Is 215/45 zr17 a good size?

[cosmos schwarz]

I currently run 225/50 r16's, this is the correct size for the sport. i will continue to use these for track.

I now have a new set of 17 x 7.5 m3 wheels which i will use for road use, (so they dont have to be mega wide) and the correct size (235/40 zr17) for them will scrub on the rear arches as my car is lowered 50mm.

I hear a few people are running 215/45 17 and 215/40 17's. which is best? i would have thought the 45's as they will last longer and are closer to the original circumference. but 40's will look cooler. cheers in advance guy's n' gal's.

[318iS]

go with the 40s....

they look better....


im on 225/40R18 but ti is lighter so 40s shouldnt be a problem....

[BobbyDigital]

I think the appropriate size is 225/45/17 I think with the 215/45, for one thing is hard to find, but manufacturers say that it may cause brake failure, IDK about that. I do know your speedo will be off though.

[cosmos schwarz]

speedo wont be out by much at all. a 95 318ti sport has 205/60 15. at 60mph the differance is 0.1 mph.

http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp?action=submit

[L84THSKY]

I run 235/45/17 in the summer, no rubbing at all.

I currently run 225/50 r16's, this is the correct size for the sport. i will continue to use these for track.

I now have a new set of 17 x 7.5 m3 wheels which i will use for road use, (so they dont have to be mega wide) and the correct size (235/40 zr17) for them will scrub on the rear arches as my car is lowered 50mm.

I hear a few people are running 215/45 17 and 215/40 17's. which is best? i would have thought the 45's as they will last longer and are closer to the original circumference. but 40's will look cooler. cheers in advance guy's n' gal's.

[uaza]

I run 235/45/17 in the summer, no rubbing at all.

me too.. but my suspension is stock

[AlaskaBlue]

I run 235/45/17 in the summer, no rubbing at all.

That is also what mine has also. If you go with 215s I would go with the 40. It gives better gearing than the 45s.

[mohaughn]

So is the difference the offset in the rim as to why one set of 235s rub and another set doesn't? I'm running 215s right now and will probably step up to 225 or 235 when I buy tires later on this summer.

[318iS]

So is the difference the offset in the rim as to why one set of 235s rub and another set doesn't? I'm running 215s right now and will probably step up to 225 or 235 when I buy tires later on this summer.

are the two 235s on two separate rims....

if so then one of them has the wrong offset and its either pushing the rim too far out or too close in and causing it to rub.....

[H3_2.1-ti]

If you want the best of both worlds you can go with the 235/40/17.

Cheers,

[AlaskaBlue]

So is the difference the offset in the rim as to why one set of 235s rub and another set doesn't? I'm running 215s right now and will probably step up to 225 or 235 when I buy tires later on this summer.

I would say so. I have 8.5" on 42 mm offset with 12 mm Spacers. It didn't rub when the car was stock or mildly lowered.

[bullmand]

So is the difference the offset in the rim as to why one set of 235s rub and another set doesn't? I'm running 215s right now and will probably step up to 225 or 235 when I buy tires later on this summer.

From what I've read the actual width can vary a bit between manufacturers. I think I saw it on Tire Rack, but that may not be correct. I just checked a couple of tires to see. These are the section widths in inches of a 235/45/17. These are all measured on an 8" rim. So there is some difference between brands. There is a formula here for how rim width affects section width.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tirespecskey.jsp#sectionwidth

Kumho MX - 9.4
Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position - 9.3
Dunlop SP Sport 9000 DSST - 10

[mohaughn]

Ahh.. Ok. Probably a combination of the wide rims and the spacers. I'm running 7.5" rims with no rear spacers. So hopefully a 235/40/17 will fit without rubbing...

Good thing is that they have Bridgestone Potenza RE-01Rs in that size. A little cheaper than the Yokohoma Neova AD07 and just as good if not better reivews for a street/track tire.

[marko]

I got 245-40-17s with Bav Auto lowering springs & I'm not rubbing at all, specially in the back... rubbed @ one point up front on the right side, only because the mud guard came loose and was pretty much resting on the tire... but, once that was tacked back on - no rubbing.

going to 235-40-17s soon, though...



I currently run 225/50 r16's, this is the correct size for the sport. i will continue to use these for track.

I now have a new set of 17 x 7.5 m3 wheels which i will use for road use, (so they dont have to be mega wide) and the correct size (235/40 zr17) for them will scrub on the rear arches as my car is lowered 50mm.

I hear a few people are running 215/45 17 and 215/40 17's. which is best? i would have thought the 45's as they will last longer and are closer to the original circumference. but 40's will look cooler. cheers in advance guy's n' gal's.

[andrei]

I use Rial rims with 17X8J in front and 215/45R17 Eagle F1 tyres and 17x9J in the back with 245/40R17 Eagle F1 tyres ET is 40 front and back and there is no rubbing and it handles great an the stearing is sharp.