Need new tires for my 15" stockers...

[driftin8ez]

Ok i have se rims and I like them enough to wrap them with some better rubber. I looking to spend around $350-$400 for a set of 4 tires. My question is what size should i get. I have 195/65 on there now. I was thinking something like 215/50 rear and 205/55 front. They should be about the same diameter right. If not the back a little bigger. I dont want to go low pro becouse i will have more unwanted tire to fender gap. so do those sizes sound good? All i have right now is a stock DE. I have plans for maybe 200-250 rwhp but that will not come till probably my next set of tires. I do need an all-season seeing as i live in NJ where the summers are hot and the winters aare cold. Maybe the ecsta 712's, Dunlop SP Sport A2, BF Goodrich g-Force Sport or something along those lines sold at tires.com.

sorry if it sounds a little on the noob side but im coming from a honda were it was the lowest pro widest tire you could squeze on the almighty 15" rim.

[phenryiv1]

Well, the g-Force Sport is a summer tire. The sizes that you listed have relatived limited choices, AND they are smaller in diameter than the ones that you have now. The Continental ContiExtreme Contact is the only all-season 205-55 that I could find, but it is around 23.8" in diameter, which will look puny in the wheelwells.

Your current tire size is right around 25" in diameter. You have a fairly narrow contact patch, however, so you would see an improvement in grip if you ran something like a 215-60. The BF Goodrich Traction T/A for example, is only 25.2" in diameter, but for about $65 a tire it is a highly rated tire that will give you a 1" wider contact patch and a nice ride. It will also look pretty good in the fenders.

I am personally going with a Falken ZIEX 512 for my I30t on 15" rims. At $44 a tire, I cannot beat it, and it is also highly rated for all-season use. It is cheaper than the Traction T/A, weighs less, and has better reviews from real-world users.

[driftin8ez]

where did you find those tires for $44 a piece and what size where they? Also what size should i get 215-60 in the ziex 512?

[Exar-Kun]

run a 205-55-15, its got plenty of sticky tires available, and is a MAST and yokohama approved tire seize for the stock wheels...

falked ZE-512's are a good choice for all-season performance, yokohama es-100's would be a good tire-for-the-buck

none of the tires you listed would be good all-season, your best bet will be the falken ze-512 or a yokohama H4/V4S or the like(possible a dunlop sp5000..they wear quickly though)

-chet

[driftin8ez]

I would ike to have a wider tire in the back so what about a 215-60 in the back and a 205-55 in the front? 205-55 is a pretty small tire though.

[phenryiv1]

where did you find those tires for $44 a piece and what size where they? Also what size should i get 215-60 in the ziex 512?

http://www.vulcantire.com has them for $43 each. You can also get a local Sears or NTB to match the price, if you include shipping. The 205-55 are $64 each on that site...not sure why I could not find them when I looked before...

I do not understand the rest of your question, however.

[phenryiv1]

I would ike to have a wider tire in the back so what about a 215-60 in the back and a 205-55 in the front? 205-55 is a pretty small tire though.

There will be about an inch difference in diameter front versus rear. This will be abotu 1/2" difference in ride height.

I am FWD, and have never really studied the dynamics of the 240 or any other RWD handling with staggered tire sizes, so I will let the experts speak to that. I am just posting the info that I can confirm.

[Q45tech]

In FWD, the situation reverses always have the highest load rated widest stickiest tires on the front............as the rear tires never have to contend with engine power caused loss of traction like RWD.

Unfortunately front wheel well clearances are always more of a problem.

[driftin8ez]

ok here is a question. A 205-60 would be a smaller diameter tire than a 215-60 right? Than maybe that is what i should do.

[phenryiv1]

Smaller by a fraction of an inch. It would be 12mm shorter in diameter.

[Exar-Kun]

1/2"

seriously man, MAST(michelin) knows what they're talking about..just run a 205-60 or a 205-55..and be happy.

I prefered the 205-55 since it comes in much stickier tires.-cheta 215-60-15 is far too tall an OD, and wouldnt handle correctly

[driftin8ez]

I would like a 215 in the back if at all possible. What about a 215-55 in back and 205-55 in front?

[Exar-Kun]

if you want a wider tire in the back, you should get wider wheels. I have trouble finding a 215-55-15...ifyou can find a good tire in that size, I'd tip my hat to you...but that'd still be very wide for a 6" wheel....

contact patch area is not govered by tire width, why are you so insistent on a 215(which will upset your balance, speedo and gearing in a 215-60-15..about your only real option in a 15x6 wheel..)?-chet

[phenryiv1]

if you want a wider tire in the back, you should get wider wheels. I have trouble finding a 215-55-15...ifyou can find a good tire in that size, I'd tip my hat to you...but that'd still be very wide for a 6" wheel....

contact patch area is not govered by tire width, why are you so insistent on a 215(which will upset your balance, speedo and gearing in a 215-60-15..about your only real option in a 15x6 wheel..)?-chet

After looking at all of the facts, I think that I agree with this assessment. If it were me, I would be looking at the 205-55-15 Falken 512 on all 4 corners. For $64 each you get a fairly square shoulder, a V-rated tire, and a fairly proven design that has been shown to give good performance.

[driftin8ez]

alright than that sounds good.