Tyre size change possible?

oldsmokey

Hi, tyres on our V70 is 225 50 17 - -coming close to changing...would a rise to 55 or 60 profile help the ride a little?..give a bigger tyre choice??..be a bad idea? tia

H3llR4iser

I feel your pain...manufacturers going the way of silly huge wheels and skinny tires - looks over comfort. Changing to /55s or even better /60s should definitely help, only check there is enough clearance under the wheel arches to fit the taller shoulder.

VeVeX

oldsmokey wrote: »

Hi, tyres on our V70 is 225 50 17 - -coming close to changing...would a rise to 55 or 60 profile help the ride a little?..give a bigger tyre choice??..be a bad idea? tia

What brand tyres do you have fitted at the moment?

oldsmokey

VeVeX wrote: »

What brand tyres do you have fitted at the moment?

Hi, Continental Cont-sports...terrific grip, but would break the bank to replace i fear...
Any other input from the savants out there?

jimgoose

oldsmokey wrote: »

Hi, Continental Cont-sports...terrific grip, but would break the bank to replace i fear...
Any other input from the savants out there?

That'll raise the gearing and probably put the speedo out of whack a little as well.

Matt Simis

jimgoose wrote: »

That'll raise the gearing and probably put the speedo out of whack a little as well.

Not so much (3% is ok) he matches the overall diameter by pairing a taller profile with a narrower tyre.

jimgoose

Matt Simis wrote: »

Not so much (3% is ok) he matches the overall diameter by pairing a taller profile with a narrower tyre.

Aye. Just something to be aware of.

mathepac

I did a few quick sums for you, assuming you want to keep the expensive 17 inch wheels on the car and not go down to 16s. This limits your options a bit.

215/55/17 tyres will increase you comfort level (and reduce your rolling resistance as it 10mm narrower tyre than the original). This will increase the circumference of the tyre and at an indicated 70 mph you'll be travelling at 71.22 mph

205/55/17 will increase your comfort level and lower rolling resistance further. This will raise the circumference by 0.08% and at an indicated 70 you'll be doing 70.06 mph.

Lowering rolling resistance by using narrower tyres should improve fuel consumption a bit.


Note: some tyre sizes may not be readily available or priced competitively.

bazz26

This tyre size calculator is handy:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

MrDerp

205/55/r17 is an expensive size, can't comment on the others

brennarr

I have the same tyres myself 225 50 17 that will need changing shortly. What tyre size would be a cheaper alternative to this size to fit my wheels as it seems all decent tyres at this size are expensive enough at around €150 a corner.

Thanks

oldsmokey

Thanks all, Mattpac, for your time...seems like there are options anyways...looking at the tyres last night it struck me that 225 width is just bonkers for whats a pretty standard family car, but all the manufacturers are guilty of 'over-tyreing' to a degree...was looking at an Almera yesterday, and that dope of a thing had 205's fitted...

Charlie Babbitt

mathepac wrote: »

at an indicated 70 mph you'll be travelling at 71.22 mph.

I always wondered about this actually as there are some cars like Corollas, Civics etc that I have owned that had R13/175/50 (or thereabouts) while the same car could be had higher spec'd with R15/195/65.

I'm assuming the speedometer goes by rotation and so naturally with a bigger circumference wheel/tyre, the car will be travelling much faster, but how much faster? Would manufacturers allow for this?

Also, if the car is now travelling faster, how much better would the above change affect fuel economy?

I noticed also that some 15" alloys can actually be lighter than 13" standards which I'm presuming would also affect mpg?

oldsmokey

weeelll, heres the latest on this unholy saga, 3 days after getting the car, wife was coming home last evening, doing her standard rate of knots, pulled in close to the ditch to make room for chap coming in opposite direction...Bang, 2 nearside tyres blown to bits, and front wheel nicely marked...Tyreman suggested fitting 215.60.17 Bridgestone (to the front), and all's well again.
The change from 225.50.17's hasnt helped the steering feel, and they dont look as sexy, but we'll see how they fare on our potholed roads.
A bit of an expensive lesson there..looking out now for replacement alloy....

mathepac

oldsmokey wrote: »

...Tyreman suggested fitting 215.60.17 Bridgestone (to the front), and all's well again.
The change from 225.50.17's hasnt helped the steering feel, and they dont look as sexy, but we'll see how they fare on our potholed roads.
A bit of an expensive lesson there..looking out now for replacement alloy....

What a bummer.

You need to change your Tyreman to one that has a clue. There is now c. 7% difference between the circumferences of the tyres back and front. Up-gearing from the gear-box to the front road-wheels means that at an indicated 70 mph you'll be travelling at about 75 mph. The differences in size will also, as you have discovered, effect handling.

oldsmokey

mathepac wrote: »

What a bummer.

You need to change your Tyreman to one that has a clue. There is now c. 7% difference between the circumferences of the tyres back and front. Up-gearing from the gear-box to the front road-wheels means that at an indicated 70 mph you'll be travelling at about 75 mph. The differences in size will also, as you have discovered, effect handling.

well Mat I called back to the tyre man, told him of my ahem, displeasure, nice Polish fitter came out to 'have a look', and did a little dance..no, no...no good, says he. Anyway they took off the stupid 60's , fitted 55's, and the world is a sunnier place again...It also transpires the Bridgestones they originally fitted were designed for Jeeps!!..and these lads were supposed to know their onions!!
Thanks all..

mathepac

Glad you got it sorted out to your satisfaction in the end. I suspected the tyres they fitted might be off-roady type things, stupid knobbly, noisy yokes on a car.