17x7 wheel, what tire size?

[iTurbo]

I got a set of 17x7 wheels on ebay and I need to buy tires. They are going onto my Shelby Lancer, but I'd also like to use them on one of the many Spirit R/Ts hanging around here. I've come to the conclusion that I'm limited to either a 205/45/17 or a 215/45/17 because of the 7" width. Which size should I go with?

According to the Miata tire calc:
205/50/16 = 24.1" (currently on car)
205/60/15 = 24.7" (stock)
205/45/17 = 24.3"
215/45/17 = 24.6"

I know I should try to stay close to the stock diameter but I'm worried about the wheels looking 'largish' and I actually kind of like the smaller diameter of the 205/50/16 I'm running now.

So 205/45/17 or 215/45/17 OR suggest a size if you think it would be better.

[minigts]

A 215 is perfect for a 17x7 and will fit nicely and is closer to the stock diameter. 1/2" will make a difference on the speedo so why not go 215?

[turbovanman²]

215, anything smaller will look goofy and why bother with a 7" rim if only going 205. What about 225?

[iTurbo]

I'm mostly concerned with picking a tire with just the right outside diameter. A 225/40/17 is not a common tire size and would require a wider wheel and a 225/45/17 is 25" which seems a tad too tall for my liking. Pretty sure I'm going with the 215/45 though. There would be a lot more options if only my new wheels were 8" wide instead.:(

[Polygon]

225/45 on a 17x7 wheel. They fit perfect, sidewall is completely flat.

http://www.synapsepc.com/Hosting/CarDomain/GTC/Site%20Images/Page%203/On%20The%20Car.jpg

[Will Martin]

The wheels in my signature are 17x7 and I have 215/45/17 tires. Perfect for me.

[Will Martin]

I guess it would be better if the actual tire was showing. lol

[CSXT802]

225-45-17 Ftw!!!!

[fleckster]

Yes FTW, 225/45-17s on factory 17" x 7" wheels on my LeBaron.

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/photopost/data/562/medium/Picture_004.jpg
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/photopost/data/562/medium/Picture_0031.jpg

[Vigo]

i wouldnt do 225/45r17.. its great for stockish ride height but it IS a tall tire and it will look funny if you are lowered much.

a lot of people here think they are lowered a lot but really arent, considering a 2" drop for us is everyone else starting point.. if you havent considered a strut conversion yet, you're not lowered much. Lol

[Will Martin]

i wouldnt do 225/45r17.. its great for stockish ride height but it IS a tall tire and it will look funny if you are lowered much.

a lot of people here think they are lowered a lot but really arent, considering a 2" drop for us is everyone else starting point.. if you havent considered a strut conversion yet, you're not lowered much. Lol

That's one of the reason's I went with a 215/45/17 tire. My wheel offset doesn't allow me much room and I'm already lowered with Eibachs. A tire any taller might hit the strut. Now I will be putting on front/rear coilovers, so I'll then have the space.

[iTurbo]

i wouldnt do 225/45r17.. its great for stockish ride height but it IS a tall tire and it will look funny if you are lowered much.

a lot of people here think they are lowered a lot but really arent, considering a 2" drop for us is everyone else starting point.. if you havent considered a strut conversion yet, you're not lowered much. Lol

That's exactly why I'm shying away from anything taller than stock. My SL is slightly lowered with the Eibach springs. I used to have a set of 225/50/16 (25") tires on the car and they looked way too big on the car but are just fine on my Spirit R/T (stock springs). Nice to know the 215/45/17 fits stock stuff just fine though.

[Turbo3Iroc]

What's the stock size tire for the car? If it came with 205 60s then the 215s are the closest fit on a 17.

[dds78910]

I run 215/45/17. I have been running this size now for 10 years. If your stock tires are 205/60/15 then 215/45/17 will be the closest you can get to the stock size and keep your speedo normal.

[Polygon]

I know that my GTC came with 205/55 16. If you're only going to lower an inch then 225/45 will look fine.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/9/web/2949000-2949999/2949148_28_full.jpg

[Speedeuphoria]

Get the 225's. You prob have a large gap anyway and heck a 1"+ diameter tire is only ~2.5mph off at 65mph so whats the big deal, the stock speedo is prob off that far to begin with.


i wouldnt do 225/45r17.. its great for stockish ride height but it IS a tall tire and it will look funny if you are lowered much.

a lot of people here think they are lowered a lot but really arent, considering a 2" drop for us is everyone else starting point.. if you havent considered a strut conversion yet, you're not lowered much. Lol

Not many lower more than 2" because the control arms and geometry will be getting out of whack.

You prob think my 245/45/17's look funny, I happen to think they look just fine
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n314/speedeuphoria/Picture022.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n314/speedeuphoria/Picture024.jpg

[GLHNSLHT2]

yea I'd go with at least a 225 tire width.

[iTurbo]

The Spirit looks great! I have a set of 225/50/16 tires (25") and they look good on my Spirit R/T but they just look too big for the Lancer. The Lancer is a tad smaller and it sits a lot lower than the Spirit which is probably why the taller tire just doesn't look right to me.

At this point I will probably go with the 215/45, especially since it's as close to stock diameter as I'll get (24.7"). After I get them installed I'll reevaluate. I'd like to see strut and fender clearance first hand before getting anything taller. If only I had 17x8 I would go for a 245/40!

[Turbo3Iroc]

You prob think my 245/45/17's look funny, I happen to think they look just fine


Those are 45 series? I have 245 40s on my Daytona and I get a slight rub at the wheel lip.

Combo looks real good!

[Speedeuphoria]

Those are 45 series? I have 245 40s on my Daytona and I get a slight rub at the wheel lip.

Combo looks real good!

yep 245/45/17, Nitto 555R Drag radials ~25.7" tall and ~9.7" wide. They barely fit even with mods. I should have held out a little longer and got 8" wide wheels instead I'm stuck with 7.5" wide on there now, hence the 45 series.

I also had rub(bad) at the front/bottom of the fender/bumper. I have '91 suspension stuff and I think I've seen the older stuff put the wheel more centered in the well as mine is slightly to the front. I had to carefully align the fender when putting it on, then since the bottom of the fenders taper in, I made some longer steel braces that hold the bottom of the fender out ~3" and it its good now. If you look at the 1st pic and look at another Spirit you will see the difference, heck in the pic you can see that the bumper tapers in on the bottom then when it goes towards the wheel its more flat. Trust me its forced out.

[Vigo]

Not many lower more than 2" because the control arms and geometry will be getting out of whack.

You prob think my 245/45/17's look funny, I happen to think they look just fine


not many lower more than 2" because they arent willing to CHANGE the suspension to allow them to do so because its involves WORK. :p

actually i considered 245/45r17s for a long time but decided on 245/40r17s for mine and im glad i did. i need to roll my fenders as it is and if they were any taller at my ride height they probly just wouldnt work. I like shorter tires because even if you have an attractive wheelgap, with a tall tire your car is still higher off the ground, and thats a bigger visual impact to me than just the space between the tire and fender. Polygon's lebaron looks very high to me, yours looks more like what i like personally.. the lips around the bottom help with the impression that the body is closer to the ground, whereas the sides of the lebaron sorta tuck up and make it look higher than it is.. My aries, on the other hand, you cant fit a coke can under. Pretty sure i know how to make the suspension work at that height but with school and making money its hard to find the time :( of course.. you cant hit ANYTHING and expect it to go under and out the back.. i have dragged items like 3 liter bottles under the car for miles :p

[Speedeuphoria]

not many lower more than 2" because they arent willing to CHANGE the suspension to allow them to do so because its involves WORK. :p

Polygon's lebaron looks very high to me, yours looks more like what i like personally.. the lips around the bottom help with the impression that the body is closer to the ground, whereas the sides of the lebaron sorta tuck up and make it look higher than it is.. My aries, on the other hand, you cant fit a coke can under. Pretty sure i know how to make the suspension work at that height but with school and making money its hard to find the time :( of course.. you cant hit ANYTHING and expect it to go under and out the back.. i have dragged items like 3 liter bottles under the car for miles :p

I agree with more time and motivation I think a tubular arm and some mods would be a good thing. Well I would prob need some new custom fenders to tuck the tires since the tires currently are even with the outside of the fenders.

Yeah most of these cars taper in at the bottom for some reason. Even my "ground effects" are not much, wish they were a little lower and the back bumper

[iTurbo]

That's another thing, my '87 SL that I'm putting these new tires/wheels on has been upgraded with '91 front end parts. Everything...k-frame/arms, knuckles, 11" brakes, rack and Eibach springs....all rebuilt with new parts and poly bushings. There was a slight increase in caster so my front wheels sit slightly farther forward. I seem to recall the wheel base increased about 1/4" but I would have to search through my old posts to be sure.

[Vigo]

yeh ive done the same swap but honestly its hard to tell just from looking at it.. thats a good thing! one time i swapped an older rear axle into my dynasty and it moved the rear wheels so far forward they rubbed the fenderwells on compression.. that just LOOKED funky.