z being a good example).

Characteristics you could argue about for hours or with many messages:
1) Softer sidewalls allow better tread adaptation.
2) Tires with stiff sidewalls corner better because they inherently maintain tread adaptation.
3) Stiff side-walled tires won’t grip as well on wet roadways.
4) Soft side-walled tires run more quietly.
5) And the list can go on and on…

--Spike

I just replaced my tires all around on my '07 Enthusiast,and went 245-40x18 on the front and 245-45x18 on the rear based on a post stating that steering response would be a little sharper with less understeer.My wheel size is the stock 18x8 & 18x8.5,and I am running the ProjectKics spacers all around(15mm front/20mm rear to widen the track.I have Hotchkis adjustable sways on my car with the middle hole used in the rear and the third hole from the end used in the front.On the stock Bridgestone RE050A tire my car would enter a corner with slight understeer and with a little throttle, snap to oversteer.With TC off,I would get sideways in a hurry so was facing a little dilemma.I am happy to say that the slightly wider tire on front has really helped! Turn in is much sharper without the unsettling transition I previously felt.I needed an all season ultra performance tire,so went with Bridgestone RE960AS and so far am very pleased with how quiet and comfortable they are to ride with and no apparent loss in performance over the OE 050A Bridgestones.Also no significant increase in weight,so straight line performance remains the same. Since the 245-40x18 is very close in diameter to the 225-45x18(only .2" shorter),no problems with the TC engaging prematurely.I hope this may be helpful to any looking to replace their tires and having a hard time deciding which way to go.:)

Blackjack???

Do you have any pic's of your ride, i'm in the same boat as you and am thinking of that size wheel in the BFG for my ride.

cheers

kevin

with stock sized wheels, you could also run 245/40 18 front and 255/40 18 rear

255/40/18 front & 275/40/18 rear

Not on 18x8 18x8.5. No way.

Hey newb, I've mounted 275/40/17 tires on 17x8 stock rims on all four corners for autocross.

Noobie? Cute, I've owned more performance cars than you are old kid. But anyways, any tool that thinks a 275/40 17 on a 17x8 is ideal lives in a quasi dreamworld. :icon14:

EDIT: And good ole Tire Rack, you know, the guys that know the most about wheels/tires fitment recommend the following for that 275 tire. 9-11"
Meaning, your piddly 8" isn't within that range. Better luck next time.

Wow, I'm impressed . . . here's your signature:

2007 Silver Alloy Base 6 spd (current) BBS RE forged 18's, 07 Yaris hatch, 06 GTI 2.0T Revo'd, 06 RSX-S, 05 Civic VP, 00 Civic Si, 00 Sentra, 97 328i, 96 Jeep GC, 95 M3, 95 318is, 92 325is, 92 325i, 91 318is (all past)

:icon18: A freakin' Yaris & Civics!? High performance cars?

Newb, the word "recommended" is strictly that. Get over it! It's been done before, and you just didn't know it since you probably have never tracked your car. Oh, I forgot, you have a Yaris . . . never mind. I won't argue with you anymore since you own a Yaris, your so called high-performance car.

Wow, that's the best comeback you came up with....Mr self proclaimed old timer round here?! Cute, the "recommended" sizes are, well recommended by the manufacturers, not just some random Z dude. Enjoy your mis-sized setup, it suits your personality well.

Yeah, pick out the Civic and Yaris DD's, and completely miss the 6 Bimmers, RSX-S, 2.0T GTI, and not that I'm bragging, but my Dad has had, let's see, a NSX with Arc titanium exhaust, 200+bs weight reduction, TE-37's, 6 M3's, 12+ Porshes, and I've been behind the wheel of a sick amount of fast, performance cars....I'm hardly unqualified to give your noob azz tire advice. Being that I've had 30+ wheel/tire setups over the years. :D

My friend runs 285/30's on all 4 on stock track wheels 8 and 8.5" wide for auto-x. Rest assured it pudges some but he has no issues with them, and the car is driven harder than most Z's on this site. Recommended sizes are not the end all be all for sizing tires. This is him:

http://www.limpidity.org/images/Zpics/ZSCCACal2.jpg

http://www.limpidity.org/images/Zpics/ZSCCACal1.jpg

That's totally feasibly sure, but is that because that is the *best* setup for those sized tires? Or because of cost cutting? My guess is the latter. None of the top autocrossers would run 8" wide wheels with 285's....just those saving money and being cheap. BMW autocrossers run 17x10's with 275's.

Thanks, Alberto!

This newb just won't give up! He is obviously clueless and an idiot for assuming that autocrossers are "cheap" for not using wider rims. Most autocrossers probably spend more money on the Zs every month to prep their cars than what you pay on your monthly payment.

Newb, do you actually know why autocrossers are using certain sizes for their rims? Go find out for yourself and make sure you remember the word "class" when searching.

STFU with the noob...jeezus. I am a BMWCCA member and have autocrossed a lot in my E36's and a E46 M3. STFU with all your ASSumptions. Why do you think i know so much about sports cars? It's because of my experience. My join date hardly has ANYTHING to do with my knowledge base. ****ing moron. :icon20: Figures you would have ZULater as a name.....kiddies. Bring that s-l-o-w 06 out and I'll trounce it with my HR. Must suck to spend all that money on a 06 only to have a 07 blow your doors off in any category.

I’m curious about problems one might encounter when going past the recommended tire width for a wheel. For example, if you go too wide, what’s the risk?

- Bead breaking loose?
- Poor (wiggly) handling?
- Any other things?

I would guess the aspect ratio would be a factor here. For example, too wide with a higher aspect ratio should be more forgiving.

--Spike

Hey Justin, if you are going to bash on someone's character and who they are, bash on that. We are all car enthusiasts here, so no point in bashing the 350z. Be the bigger man and state facts, thats the best way to prove your point.

Back on topic, check this out: http://www.350zmotoring.com/modules....ex&name=Wheels has some very good information on plus sizing.

Newb, you've got some anger management issues as well . . . :icon18:

Hello… Hey guys, instead of wrecking the thread, could one of you regain focus and help with a legitimate question?

Repeating…
Thanks for any replies (geez you guys)…

--Spike

I provided feedback on this thread and this newb criticizes my posts. Just read his posts and you'll see how newbish and childish they are. My posts are based on "first-hand" experience, not on some recommendation someone is advocating! :icon20:

As far as your concerns, no issues for me mounting 275s on 17x8 rims. I autocrossed this setup hard and did not have any beads come loose or felt any wiggling. Most autocrossers will mount the widest tires possible on the "allowable sized" rims for their class.

^^ Thanks for information.

Your message states that there is “no issues for me mounting 275s on 17x8 rims.”

What about 275/40-18” on 18x8” rims? Any experience here? Is this a safe combination?

--Spike

The recommended wheel widths for a particular tire size is specified to ensure proper geometry of the tire as it was intentionally designed for. The sidewall was designed to serve a purpose when operated in specific conditions. When mounted on wheels that are narrower or wider, sidewall loading is effected, as is contact patch of the tread. This can cause an increase of heat and premature tire wear. Lowering the tire pressure, when installed on wheels too wide, can help emulate the tread footprint as if it were on a narrow wheel offering the intended perpendicular sidewall geometry, but reduces the overall load rating, and increase rolling resistance and again cause heating. In short, the tires just won't last as long as if they were installed on the recommended width wheels, but it can be done. JFYI, I am an engineer for a very popular tire manufacturer, and I too just ordered some 275's for my stocker 8.5's in the rear, fully aware of the consequences. Good luck

:icon22: You are lame-he has the fastest b(?)-stock car, won at the nationals (or came in 2nd cant remember), do you think auto-x'ing sand spending $$$$ on hoosiers is CHEAP? He IS one of the top auto crossers:icon18: Stop assuming things and learn to admit you are wrong. Experience > some "tire expert" anyday! The truth is tire widths vary from manufacturer's, one company's 275 can be as wide as another's 285, so recemmendations are just that, again not the end all, be all for sizing. In the end, put on what you feel comfortable with. I HATE stretched tires, but even extreme 225 on 10" rims dont fail as much as we would like to believe just like a 265 on a 8" rim on stock Z rims wont be a problem. You really are lame for not knowing diff classes have diff rules and assuming my friend is cheap-AND you claim you auto-x? And you dont know this?

BTW-stop being a prick to ZULATER-nobody cares how fast your car is in this thread, Id rape you in reverse but thats not the point here is it?

LMAO-this guy is "educating" us on tire sizing and he is buying four 8.5" wide wheels (another thread) for his 07'! LOL-get some real sizes worth upgrading to:icon17:

To try to answer the OP's questions to the best of my novice ability.

I ran 255/40/17's on stock 8in front 8.5in rear last autox season. The fronts were a bit bulgey but not bad. However, I would probably not run much larger than a 255. 265 wouldnt look TOO bad on an 8.5 but would be a bit of a bulged look. As far as the safety issues? no more saftey issues than these people running really stretched tires. There are a good amount of people that have run 275's on the stock front 8in rim without any trouble, however I wasnt that ambitious.

Take it for what its worth, its not ideal to run over the "recommended" sizing on a wheel, but its not going to make your car implode and kill any woman and child when you drive by them.

Need to change your panties after that post bertie? Without question, I am 100% correct in stating the a 275 is NOT THE BEST SIZE FOR A 8" WIDE WHEEL! I never said anymore than that.....

I was just giving him crap on buying a 06....I could care less what your slow 350 could do....126 trap? Stock cars do that nowadays.....lol. If I wanted a fast car, I'd do it...pointless.

EDIT: and I'll happily stick to my 18x8.5 ET24 Forged BBS RE's that I got for $660, instead of the retail of $3K. Pretty pointless to buy the best quality wheel made for less than Rotas huh?

And fyi, what probably ended up happening in that "champion" autrocrossers case was that the class rules limited the car to no wider than stock sizes. And in that case, putting a wider tire would be beneficial over the stock 245's. With that said, I am still correct in stating that a wider than 8" wheel would make that same 275 tire perform better. Does that make sense to you or did your turbo blow out your vision? ;)

Thanks for the response. Good answer to my question, and I appreciate this.

EDIT: But then again, I would choose the right tire width for the wheels I have on my car. Not willing to mess with guessing about fiddling with tire pressures hoping to match incorrect sizes… but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong using the approach you suggest.

--Spike

I just want to put my 2 pennies in here, remember AutoX is also run at low speeds, typically less than 70mph for a split second and the rest is between 20mph and 55mph. These setups that autocrosses use are typically no daily drivin on and the tires (unlike most street tires) have an extremely stiff sidewall.
Just cause it works for autocross , doesnt mean its fine for the street.