I want to lower my car but cant stand the scrawny tires that are on it. what is the widest i can go on a 16 or 17 inch rim, Ive heard 225/45 will clear without rubbing but what do you guys think.
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225/45/17s will clear on 35 offsets with a bit of fender rolling.
We can't say what may rub for you or not because we do not know your wheel offsets. -
Thank you i just needed confirmation before i went out and bought some wheels, I can handle some fender rolling. Thanks for your help!Comment
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You'll have to take wheel width and offset into consideration. The tire size sonikaccord mentioned would probably be suitable for a 17x8 or 17x8.5 wheel. That, honestly, is VERY wide. Tires will be more expensive at that size.
I'd recommend something around 7" to 7.5" wide. Running a 205 or 215 width. No wider than that should be necessary, unless you're trying to get maximum grip at the track. Those sizes are quite common, and you can find some decent 16" or 17" tires for reasonable prices in that width. With an offset between +35 to +42, you should have no issue with rubbing without having to roll your fenders (which can result in a breeding ground for rust.)
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Typed up a big long post then realized I have a CD Accord, which means everything I just suggested was null and void because my can can swallow a significantly wider wheel than the CB....
If you are looking for maximum grip (which I imagine you are since you are asking), something in the 17x8 +35 range will fit with fender rolling. If you know how offset works, you can obviously play and around and find stuff in the x7.5 to x8.5 range that will fit similarly.
Tire size you can play with, depending on what you are looking for. 215/45/17 and 235/40/17 seem to be the most common sizes to go with, and even 225/45/17, although being a taller tire you may have more chance of rubbing the inner fender well and what not. Price wise, its only a few dollars difference between the 215/45s and 235/40s. Where it gets expensive is when you go higher than 255s.
Also, take into account variations in tire sizing when ordering. While two tires may have the same sizes, that is really just a guideline, and each can measure quite differently. For example. My previous set of tires were 245/40/17 BFG G-Force Sport Comp 2s. I ran them on 17x9s. They were known to run a bit wide. My current set of tires are Federal RS-RR. Federals run wide in general, but the RS-RR are extremely wide. I measured the Federals vs the BFG and even though they are a size smaller, they measured 4mm WIDER. So that's something to take into account. Say you get 17x8s. If you ran a very wide tire like a Federal, I'd say get 215/45/17s, where as if you had something like a Dunlop, which runs "true" to size, then you could run a 235/40/17. If you compared them, the Dunlop would probably look only a bit wider, despite technically being 2 sizes wider. Just something to consider.
And lastly, I never cared for running 16s, because tire sizes are a lot more scarce. 17s are a dime a dozen and not much more expensive honestly. Plus I feel 17s fit the larger Accord body much better anyways.Comment
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I think a 17" wheel offers the best of everything. They're large enough to fit most big brake setups that are out there. They're also the perfect size compromise (in my worthless opinion) in rim height and sidewall thickness to have a decently comfortable ride while still having sidewall support.
They're also small enough to not look massive, and to stay within the realm of inexpensive tires, as Corweena was suggesting.My Members' Ride Thread - It's a marathon build, not a sprint. But keep me honest on the update frequency!Comment
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I forgot that OEM wheel sizes have increased. The last time I shopped for 17" tires was over a decade ago. I've had 15" and 16" wheels on everything since then (aside from the 18s on my Cadillac.) A decade ago, larger tires were more expensive. Now, prices seem to have dropped, as many more cars have large wheels. OEM 17s are considered small on most sporty cars these days!
Appearance-wise, I always liked 16s. I ran 17s because the wheels I wanted didn't come in 16s. Either way, you really can't go wrong. The greater selection of tires for 17s, along with a shorter sidewall, may make them a better choice for occasional track use.
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Yeah, 17s aren't expensive anymore. I paid $440 for my 200 treadwear UHP tires recently. On my last set of wheels, I had econo Nankangs, since they were "show" wheels (I ran em for 3 weeks then sold them), and spent like $280 installed.Comment
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Had some Nankang's two years and I didn't like their traction and handling. Very poor grip especially on wet roads.Comment
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What did u end up going with? Or are u still on the fence about what to get?Comment
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