Tyre Sizes

[BenBaron]

oh my god getting confused now

my tryes have just turned up 255/60/15 now Im planning on getting some 15 *10'' wheels but the these tyres dont really look wide enough for them, will they be ok, do they expand width wise or something?

cheers
Ben

[MetaJacko]

Hi Ben,

10" is the top end for 255/15s if you go to http://www.team3wheels.com/ac/tiredimen.html

It lists tire sizes to wheel sizes

Paul

[BenBaron]

yeah I saw that but was a bit worried as Ive measured the width of the tyre and it looks to be less than the width of the wheel...

Do yu think it would be worth getting thinner rims and if I want bigger tyres at a later date?
Im after the dished effect really so I thought maybe the tyre buldge wont do it justice....


cheers
Ben

[rangrov]

Hi ben do your self a favour get 2x 8x15 rims for the front for your 255 tyres and 2x 10x15 rims for the rear but i would get 2 x 295x50x15" tyres for the rear, i have spoke to a lad who used to have a dax with that set up on and he said it was perfect, you will just have to know the right offset for your rims,like you say 255 for the rears look a bit weedy.:-}

[MetaJacko]

I sort of had a similar problem for my rears as they are 15 * 11
Originally they had 295/50s but I couldn't find any decent speed rated tyres for that so I swapped to 275/60 Goodyear eagle +4s (and 255/60 Goodyear eagle +4s on front)
11" is at the limit for 275/60s but they seem to be working. They do look 'slimmer' though.

If you are planning on wider tyres, how much wider? if you are planning on upping to
275/60s then I beleve they will fit on 9s. I assume the 255s are your rear tyres?

Its only idiots like me that have 255s on the front

Paul

[rangrov]

Well this idiot has 265x50x15 on the front, but my arms arnt half getting big, ive got 295x50x15 on the rear and she sits nice, but mine is a factory built GE, i must admit ive enough room to go bigger on the rear,maybe 325x50x15 but i dont think so, mine are cooper cobras and yes they are only rated to 120 mph, plenty for me on our english roads, a guy i know who used to be in the tyre industy said manufactures under estimate the speed rateing by 20% because they new people would push the limits so that makes coopers 144mph rated on the limit. any way speed limit 70mph your honor. Reality a cobra is an untrained beast and big tyres make it look a proper mean machine, but its all down to the individual?:thumb:

[MetaJacko]

Hi Rangrov,

Gees! I thought I was bad with 255s on front! 3 point turns must be fun!
I had Coopers originally. Their speed rating comes from the converted
American heat disserpation rateing (C) I thing the A rating converts to our H
Chris (Purple AK) told me that there is indeed some lee way on tyre speed rating.
I think he knows something about tyres

Paul

[BenBaron]

Ok guys,
I suppose thats fair enough, I think I will go for the 10'' rears then and it the tyres are a bit naff then I'll get some new ones after a fitting, I will only regret getting smaller rims if I do it

cheers guys
Ben

[dodger]

Beware of putting too wide a tyre on the front of the cobra as you will find it is a bastard at slow speed / parking / manouvering. The car will try to follow every groove / rut in the road & when negotiating bends / roundabouts etc you will find the car less manouverable with slower steering unless you have power steering. The car may look meaner but the overall handling of the car will be worse.
Incidentaly, a wider tyre will not give you a greater contact patch on the road, onle change the shape of the contact patch to a more rectangular one as it is all down to the weight of the car. To get a greater contact patch you would need a heavier car.

Hope this helps.

[BenBaron]

Originally Posted by dodger

Incidentaly, a wider tyre will not give you a greater contact patch on the road, onle change the shape of the contact patch to a more rectangular one as it is all down to the weight of the car. To get a greater contact patch you would need a heavier car.

Hope this helps.

How come? I cant understand that, surely if the tyre is flat against the ground and wider then there will be more surface area touching the ground in a width wise position?