what is the biggest size of tire that can fit on the stock gxl wheels???
tirerack has z rated yokohamas for 44 bucks
but their only in 225/60/15

thats only 1 buck more than v rated
ive always wanted z's but can fork the dough

 

See if you can get some 225/50/15s, will look better I think. But 225s will fit.

 

they wont be too wide

what is the inch width on 225s

isnt 205s 6 inch or somethin?

 

225s fit on a 7" wide rim. I have 225/50/16s on my stock 16x7" rims. 205 or 215 is the perfect size people say though.

 

but the GXL wheels are 6" wide, correct?

so then wouldn't 225 be a little too wide?

 

well that depends on the rim width range of the tire. it "could" sit on a 15x6 but that's probably the widest you can go on the 15x6 rims.

otherwise, go out and buy yourself a set of TII rims while your at it, or you can spend some more money and get a set of aftermarket rims.

 

6" wide rims do well with 185's. 7" wide rims like 205's. 8" wide rims like 225's. Now you can deviate +/-10mm in section width but don't go too far. If you really want more rubber on the pavement you have to get wider wheels. Wide tires on narrow wheels not only look cheap, but they are. (think of what the owner of an old IROC would do) Wide tires on narrow rims also arent good for the contact patch on the tire. The center is bowwed out. You can't see it, but it is. Not good for straightline performance. Too wide of a tire on a narrow rim also allows for more side to side movement when cornering. Not good for handling.

Unless you are limited to what wheels and tires you can run due to an autocross class you don't want to break out of, then get wider wheels. This is the better way to go.

 

Make sure you check out the manufacturer specs -- each manufacturer is different, but each should list recommended/approved rim widths for each tire size. Tire Rack has a "specs" link right on their website for most of the tires. Or you can check each manufacturer's website for them.

 

Everything Jerk racer says is true. The key word is "optimal".

You can put a 225/50 on a 6" rim but the side wall will not be able to support the tread properly, so you will gain no advantage.
Running a 225/50 will theoretically give you less turn in response, worse wet weather traction, and uneven heating of the tread. A 205/60 will perform better and a 195/65 might perform even better than that.

The best compromise is to run the stock 205/60.

205 section width
Best Ride = 5.5 to 6" rim
Best Performance = 7 to 7.5 " rim
Best compromise = 7"

225 section width
Best Ride = 6" rim
Best Performance=8" rim

 

True that. I had a set of 225/50R16 (on 16x8's thank you very much ) Yokohama AVS Int. and A-032R side by side. Big difference! Same comapny, same Advan model lineup, just different models. Check those specs first.

 

avz int. are the cheap tires on tirerack that i was talkin about

.....

so i guess i should go with the v rated instead of the z rated

well i wish they had z rated 205s, but no such luck
in my price range that is
that my deciding factor, unfortunately

 

They'll fit, but they'll look like they're terminally underinflated and bulbous.

Don't compromise, 215's are a good upgrade, a decent price will come along again, just be patient.

 

yeah
the only prob is that my re 71's are gettin pretty bad
i might as well get the 205s

btw i cant find re 71s anywhere, which are better re 71s or yoko avs intermediates??

 

The RE71's were discontinued a few years ago. The AVS Int. line up was discontinued last year. Tire Rack might have some left in their stock. When THe AVS Int. were being discontinued, Tire Rack bought as many as they could. Time to look for another tire maybe?

 

damn im like young and old at the same time

what replaced the RE71???

 

I don't know about the RE71, but the AVS ES100 has replaced the AVS Intermediate. Tire Rack still lists AVS Intermediates in a lot of sizes, and they're cheap. Get 'em while they last.

 

Get Azenis up front and some drag radials on the back.

 

you should see my car

it doesnt deserve drag radials......yet

 

At seven stock I saw a vert (6.5 wide wheels) with 275's on them. It looked so ghetto. It looked like the tires were about to explode.