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sa22 tire sizes wider?+ better-help

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Old 06-02-10, 01:41 PM
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sa22 tire sizes wider?+ better-help

I'm putting this out there to get some feedback.
I just picked up a set of 215/50/13 sumutro tires and I only have a 6" alloy wheel .Can these tires be used on a 6" wheel? what will the ride changes be ?Will It look stupid without lowwering the suspension.I currently am running 185 /70 new stock suspension ...rides nice. can anyone show me pics.
Old 06-02-10, 02:30 PM
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I have a few shots of my old fb but they are camera phone pics.
Old 06-02-10, 02:49 PM
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Kentetsu used to run a setup very similar to that, but he has the ReSpeed race coilovers, so his car was slammed.
Old 06-02-10, 03:26 PM
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Any pics out there?
Old 06-02-10, 03:31 PM
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wait 24 hours for a bump...

search for Kentetsu...
Old 06-02-10, 04:03 PM
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I'm currently running 205/60's on stock 5.5x13" SA rims & RB springs... and I can just fit my thumb between the tire sidewall and the suspension bits on the inside.

Looks like this:


Going down to 50's would reduce overall diameter by ~1.6" A 6" rim should be just fine with those tires, though your backspacing will be kind of crucial for inside clearance.

Useful tool found here:

http://www.rimsntires.com/rt_specs.jsp
Old 06-02-10, 05:19 PM
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Yes, I have run the 215 Sumis on stock fb rims. Fitment is tight between the sidewall and the coil spring on the front, but I didn't have any issues.

The gap at the fender will be slightly larger, but shouldn't look weird at all. And the extra meat on the road makes a big difference in handling.

Since you have a SA, I can't say for sure that they will fit, but they worked fine on my '85 GS. Take a look at my race videos, and you'll get an idea of how they look on the car. Stick to videos from within the last 18 months, before that I ran 205 Sumis.






.
Old 06-03-10, 06:57 AM
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Is the stock SA suspension the same as the FB?I thought the 79-80 had a slightly different suspension or is the strut just longer?I don't want to pay 80 USD to find out they are to wide and rub
Old 06-03-10, 07:31 AM
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Yes, the front strut is longer in the SA. But Kenetsu is running Re-speed's coil overs the coils look diffrent then stock (looking at pictures of coil overs) they are not as wide. I'm running 205/50/15 its a larger rim but with the width I dont feel I could run anything larger. The is maybe enough room to put a finger between the tire and coil.
Old 06-03-10, 09:47 AM
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Here's an idea:

1) get your car with the current tires and wheels up on a drive-on lift (not a frame lift; you need the weight on the tires) and measure your clearances inside. You can probably slip a tire place a few bucks to help you out with this.

2) put the info for your current tires and wheels (including backset) into that tire-size tool I linked in my last post, on the left side.

3) put the info for your planned tires and wheels into the tool on the right side.

Presto; you have a direct comparison of how the dimensions change to the inside. Compare that to your measurements, and you should have a good idea if you are pushing your luck or not.
Old 06-03-10, 10:50 AM
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Guess what ..they don't fit SA stock suspension....any one want to buy 4 new 215/50/13sumi's
Old 06-03-10, 10:34 PM
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stupid comment... I didn't take into account that the tires are over an 1.7" shorter witch will shurely be below the spring seat ,were I was measuring the clearence on my 185/70/13 .6"wider on each side will be OK if I'm calculating right
Old 06-03-10, 11:25 PM
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The joy of mathematics!
Old 06-04-10, 05:52 AM
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Just to clarify; I do have coilovers, but I was also running the 215 Sumis back when I had stock sized coil springs on the front.
Old 06-04-10, 10:42 AM
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Thanks. They didn't give to much space in the wells?
Old 06-04-10, 01:04 PM
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The difference in wheel gap between the 205s and the 215s is negligible. On stock springs, either tire will leave a fairly large gap, but not so bad that it is really noticeable unless you are looking at it. Consider it a small price to pay for the increase in performance.
Old 06-09-10, 01:21 PM
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I went to get the 215/50/13 sumi's mounted and the shop wouldn't mount them because I haave 5.5" wide rims ....not 6"they are almex rims.Is the width to narrow for sakety on the rims?
Old 06-09-10, 01:45 PM
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WI

I've got a set of Eagle rims I'm about to put up for sale 4 x 110 (not sure how to measure width, but they are about 7" wide outside edge to outside edge). pm me if you're interested.
Old 06-09-10, 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by mark n
I went to get the 215/50/13 sumi's mounted and the shop wouldn't mount them because I haave 5.5" wide rims ....not 6"they are almex rims.Is the width to narrow for sakety on the rims?
Find a different shop. Aren't the stock (+) rims 5.5"? I've dealt with so much **** from tire shops I just hate having to deal with them at all anymore. Once they realize you aren't swallowing the **** they're shovelling, they get pissed off and you end up not even wanting them touching your car.

These days, I pull the wheels myself and take them in. They probably couldn't get my car onto a lift anyway because its so low, but they'd be dumb enough to try it anyway.

(no offense to any tire jockeys that might hang out here. I hate mechanics too, but I do know that there are some good ones still around. I just can't ever seem to fine them.)
Old 06-09-10, 04:46 PM
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they're on 215-50-13 stock suspension
Attached Thumbnails sa22 tire sizes wider?+ better-help-new-215-50-13-tires-001.jpg   sa22 tire sizes wider?+ better-help-new-215-50-13-tires-002.jpg   sa22 tire sizes wider?+ better-help-new-215-50-13-tires-003.jpg  
Old 06-09-10, 04:48 PM
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there is 1/16 of an inch clearence on the strut spring!
Old 06-10-10, 06:25 AM
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Nice! Now you just need a set of coilovers and drop that baby down!

Any thoughts on the handling difference? Ride quality? Noise levels? (I already know these things, but some people like to hear it from more than one source)

Glad you got it worked out...
Old 06-10-10, 09:25 AM
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First thing I noticed was the superior tracking and handling.Rides a little bit Harder as to be expected.noise .....what noise.Hah the other thing worth mentioning is that the reduced diameter seems to have increased the acceleration .Is this possable given the smaller diameter?
Old 06-10-10, 10:27 AM
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Smaller diameter tires = higher effective final drive ratio when measured against the road surface, so yes. It's as if you stepped your rear-end ratio taller a tad. Exactly how much is calculable if you know or measure the tire outside diameter, and calculate it as a ratio using the stock tire diameter as "1".

Also means your speedo is reading higher, since your tires have to go round more times per mile... which makes the car feel quicker, heh.
Old 06-10-10, 03:23 PM
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I went to rotate one of my new to me tires today {front was a little scalloped from previous owner being out of alienment}going to put it on the back and.....I can't break the lug nut off the front wheel.I'm 215 6'3" and I'm using a 4 way ...I'm pissed These meat heads torqued them to 90ft lbs.I need to check for hair line fractures on all my lugs now .If I can even get them off.Never mind what other damage could be done.!!


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