Tyre size comparisons

[steveinjapan]

My Beat came with some odd-seeming tyres so I wanted to check how far away from stock diameters they are. There are scads of tire-size calculators around but here is the best and most fun one I've seen.

http://www.ajdesigner.com/fl_tire/tire.php

[bigB]

I like to use http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalcold.html because it has pictures/visual :)

[steveinjapan]

My car has 145/70-13 and 155/65-14 Michelins on stock "telephone dial" wheels. I recently discovered a certain lack of emergency stopping power :eek: and would like to increase sizes a bit. How would 165/60-13 and 175/60-14 work out? The rear would be about 1/2" taller and the front about the same as now, just more rubber on the road all round.

Or can I go any wider with the stock wheels?

Thanks,

Steve

[bigB]

Here on cobble trails, we like a tall tire. I installed 175/70R14 on rears and have had some rubbing issues under spirited driving. A roll of the wheel pinch weld would easily do. 170/s probably wouldn't scrub. just haven't got around to rolling mine yet. I've got the Sparco rims but believe they are the same offset etc. as your "dials. :)
b.

[Steve_M]

I recently discovered a certain lack of emergency stopping power :eek: and would like to increase sizes a bit. Steve

Its not added tyre size you need, just some weight over the front wheels

Just put some bags of sand in the front in place of the spare wheel ;)

[steveinjapan]

Its not added tyre size you need, just some weight over the front wheels

Just put some bags of sand in the front in place of the spare wheel ;)

Or maybe find a passenger who isn't afraid of driving with me.:suicide:

Seriously, could I go as wide as 175/60 or 185/60 on the rears? A tad extra height would be good too.

[TADO]

we had 175/60 potenzas on the back of ours for a bit. it drove fine without any issues on a 6" rim but i didnt like the way it looked at all - they looked quite ballonish compared to the fronts (165/55) on a 5.5" rim.
after a lot of looking around at what the japanese guys were running i switched to 185/55 on the back and 165/55 on the front and its perfect (advan A048's).
ive had no probs at all until i had to roll the rear arches for lower offset wheels and that was only really because the car is lowered a lot.

[steveinjapan]

we had 175/60 potenzas on the back of ours for a bit. it drove fine without any issues on a 6" rim but i didnt like the way it looked at all - they looked quite ballonish compared to the fronts (165/55) on a 5.5" rim.
after a lot of looking around at what the japanese guys were running i switched to 185/55 on the back and 165/55 on the front and its perfect (advan A048's).
ive had no probs at all until i had to roll the rear arches for lower offset wheels and that was only really because the car is lowered a lot.

Thanks.... what are the stock rim widths though? I like the dials and don't want to change them.

[Steve_M]

advan A048's

:) Mmmm Sticky tyres!!!

[Steve_M]

Pepperpot Alloys are

14 x 5J Rear

13 x 4 1/2J Front

(As are original Steel Wheels)

[steveinjapan]

I'm looking at putting 185/55R14 on the stock rear 5" rims. Car Bible says it is OK, but some tire shop ads specify 6" rims for that tyre.

I would prefer 175/55R14 but apparently they are no longer manufactured.

Anyone used 185's on stock 14" rims?

[Obsessive]

I have 185/60R14 Dunlop tyres on my stock 5" wheels and there are no problems.

[steveinjapan]

I have 185/60R14 Dunlop tyres on my stock 5" wheels and there are no problems.

:mad::mad: I found a new (but outdated) pair of Yokohama 185/60R14s at a car shop at half price but they refused to mount them for me because they are bigger diameter than stock tires. Idiots.:explode:

[Obsessive]

:mad::mad: I found a new (but outdated) pair of Yokohama 185/60R14s at a car shop at half price but they refused to mount them for me because they are bigger diameter than stock tires. Idiots.:explode:

Muppets!

It's a shame you're not in NZ, you could of had my old Dunlop Tyres, they've got plenty of life left in them.

I've used one of the old front wheels to replace the space saver.

[steveinjapan]

I'm planning to use 165/65R13 on the stock front rims, to match the height increase in the rear from the 175/60R14s. However the tire dealers seem concerned about this, specifically that they might hit sheet metal on full steering lock. Seems unlikely to me, but does anyone here have any experience with 165 width on the front wheels?

[Obsessive]

OK they are no longer the stock wheels, but I hope this helps:

Front: 14X55 Tyres 165/55 R14.

Had them for a month now with no problems, The Beat does have quite a large turning circle for a small car so I doubt that you'll have any issues

[steveinjapan]

OK they are no longer the stock wheels, but I hope this helps:

Front: 14X55 Tyres 165/55 R14.

Had them for a month now with no problems, The Beat does have quite a large turning circle for a small car so I doubt that you'll have any issues

Are your new wheels the same offset as original ones? It looks like it might be a tad tight at the rear inner end of the tyre at full lock, but I think I can have the shop mount one to try it.

[Obsessive]

Are your new wheels the same offset as original ones? It looks like it might be a tad tight at the rear inner end of the tyre at full lock, but I think I can have the shop mount one to try it.

I'm not actually sure about the offset. I let the tyre shop get the wheels in and try them on the car to make sure there were no clearance issues before the tyres were ordered.