225/50/17 or 225/55/17?

[remusrm]

I am considering getting my rims soon. What would it be best...225/50/17 or 225/55/17?The reason I am asking is because I do not plan to lower the car, not do I want to rub, or any of that. I also want some rubber so I do not feel the bumps...

[Raven]

Both of those sizes are too large in diameter. You'd have to go 225/45/17. If I were you, I'd buy 18" rims and 225/40/18 tires.Here's a tire size calculator, you should stay within 3%.http://www.1010tires.com/TireS...ubmit

[Mavrik]

What is your stock size right now? 16 or 17 inch rim? Because the 17 inch rim stock on a Vibe has different specs/overall diametre difference then the 16 inch stock rim. If your on a 16 inch rim and want to go with a 17 without lowering the car. The best tire size with the least effect on your car that matches your stock size is P225/45R17. I learned that after I went with P215/45R17 tires... they are slightly bigger.

[remusrm]

i want to get a just more rubber upward and enougth side rubber to not scrape the rim. so i think 225/50/17 might b fine... i do not want to run inside or be in the wayof the spring. i also do not want really low profile, since i detest the harsh ride.

[vibe owner]

Am I missing something here? The factory 17's come with 215/50s, or at least my GT did. They claim chains will not fit, but otherwise there is lots of room around them. [not when turning - see post below.]Very nice tires, my only complaint has more to do with the wheels and steering geometry -- the 17's pull your steering such that you climb up ruts or slopes. I have 16's too (aftermarket wheels) and they don't do that.

[remusrm]

so you guys think tyhe 225/50/17 will work fine? I just want a little higher and more rubber but also look good. Will it rub when I turn the wheels? Will it take away the gas milage? Will it ruin the car? Let me know.... thanks

[Mavrik]

What is your current STOCK wheel size?

[remusrm]

16

[AKLGT]

you need to make sure you keep as close to the original stock diameter as possible or it will not only throw off your speedometer but can also do a lot of damage over time to the vehicle. i'm sure there are a number of threads on here already discussing that. in fact, i know there are, but can't remember which ones... i have the stock 17's and i can't remember what the size is for that.

[remusrm]

what do you mean by:"do a lot of damage over time to the vehicle"

[AKLGT]

read thru this one. i think someone explained it. i believe it has to do with the brakes??? but i'm no pro, so my suggestion is do a search and look up "tire size". http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=14182

[Mavrik]

Heavy rims or larger diameter wheels as to what the car is programmed to will cause damage to various areas. It can cause premature wear on breaks, as well as through off you dash cluster by recording wrong mileage and showing you speeds your not actually going.If your on a stock 16" rim and want to go 17" rim with enough rubber to stick out and protect the rim without causing any damage to your vehicle then the BEST size to go with is P225/45R17. The tire has a low profile but the tire is also wide enough to protect your rim from curbs and such. If you install a 50 side wall, your tire will be to big. I am running P215/45R17 on my Vibe, its not a perfect match to the stock P205/55R16 size. I found out later that P225 would have been better. All the same though, its a fine size to run on, but if my sidewall was 50... would really throw things off.I suggest you take a look through the tire size calculator links in this section of the forum to see for yourself how the sizes match up.

[remusrm]

how about 245/45?

[Mavrik]

Not wise to do. Stock tire isSidewall 4.4inchRadius 12.4inchDiameter 24.9inchCircumf 78.2inchRevs/mi 811P245/45R17 would beSidewall 4.3inchRadius 12.8inchDiameter 25.7inchCircumf 80.7inchRevs/mi 785The new size would be TO LARGE. your wheel would be rolling 3.2% slower then stock size. When your speedo reads 60MPH, your going to ACTUALLY be going 62MPHALL THAT will through off everything in your car from ABS brakes to Odometer readings and Speedo readings. I would NOT advice it.But see for yourself at this LINKhttp://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.htmlInput P205/55R16 as your STOCK size and put in what ever size you want to install and it will show you the difference.

[remusrm]

I do not have abs... is that ok to have that? I only care for no rub and scrape, etc... will the gas milage take a hit?

[AKLGT]

right, you can't just put on any tire size to your car without throwing off the electronics or doing damage to various parts that aren't made for larger/smaller tires or rims. that's like people who insist on using regular unleaded gas in their 2zz (GT) cars and then are somehow surprised that their engine starts pinging and they aren't getting good fuel economy!

[vibe owner]

Since I switch wheels (and tire diameters) several times per winter, I am pretty sure the suspension is designed for 16s (even if shipped with 17s) and the ABS doesn't know or care what the diameter is just so all the wheels match. Think about it -- how would the ABS know your actual speed is not what it expects? So the limit on diameter is what will fit in the wheel well. Worst case is probably a sharp turn, where both diameter and width come into play. I just turned my 215/50's hard left, and the outer edge of the right tire is 5/8-inch from the front wall -- this on rather worn tires. A wider tire with less-rounded edges could be a problem, especially on a size with increased diameter.

[Mavrik]

you have to keep in mind that a vibe with 16" rims has different programming then a vibe with 17" rims.I am on as I stated P215/45R17 tires on my 17" rims. My rims are in no way going to come in contact with a curb if I was to foolishly drive that close. P225/45R17 which is the reccommended tire to use will be even WIDER and give even MORE protection.I'm on a lowered suspension with enough room to turn without any rubbing. I had the rims on my Vibe before I dropped it 2 inches and I had plenty of room then to. I do not have ABS and your GAS mileage will change when you change tire size that is incorrect and including if you have a really heavy rim on there. Personal opinion but a lighter rim will give you better fuel or at least not effect what you are already getting but to throw a bigger wheel on there, you will see it drop.

[AKLGT]

Quote, originally posted by remusrm »I do not have abs... is that ok to have that? I only care for no rub and scrape, etc... will the gas milage take a hit?but you do have brakes don't you???? i mean, that's kind of an important part! lol. it doesn't matter if you have ABS or not, you still need your brakes to function properly! also, keep in mind, adding more wheel weight and tire/rubber also adds more weight to your vehicle for stopping and wearing. you have to worry about rubbing inside the wheel wells, etc... all those little things compounded over time (maybe even just a year or two) can cause some damage to other important parts (although I'd say your brakes are pretty damn important). lol. but i'm no expert, so take my opinion for what you will.

[remusrm]

I could tell you this. My mirage had originally 175/65/14 then i put 195/65/14 and all was good. I also had 195/60/14 and that was a good ride too, same hight wider. The optional for my car was 185/65/14. I had not problems with brake failure or any other stuff. All I can say this was on stock rims. I did notice a drop in gas milage but only by 2mpg.

[ragingfish]

Dude, you're talking with experienced people here.Cars are MUCH different now than they were even just a few years ago. Tons more electronics, and tons more places for things to go wrong...If they tell you you'll damage the car doing that, I'd believe them.It's up to you in the end...but I think if you go against what they recommend, you're asking for trouble.Just MHO.

[Mavrik]

And you said it yourself, you changed tire sizes on STOCK rims but now you want to change your rims this time as well. Thats the other thing you need to realise also. As Mike said, in the end, do as you want, we can only offer advice from experience. I used to work for a dealership in service and delt with tire sizes and changes all the time, daily basis even. I'd like to think I know what I am talking about.P225=width of the tire /45=% of width of tire by height of sidewall R17=rim size.ANYTIME you change the width of the tire, that changed the percentage of the height of the sidewall. If you change P225 to P245 then the /45 % of the P245 tire is going to be taller. Making the tire width narrower will make the /45% shorter.

[AKLGT]

hey, we're all trying to help you out here. you asked a question; we're doing our best to answer it, even if it's NOT what you want to hear. it's your car. do whatever the hell you want with it. if you want to throw larger tires on it, then go right on ahead. but don't complain if 2 yrs down the road you have problems, your breaks wear out faster, the odometer and speedometer are off, etc. that's up to you really.

[remusrm]

ok check it out. is not that i want to do it my way and ignore your comments. is that i want a smooth ride and not too choppy. Some of my buddies have 18s with 45 or 35 rubber and the car is horible ride wise. feels like u run on bricks. i try to prevent that. also a little more rubber prevents the suspension to take the whole impact when over bumps. i also do not want to damage the rims. i want something like the stock 17s but just a tad more rubber. i will check it out at the dealer today...

[Mavrik]

you have to remember that on an 18" rim, a 45 sidewall is even smaller then 45 sidewall on an 18" rim. a very rough ride. I never experienced a rough ride on my 45 side wall tires. My ride is only rougher cause I lowered the car, my decision.

[remusrm]

i went to a shop today and looked at differences between tires and all that. i might go with 245/45/17 wide, and just a tad taller...

[Mavrik]

Its up to you.

[SilverExpress]

Hello there....I experienced the wrong size tires on my 2000 Prizm once.I purchased winter tires....Blizzacks...that were taller then the oem recommended tire size. It fit the rim though....14".The car became slower of the line, but my top speed increased. Anyhow, each gear (5 spd) seemed to bog down from my normal shift points. Starting of the line was like being in the wrong gear going up a hill. Did wonders for my clutch. It also raised the center of gravity a little. My speedo was off too.

[kcinmi]

Hmmm.... According to my Garmin GPSMap 60c, whilst I am traveling down the highway at what my speedo says im doing 60, GPS tells me Im doing 58. At 70 on the speedo, my GPS tell me 67, and I lose one mile an hour for every ten I go up on the speedo. Stock 16 wheels and oem continental tires.