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New wheels, want some tire size advice

WickedGoat

WickedGoat

New member
PICS on post #24


Ok... So I got a set of Mustang 18" wheels on eBay cheap... No reserve auction that started at $40 and I sniped with 4 seconds left and scored them for $99. They are pretty much mint, no scratches, rash or any other abnormalities. I am thinking of going with 235/50-18 whatever's because I have Moog quickstruts up front now and I will have them soon for the rear. The car admittedly looks a little 4x4-ish at the moment. 235/50's may help the aesthetics right now. Opinions? Other than going with Mustang wheels...
 
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$99 jeez that's cheap , Id stick with 245/45 to keep the speedo happy

Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk
 
Yeah I have read a bunch of past wheel and tire threads and saw that 245/45 was dam near perfect. I guess I will lean towards them. Ultimately if my Moog springs don't settle anymore, and I doubt they will, I guess I will be swapping springs in the future. I don't want it in the weeds but I don't want a 4x4 either.
 


I don't think you realize what you'd be getting yourself into trying to run 235/50. Look at how close the stock size tires are to the spring perch. Add over 1/2" in height with 235/50 and you are going to rub the struts and destroy the tires.
 
I was kinda hoping with the Mustang wheels being +44 and the GP stock 16s being +52, I'd be OK with a 235/50. I thought I read that 235/50 was acceptable?
 
Here is Bio's thread from 2010, as stickied...

Everyone has questions on what wheels they can and cannot run. The first thing you need to think of when buying wheels is WHAT TIRE DO I WANT TO RUN? This will help you decide on what you can run for wheel specs. Most of the people like to go with a little wider tire for that performance look and a slightly lower offset wheel than stock. this is usually the best combo for fitment. Normally a little better tire than stock will be a 235 or 245 series wide since the stock tire is a 225. On most wheels you'd be able to run a 255 wide tire and still get away with it. however, the lower you go and the more aggressive of fitment you run with the wheels, the harder it is to fit everything without rubbing. The stock wheels have an offset of +52mm and you can tell they sit into the wheel well fairly far. This means we have a bit of room to move out with a lower offset wheel for that aggressive look we all want. I would normally say that the BEST offset (so long as its not too wide and not that big of wheel) is in the area of +38mm give or take a few millimeters in either direction.

Tire sizing

The stock tire size is 225/60/16. Here are the sizes for wheels that have the same overall diameter and that are most typical for people to run:

235/55/17
245/50/17
235/50/18
245/45/18
235/45/19
245/40/19
245/40/20
245/35/20
---------------------------------------------------------

I was hoping that a 235/50 would be OK, moreso for aesthetics. The Moog springs kinda pissed me off because the car sits higher than I would like it. I guess if I need to run the 245/45's I will, but I was just going by what has been posted and I assumed proven to work. I am more of a reader than a poster on car forums. I try to search and find answers from the guys that have been there and done it.
 
WickedGoat said:
Here is Bio's thread from 2010, as stickied...

Everyone has questions on what wheels they can and cannot run. The first thing you need to think of when buying wheels is WHAT TIRE DO I WANT TO RUN? This will help you decide on what you can run for wheel specs. Most of the people like to go with a little wider tire for that performance look and a slightly lower offset wheel than stock. this is usually the best combo for fitment. Normally a little better tire than stock will be a 235 or 245 series wide since the stock tire is a 225. On most wheels you'd be able to run a 255 wide tire and still get away with it. however, the lower you go and the more aggressive of fitment you run with the wheels, the harder it is to fit everything without rubbing. The stock wheels have an offset of +52mm and you can tell they sit into the wheel well fairly far. This means we have a bit of room to move out with a lower offset wheel for that aggressive look we all want. I would normally say that the BEST offset (so long as its not too wide and not that big of wheel) is in the area of +38mm give or take a few millimeters in either direction.

Tire sizing

The stock tire size is 225/60/16. Here are the sizes for wheels that have the same overall diameter and that are most typical for people to run:

235/55/17
245/50/17
235/50/18
245/45/18
235/45/19
245/40/19
245/40/20
245/35/20
---------------------------------------------------------

I was hoping that a 235/50 would be OK, moreso for aesthetics. The Moog springs kinda pissed me off because the car sits higher than I would like it. I guess if I need to run the 245/45's I will, but I was just going by what has been posted and I assumed proven to work. I am more of a reader than a poster on car forums. I try to search and find answers from the guys that have been there and done it.
Click to expand...

Some of that info is wrong. Stock diameter is 26.7". The 235/55/17 is even wrong as it is close to 27.1". The correct size 17 is 225/55/17, or 245/50/17.

Travisgt2 said:
I'm running a 245/50zr16 for the fronts and 225/60r16 rear. Fronts don't rub but I'm stock height and only 16s
Click to expand...

245/50/16 is 1" shorter than stock.
 


Bio248 said:
i was making stuff up back then.
Click to expand...

Well dam you Bio!! Just kidding... I guess I will just run 245/45s then... I guess some lowering springs will be in my future, but nothing too drastic. It will be a while before I get some tires since I need to do the rear suspension. After that is done, I will get tires and then get it aligned. I jumped at the wheels for $99, but then $95 for shipping. I have more into this car than what it is worth, but oh well... At least it will be mechanically sound, run well, and look good doing it.
 
you could run a 235/45 if you just want it to be a slightly skinnier, shorter tire. however, it's going to increase wheel gap.
 
Bio248 said:
you could run a 235/45 if you just want it to be a slightly skinnier, shorter tire. however, it's going to increase wheel gap.
Click to expand...

I'll just stick with 245/45s... Every thread I have read talking about suggested tire sizes points to 245/45-18s as being perfect. Not ready for them yet, but hopefully by June-ish.
 
WickedGoat did you ever get the 245/45/18 tires for your GP? If so How did they work out? Did it affect the ride quality?
 


I am actively shopping tires right now. Every piece of steering and suspension has been replaced on the car except for the steering rack itself. I have test fit the wheels on the car without tires on them and clearances look good... not that I was expecting any issues since guys have been running Mustang wheels on grand prixs forever. I am actually looking for a little more from the car with 18's. The Addco sway bar, the BMR trailing arms, the Dorman front sway bar and the ZZP strut tower braces really woke the car up. I anticipate having new tires within a couple of weeks so I can give some feedback then. Definitely going with 245/45-18's. Been eyeballing the Cooper RS3A's.... looks like a solid tire that does everything well.
 
Tires ordered today... install and alignment is next Saturday morning... ended up going with Nexen N5000+ for a couple of reasons... 65,000 mile warranty and since I am doing 20,000+ a year, here's hoping for 3 years out of them. They offer free road hazard on them down to 2/32's and if you don't get the advertised mileage out of them they will prorate them. Less than $500 mounted and balanced out the door, 245/45-18.
 
You won't get 65k out of them, I can say that as a fact.

Say 45-50k if you are lucky, I just never see that brand lasting that long and the road hazard is only good for 2 years. Being non directional tires helps but the 65k is in perfect conditions with no scrub from city driving.
 
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Honestly I'd be fine with 50k out of them. They aren't the best tire on the planet but not the worst. Most of my 92 mile round trip commute to work is interstate so that may help. I'll rotate and balance them and hope for the best. Right now they are a huge upgrade over the well worn and very noisy BFG traction TAs on it now. Next time I'll go for something better when the time comes.
 
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