Randomfry Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 My rear tyres are close to needing a change, i did want to get new wheels but i can't decide what i want and i haven't got the money at the moment either. Question is can i fit wider tyres to the rear for a bit of added grip. What size would i need and how wide can i go? (It's on Rays btw) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Looks like 275/40/18 is the closest rolling radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 You run the risk of upsetting the TCS if you don't match the changes to both the front and rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 So if i change the rear tyres for wider ones i need to make the front tyres wider too? Say 245/40/18 front and 275/40/18 rear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I think 245 and 275 would be too wide for the Rays tbh! I have 8.5" and 9" wheels and have those widths! Thats wheels a clear half inch wider than the Rays! I think you could push to 235/255 on the Rays, but I wouldnt go too much. Another thing to watch is adding extra traction to the rear and not the front. The Zed already has a tendancy to understeer on the limit by design, so even wider tyres at the rear will make it even more likely to understeer, and we dont want that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewbie Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 My rear tyres are close to needing a change, i did want to get new wheels but i can't decide what i want and i haven't got the money at the moment either. Question is can i fit wider tyres to the rear for a bit of added grip. What size would i need and how wide can i go? (It's on Rays btw) The short answer is no. If you want better grip, and assuming you are on stock Bridgestones which are truly awful, the best way to go is get some Toyo's or Mich Pilot Sports. The difference will be amazing, both wet and dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Hmm i definately don't want understeer lol. It's on falkens at the moment and with my heavy foot it struggles for grip. As the front tyres don't need changing, i was hoping to keep the same brand front an rear. So maybe when the times are illegal it's time for new wheels and tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Quads Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I see no reason why you can't put on wide tyres as long as you keep the ratios correct i.e. if you go wider you are going to make sure the profile is the right %age to keep the overall size the same. As long as you keep the overall diameter of wheel the same the TCS should be happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matth76 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 You need to ideally keep to the 45 profile on 18's otherwise you will reduce your rolling radius going to a 40 profile because you are reducing your overall wheel diameter. The width of the tyre doesn't affect the rolling radius. Reducing your rolling radius will put your speedo out, although not by much (bit of a risk going through speed cameras). The only way to reduce your profile (ie move down to a 40 or below) and keep the same rolling radius is to move up to a 19" diameter wheel. If you move to a wider tyre on stock alloys you may get slightly worse handling going round corners and less feedback from the steering depending on how wide you go. Moving up to 255 (ie one cm wider than stock) may not make much difference though. I'm sure someone on here said they had moved up to 265 width with no adverse effects, but wouldn't advise going any wider than that really and won't make any real difference to grip. Best bet is instead to move to a different tyre as recommended above to get more grip - Michelins Pilot Sports are supposed to be very good, so are the Bridgestone RE050A Pole Positions. The stock RE040 tyres are very good in the dry but take a while to warm up in the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin W Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I think 245 and 275 would be too wide for the Rays tbh! I have 8.5" and 9" wheels and have those widths! Thats wheels a clear half inch wider than the Rays! I think you could push to 235/255 on the Rays, but I wouldnt go too much. Another thing to watch is adding extra traction to the rear and not the front. The Zed already has a tendancy to understeer on the limit by design, so even wider tyres at the rear will make it even more likely to understeer, and we dont want that +1 Adrian K has 235/255 at 40 profile on Rays I think. Looks pretty good I would have gone those widths if I could have found them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 The way i understand it is the 45 profile is 45% of the width of the tyre. So if i went for a 275 tyre with a 40 profile the rolling radius would be more or less the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 The way i understand it is the 45 profile is 45% of the width of the tyre. So if i went for a 275 tyre with a 40 profile the rolling radius would be more or less the same. Yes but the wheel is only 8.5" wide. I think this will be to wide for the wheel to take, the tyre will buldge over the edge. I'm not sure if thats too much but I have a 9" wheel on my rear with a 275 and it looks spot on. On a wheel that is half inch thinner I think it will buldge out too much. 255 would be good, 265 probably pushing it, and 275 is too much. RR doesnt matter its the width that is too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotuscc Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 You would get increased drag and rolling resistance from the wider tyres - making your car slowed in a straight line. The suspension set-up would need to be reset to get any real benefit in cornering from wider tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hmm i think i'm better off either getting better rear tyres or some wider wheels and tyres as a package. Seen people saying they weren't impressed with the bridgestones? I had them on my audi and i thought they were amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hmm i think i'm better off either getting better rear tyres or some wider wheels and tyres as a package. Seen people saying they weren't impressed with the bridgestones? I had them on my audi and i thought they were amazing. I didn't like the RE040s in anything but dry. RE050 are much better if you want 'stones. I run Toyos and find them excellent in all weathers. It's all personal preference though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewbie Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hmm i think i'm better off either getting better rear tyres or some wider wheels and tyres as a package. Seen people saying they weren't impressed with the bridgestones? I had them on my audi and i thought they were amazing. I didn't like the RE040s in anything but dry. RE050 are much better if you want 'stones. I run Toyos and find them excellent in all weathers. It's all personal preference though. Stew is bang on as always. Stock tyres were usually RE040s which sucked in anything but bone dru conditions. RE050s are much better. I swapped to Toyo's all round when I wsapped wheels and have never looked back. Love 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Oh ok yeaa i had RE050's on the audi which i found to be better than toyos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 If it's just extra grip your're after you won't do better than Pilot Sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone. Gain better grip and fill the arches out a bit more with wider tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone. Gain better grip and fill the arches out a bit more with wider tyres. Grippy tyres and spacers! sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MITZ@CougarStore Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone. Gain better grip and fill the arches out a bit more with wider tyres. Grippy tyres and spacers! sorted! Beaten by Stew... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hmm I dunno i drive it hard and im not sure id feel comfotable knowing its on spacers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Hmm I dunno i drive it hard and im not sure id feel comfotable knowing its on spacers. If you get the hub centric one, there's no difference than fitting wider rims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 New arch filling wheels then if you want that look. I'm sure there are some here that have tracked there cars on Eibach spacers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomfry Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Well new tyres plus spacers i may aswell get new wheels really. Or that's what i'll tell myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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