Tires for 16 pumpers on daytona.

[vxvxAndrewxvxv]

got a 1987 shelby Z. Picked up some 16 inch pumpers. Wondering what size tire would be right for that application?

Thanks!

[vxvxAndrewxvxv]

trying to figure this out by myself. I cam eup with 205/55/16?

[JDAWG]

you are correct, just walked outside and looked, that is the stock size

[vxvxAndrewxvxv]

Thanks JDAWG

[5sp. mini]

all of my daytonas i ran 225/50r16 tires on the van i have 235/55r16 on ninja wheels if it lower in the front then the 205/55r16 will fit beter. alan

[Vigo]

in my experience running a 225 on a 6 inch wheel is bad for handling. you may not notice as much on a van, but i would advice sticking with 205s and 215 (those only inthe taller ratios, i.e. 55 and 50. i think a 215/40r16 would be too wide for 6 inch).

205/55 and 215/55 are the best compromise between stockish height and handling for the stock rims if you dont plan to lower it much.

as for what tires to buy.. assuming you are performance oriented and not planning on driving through much snow..

Kumho Ecsta SPTs in 205/55 are 64 a piece on tirerack, those would be about the best performance/dollar bargain. alsorans on tirerack would be the fusion HRi at 57 a piece and General Exclaim UHPat 63. Also the bridgestone RE050A is on closeout at 77 marked down from 140/piece.. those are OE on some darn nice performance cars. Tirerack Test on those.. (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=50) stacks up well against two of the very best street tires there are. :)

Edgeracing.com has the Falken 452 at 71 a piece.. i hear those are pretty good too but i havent heard as much about them as i have about the SPTs.

[5sp. mini]

ya my boss tells me the same thing that tires to big for the wheel but GM cars use that same size tire and wheel on grand am and other style cars. i,ve pushed them hard and have not found any differance.as far as make of tire it,s up to you most of mine were hr rated but some of the take off tire i ran were vr. good luck. alan

[ShelbyZD]

Personally I'd go with 205/50's, That way you get a lower profile tire. I always felt the 205/55/16 looked like a small truck tire on a daytona.

Also, The stock size for a Shelby Z is 225/50/15.. that is about 1 inch lower than a 205/55/16. (Depending also on the tire brand). It will affect your speedo just so you know.

You can measure the speedo differences here - http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

[Vigo]

225/50 and 205/55 are exactly the same diameter. you may have forgotten to switch the rim size to 16 for the 2nd one.

[ShelbyZD]

Actually. .I just meant that the speedo pinion on a stock Shelby Z is different from the one on an 89/90 Shelby. :)

[capev86]

you'd want to rerig the gear for the speedo/odometer for the shorter tires. as it happens, the 205-50-16's are the perfect size for an aries because it is the same diameter as a 185-70-14 and 195-60-15. i happen to have a decent set lying around but i will have to wait until the budget will allow me to pick up a set of pumpers or ninja rims for them....other things to do first!

[Vigo]

eh, didnt see the 15 vs 16 when i first read post. wonder why?:thumb:



the 205-50-16's are the perfect size for an aries because it is the same diameter as a 185-70-14 and 195-60-15

man, stock and perfect are SO not the same to me, heh. but i will say that its hard to make tires shorter than that look good because there is a limit to the lowering you can do on the stock suspension to accompany the shorter tires before it drives like crap.



GM cars use that same size tire and wheel on grand am

Recent grand am gt's used 225/50r16 but had 7.0 inch wheels. a 6.5 is borderline ok for a 225/50, 6.0 too narrow.

there is a point of diminishing returns to going wider on a certain rim width, and with 6.0in rims, it starts at 205. you can squeeze wider tires on the same rim, but the actual tread on the ground wont grow much because the edges of the tires wont touch the ground at a good pressure and if you drop pressure the handling will get even worse, the sidewall angle doesnt transmit force to the rim the same way, etc. a 225/50 r16 will not get you much more tread on the ground than a 205/55 and what is there wont be working as well.

[crazy1eye]

Also, The stock size for a Shelby Z is 225/50/15..

Yes, that's because Shelby Z's came with 6.5" crab wheels as well as earlier CS Daytona's that had the 225/50/15