Korean_Redneck

When I bought my car in 2003, It had 50 series tires. I thought 50 series were stock size so I bought another set of 50 series tires. Then I saw another tib with 55 series tires and they were ugly. Since I travel alot with my car and I really don't give a crap anymore about what the tire looks like, would installing 55 series tires perform any differently than 50 series?

Dmitry

stock size for US is 195/55 R15

stock size on my KRD cool.gif is 205/50 R15 (but I use now 205/50 R16)

I have 185/65 R14 for winter and I don't like them, cause they are too narrow and too high, car reacts slower on the streering wheel 02.gif.


the smaller tire aspect ratio the better handling will be and better steering response, but also ride will be harder (stiffer).
also wider tire is better almost in all conditions (except deep poudles and snow).

I think 205/50 is better than 195/55

KayJai

My thoughts exactly,... I have 205/50R15's is the way to go....

Korean_Redneck

You can fit a 205 on a stock rim?

So you're saying that a wider tire handles better on cement and rain.. but poorly on Snow?

Alex01tib

LOL my car came with 65 profile lmao.gif

and i replaced them with 65's because i thought thats what it needed, and wondered why they rubbed a little.. Then i saw swift-tib's stockers and they looked soo much better than mine lol. If i was going to stay with stock rims id change to 55's...

But ive been actually thinking about keeping them that size for winter tires, and buy rims and tires for the summer, because the 65s handled great in the winter.

tanc

Si Senior.

Wider tires must carve a wider path through snow, that means more resistance and drag. So I suggest using narrow winter tires. Narrower tires can more easily cut a path through snow and slush. You can also "minus size" your original tire size by selecting a narrower tread and smaller wheel size.

This can also save you some money, since narrower tires and smaller wheels are usually cheaper than wider tires with larger wheels.

KayJai

Yeah, I basically have the same setup as Dmitry

185/65r14's for the winter
205/50r15's for the summer.

And the Tib has the Eibach prokit setup,... no problems,... I plow a little snow in the winter,... that's about it...
lmao.gif

Dmitry

I have spare tire on stock 15" rim. I don't remember the width of the rim tho.

If there are too much snow - it doesnt really matter if you have 195 or 205... you will not reach asphalt.

Next winter tires that I choose will be 195/60 R14 or something like that.

Zman

Have you seen rally cars when they race on snow? They seem to use 165/70 tires on 15" rims... I think the narrower the better because they carve on snow, a wider tire gives you "flotation" on the snow, similar to the aquaplanning concept, but on snow.
Regularly, on non hard roads, such as gravel or snow, the narrower the tires, the better, except on sand, where you don't want to sink... that's why 4x4 vehicles use very wide tires to go over sand.