Tire Size Guide

[Draven]

what is so important about keeping your speedo dead accurate???
i thought we were here to modify
if you are that worried about it get your speedo re-calibrated
my 3.2c worth

becuase if you can avoid having to recalibrate your speedo simply by choosing your tyres correctly, then you're saving yourself time & money that could be spent on better things

[Stefan]

Here is a very good tyre size calculator link, much better than most I have seen online:

http://www.rochfordtyres.co.uk/TyreCalc.asp

[newbien]

wow, i want 45 profile 14 inch tyres

[wilbo666]

i have found that for the front...
175/60/14 is very good grip and response
and for the rear...
175/65/14 for the rear is good for both grip and slide
on my 14x7's

Dang, tyre companies have recommended tyre fitment guides.

Toyo recommends a rim width of 5" -> 6" for 175/60/14 sized tyres...a 7" rim seems a little outside that, sure a stretched tyre looks good, but I think u might be pushing it a little far

Cheers
Wilbo

bugger
http://www.toyo.com.au/
they also say 5-6", and their test rim was 5"....
but.. whatever works for you

I feel that I am typing with invisible ink sometimes.....

Cheers
Wilbo

[Dimitri]

aha what a controversial topic. i have 195/50 15s on 8.5" rims. i think theyre too narrow (the rims).

the main gripe most people have is that it is dangerous, but in all practicality i have found this to be completely un true. it is an extremely comon pracitse both in japan and through out europe (germany especially) if you dont like the look dont bother, ofcourse, why would you, wide rims are always expensive.

i dont ever imagine running a rim on any car narrower than 7" wide any. i am addicted. stretchy -wah!

[oldcorollas]

I feel that I am typing with invisible ink sometimes.....

Cheers
Wilbo

i think it's the green font my bad.... unfortunately i have been giving it to you too often lately apparently

aha what a controversial topic. i have 195/50 15s on 8.5" rims. i think theyre too narrow (the rims).

the main gripe most people have is that it is dangerous, but in all practicality i have found this to be completely un true. it is an extremely comon pracitse both in japan and through out europe (germany especially) if you dont like the look dont bother, ofcourse, why would you, wide rims are always expensive.

i dont ever imagine running a rim on any car narrower than 7" wide any. i am addicted. stretchy -wah!

dimitri.... there is no controversy.
tyres are designed and made to fit a certain size rim..
ie with that rim size, the tyre sidewalls and tread will act in the way intended by the manufacturer.. using wider or narrower rims than intended affect things like speed rating and load rating, which, especially in high stress, high speed situations, can all end in tears..

you think you're ims are too narrow to fit with the fashion/fad that you want to be seen with. good for you but would you circuit race with those tyres? would you screw them on? how would you keep they tyres captive when actually subjected to side loading?

of course other people do it, but that doesn't make it safe.... i have NEVER seen a car with such strected tyres in japan so far. those with super dished dorifto rims have wide tyres also... the ones you see in the pics (with front mounted oil coolers etc) are rarely driven.

tyre companies recommend certain size rims for SAFETY reasons. do you honestly believe that just because you have not had a tyre come off yet that it is safe?

do you thin the kiddies in germany would test autobahn speeds with those stretched tyres? methinks not how many performance cars (as opposed to posing cars) hav stretched tyres?

i think it is important that you not mislead people into thinking that stretched tyres are safe...

overly stretching rubber on a rim is like wearing a baseball cap backwards... or sideways.... it looks stupid, decreases the effectiveness of the cap (ie sun ) and looks stupid... but for some reason thousands of people still think it looks cool.... go figure

[newbien]

if the tyres are overly stretched i would agree with oldcorollas, but a 175/60 on a 7 i dont consider to be stretched over the top, and i would most certainly trust these tyres if i was to go on track...

as far as the guys in japan are concerned, i have seen alot of tyres that have been stretched a very long way being used on the circuit, and alot of tyres that arent stretched but have a low sidewall height acheiving a similar effect, just without the look

[wilbo666]

if the tyres are overly stretched i would agree with oldcorollas, but a 175/60 on a 7 i dont consider to be stretched over the top, and i would most certainly trust these tyres if i was to go on track...

Yep, I know I for one am more than happy to disregard the tyre company’s advice, who I am sure do not undertake any research into determining suitable/ideal/optimum rim widths and simply pick random numbers out of a backwards baseball cap. I am also sure that the detailed information presented by the esteemed oldcorollas is completely unfounded in all regards as well (no wait a second... that's sarcasm ).

Have a nice deluded day

Cheers
Wilbo

[newbien]

id be willing to say that they do some research, not just picking numbers out of hat....

but anyway, 185/55/14 on you guessed it a 14x7

[Enchanter]

this is another very very good page about tyres and rims... best i have seen so far
http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

Dam, thats a good bit of info on there, Ive just spent about 3 hours reading it. (not just on tyres either)

[Ta22boy]

what is so important about keeping your speedo dead accurate???
i thought we were here to modify
if you are that worried about it get your speedo re-calibrated
my 3.2c worth

Hey i was just trying to pass on some knowledge i have learnt over the years, sure we are here to modify but you were the one asking questions. Also i was just trying to let you know that there is a certain tyre in almost every size (14'',15'',16'',etc) that you can run without having to modify your speedo and keep the same rolling diameter as original spec.

Also just a quick note to all the guys who are running big rims on there cars, Legally you can only go two sizes up from standard (13'' to 15'') without a Mod plate (QLD) or whatever esle you have to get in any other state to modify your car. Only reason im bringing this up is the fact that in Townsville they are starting to really crack down on it and a few of my mates have been defected for it...Anyone else had this problem in there town?

[o_man_ra23]

On RA23 and RA40, ive found 215/65/14 and 225/60/14 to bring the speedo pretty accurate, and create good traction on the back. 195/65/14 on the front seemed to give decent traction with standard shocks, springs and swaybar, also with lowered kings. These were all on 14*6 rims, and the 225's though bulgy, didnt seem too worried... but i wouldnt put them to track use without wider rims

Cheers, Owen

[Dimitri]

i think it's the green font my bad.... unfortunately i have been giving it to you too often lately apparently


dimitri.... there is no controversy.
tyres are designed and made to fit a certain size rim..
ie with that rim size, the tyre sidewalls and tread will act in the way intended by the manufacturer.. using wider or narrower rims than intended affect things like speed rating and load rating, which, especially in high stress, high speed situations, can all end in tears..

you think you're ims are too narrow to fit with the fashion/fad that you want to be seen with. good for you but would you circuit race with those tyres? would you screw them on? how would you keep they tyres captive when actually subjected to side loading?

of course other people do it, but that doesn't make it safe.... i have NEVER seen a car with such strected tyres in japan so far. those with super dished dorifto rims have wide tyres also... the ones you see in the pics (with front mounted oil coolers etc) are rarely driven.

tyre companies recommend certain size rims for SAFETY reasons. do you honestly believe that just because you have not had a tyre come off yet that it is safe?

do you thin the kiddies in germany would test autobahn speeds with those stretched tyres? methinks not how many performance cars (as opposed to posing cars) hav stretched tyres?

i think it is important that you not mislead people into thinking that stretched tyres are safe...

to begin with, i do not use my tyres/car in a manner intended by the manufacturer

i do not expect i am misleading anyone, i never said it was safe. i said never in my experiance have i seen a stretched tire cause harm. anyone that has even the slightest possibility of being influenced by me will know the paramaters within which i operate a motor vehicle. im am not the type to regurgitate useless information in the hope those who come after me might think i am knowlegeable or experianced.

i do not ever drive my car at ultra high speeds, and especially not for prolonged periods. i would certaintly and have driven my car on the track with the said tyre fitment. as have many others like me. on the track and at the quite sedate speeds we practise our "craft" the margin for error/mechanical failure is quite high.

also the desire to stretch a tire is not purely a cosmetic one. a streched side wall will offer less flex, this becomes more important when your income bracket does not provide you with the oppurtunity to afford very high end tyres that have stiff side walls which do not require stretching.

also a widened track is of large benefit to most any car that is driven in a sporting nature, it is offset that can add to this, but then the width of rim and amount of stretch can help in the way that the tyre on a car with a widened track interferes with the cars coach work (it will rub instead of catch), as it invariably does when you start widen your car in any meaningful manner.

and you musnt have been looking very hard if you have never seen a car in japan with stretched tyres. i actually worked at patrick autocare for quite a long time, my duties at that company ment i was often on the wharf and in contact with both large and small volume imports.. i tell you what, i highly doubt they put on there show tyres before they send their 2nd hand cars to our shores.

i know for a fact there are alot of very high performance cars that run their tyres stretched. if i was doing ultra high speed wangan runs i might not. but i live in australia, land of the speed camera and hefty fine, so ultra high speed driving has almost no relavence to me

im not trying to say its for everyone or its a good idea. all i ment was its really not such a crazy practise as some people think it is. i do it, and will continue to. its a an educated choice ive made and im happy with it.

i'd also end by saying mr old corollas that i find you to be very help and knowlegeable and im sure ive learned a thing or two from you, but we dont have to agree on everything. the important thing though is that we both think old corollas rock. i drive one aswell, but its only 20 years old

[WDE_BDY]

http://www.angelfire.com/ri2/RINGMAS...tiresizing.xls

You might need to right click and save target as.

This might be useful for comparing diameters on different tyres, also has a gearing/speed calculator.

Callum

[newbien]

thats very handy

just a question about the gearing section...
what car is it setup for???

or is it kinda universal???