# Low profile tires?



## Zero66 (Oct 21, 2003)

maybe this is a dumb question, but how do i know how wide of a tire i can go on my 96' sentra. i know this id prolly a dumb question, but i dont know how what the size is that will give me an agressive stance for my car without haveing the tire stick out the side fo the fender. I need somthing that is low profile and will fit on a 17" rim. anybody have any suggestions?


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## NotAnotherHonda (Aug 7, 2003)

215's i think...


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## edinaboy (Jan 26, 2004)

usually the 17's are 205 and 18's are 215 for nissan


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## FatBoy4 (May 12, 2002)

edinaboy said:


> usually the 17's are 205 and 18's are 215 for nissan



ya u want to go like a 205x45x17


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

205's, im running a 40 series myself on 17's


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## liljojo4711 (Feb 9, 2004)

what is the biggest tire you can fit under a 98 sentra without any rubbing. i have about a 2" drop aslo. i am thinking that bigger tires can fit in the rear because the car kind of bubbles out in the rear. just my thought though.


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## whiteb14 (Jul 7, 2002)

Teknokid said:


> 205's, im running a 40 series myself on 17's


same thing i had when i was running 17's


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## Shawn (Sep 18, 2002)

Teknokid said:


> 205's, im running a 40 series myself on 17's


Also running 40 series tires.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

liljojo4711 said:


> what is the biggest tire you can fit under a 98 sentra without any rubbing. i have about a 2" drop aslo. i am thinking that bigger tires can fit in the rear because the car kind of bubbles out in the rear. just my thought though.


I believe its 18's but they might rub. Im not sure i know its pretty close with my 17's


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

225 50 16's here.


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## NotAnotherHonda (Aug 7, 2003)

im running 205/40/17's also..when i stated above about the 215's, i was saying that they are the biggest/widest tures that he will be able to fit on a 17" rim...IIRC


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## HoloSkull (Jan 30, 2003)

rims are made with different sizes... wip out a measuring tape and measure the width of the rim in millimeters or, better yet, inches to the very half inch and convert to millimeters and go with a nice 40 to 50 profile. I'd suggest going to www.tirerack.com for the great range of tires and the fact that you can input the tire size there.


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## BoxBroSG (Sep 5, 2003)

if your car isnt lowered you can run 225/45-17, thats what i ran on my car for a while with no rubbing at all...now im trying to get rid of the set of tires because i went back to stock wheels


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## tosainu1 (Aug 15, 2002)

BoxBroSG said:


> if your car isnt lowered you can run 225/45-17, thats what i ran on my car for a while with no rubbing at all...now im trying to get rid of the set of tires because i went back to stock wheels



Im running 205/45/16's and they ride way better than 205/4016 which i have had in the past...I wouldnt go any wider than 205, too much risk of damage and bump steer is heavy as it is with 205's


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

tosainu1 said:


> Im running 205/45/16's and they ride way better than 205/4016 which i have had in the past...I wouldnt go any wider than 205, too much risk of damage and bump steer is heavy as it is with 205's


wider = friction = lower gas mileage

205/45/16's here and when dropped a little over 2" they sometimes rub the plastic stuff in the wheel wells (hard cornering).
So if you plan on a drop like that and are ridin 17's and drive hard then you may want 205/40.
You can use this tool to calculate overall tire width/diameter compared to stock:
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc


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## tosainu1 (Aug 15, 2002)

tkvtec said:


> wider = friction = lower gas mileage
> 
> 205/45/16's here and when dropped a little over 2" they sometimes rub the plastic stuff in the wheel wells (hard cornering).
> So if you plan on a drop like that and are ridin 17's and drive hard then you may want 205/40.
> ...


wider = friction = lower gas mileage

"205/45/16's here and when dropped a little over 2" they sometimes rub the plastic stuff in the wheel wells (hard cornering).
So if you plan on a drop like that and are ridin 17's and drive hard then you may want 205/40."

He is exactly right, i have the same combination and it WILL rub on 16's, so i had to go harder on the GC adjustable combo to get it not to rub..I would not go any bigger/wider than 205 for any reason, besides it looks just fine with 205's


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

tosainu1 said:


> wider = friction = lower gas mileage
> 
> "205/45/16's here and when dropped a little over 2" they sometimes rub the plastic stuff in the wheel wells (hard cornering).
> So if you plan on a drop like that and are ridin 17's and drive hard then you may want 205/40."
> ...


Definitely looks good widthwise with 205's. It has a nice stance, much nicer than stock.


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## Russia (Jul 24, 2003)

I was recommended to run 215-40-17 on the 17" rims that Im buying, I see mixed feedback about running this tire, what are the pro's and cons? Im starting to lean toward it being better to run 205...Can someone give me some more feedback?


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## HoloSkull (Jan 30, 2003)

tkvtec said:


> wider = friction = lower gas mileage


You don't mean on the road do you?


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## tosainu1 (Aug 15, 2002)

Russia said:


> I was recommended to run 215-40-17 on the 17" rims that Im buying, I see mixed feedback about running this tire, what are the pro's and cons? Im starting to lean toward it being better to run 205...Can someone give me some more feedback?


Wassup Russia,

Lemme give you some advice from experience, don't run 215/40/17, that is a +4 upgrade from stock and is very extreme...That car is gonna ride so hard it's gonna chatter your teeth on every bump. I ran 205/40/16 bf goodrich euro's and the ride was horrible and it gave me other problems such as a high speed blowout due to interior of the rims being worn down against the body..I would run 205/45/16, or better yet, I would run 195/50/15's, and do the drop with the Ground Control kit and the adjustable AGX's..that way you can still have a decent ride quality, and have it lowered to however low or high you want. If you were local id let you throw on my rims and see how the ride is so you can see that maybe low profile rim/tire combinations might not be the thing to do on Sentras.


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

HoloSkull said:


> You don't mean on the road do you?


Ya, at least my gas mileage went down, whether it was due to using more gas through the corners or the extra friction the wider tires caused, either way it was lower. By about 5mpg it went down. I must say my driving habits did change a little, but I didn't think it would make that big of a difference where I was getting anywhere from 32-37 mpg down to 26 - 30 maybe 31 at best.


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

tosainu1 said:


> Wassup Russia,
> 
> Lemme give you some advice from experience, don't run 215/40/17, that is a +4 upgrade from stock and is very extreme...That car is gonna ride so hard it's gonna chatter your teeth on every bump. I ran 205/40/16 bf goodrich euro's and the ride was horrible and it gave me other problems such as a high speed blowout due to interior of the rims being worn down against the body..I would run 205/45/16, or better yet, I would run 195/50/15's, and do the drop with the Ground Control kit and the adjustable AGX's..that way you can still have a decent ride quality, and have it lowered to however low or high you want. If you were local id let you throw on my rims and see how the ride is so you can see that maybe low profile rim/tire combinations might not be the thing to do on Sentras.


Have you ever had 17's? I personally ran 205 40 17 on 17 x 7 wheels for over 2 years. Sure the lower the profile the stiffer the ride but if you have modded your suspension where's the tradeoff? Those tires will fit if your insterested in them Russia. 

As for your 16" euro TA's, they are some of the crappiest tires you can buy. I would avoid them like the plague. The Kumho's are much better for the $$$ 

Everyone keeps saying 215's are too wide etc.... If you are racing as in hot lapping or autocrossing the wider the tire the better off you are. Besides if you are concerned about gas mileage why would you add larger wheels and tires to your car anyway which makes arguing width a moot point.


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

wes said:


> Have you ever had 17's? I personally ran 205 40 17 on 17 x 7 wheels for over 2 years. Sure the lower the profile the stiffer the ride but if you have modded your suspension where's the tradeoff? Those tires will fit if your insterested in them Russia.
> 
> As for your 16" euro TA's, they are some of the crappiest tires you can buy. I would avoid them like the plague. The Kumho's are much better for the $$$
> 
> Everyone keeps saying 215's are too wide etc.... If you are racing as in hot lapping or autocrossing the wider the tire the better off you are. *Besides if you are concerned about gas mileage why would you add larger wheels and tires to your car anyway which makes arguing width a moot point*.


Ya, I run autocross, but I also drive my car a minimum of 100 miles every day for work. I guess I am speaking mostly for myself on the subject. I just wanted the guy to be aware of the difference in mileage, although the difference between 205 and 215 will be minimal in comparison to the difference between 175 and 205. Just tryin to help


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

tkvtec said:


> Ya, I run autocross, but I also drive my car a minimum of 100 miles every day for work. I guess I am speaking mostly for myself on the subject. I just wanted the guy to be aware of the difference in mileage, although the difference between 205 and 215 will be minimal in comparison to the difference between 175 and 205. Just tryin to help


I understand the point. Personally I have always found that an agressive alignment affectted mileage more than larger tire/wheel combintaions.


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## tosainu1 (Aug 15, 2002)

Wes is correct in all aspects....


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

wes said:


> I understand the point. Personally I have always found that an agressive alignment affectted mileage more than larger tire/wheel combintaions.


Yes there was most likely some excessive toe and camber due to my drop which I was never able to get aligned before I took it all off for the winter.
It's all gonna get done right in the Spring, that's for sure


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

I had 205/40 Falken Azenis tires on my car when i first got the rims and i loved them. When i blew out my tire a few months back, i decided to get all new tires cause they were wearing out, i researched and got feedback from people here on the forums that the Kumho Ecsta 712's were good tires. From my experience, they are good tires only problem i have is that they heat up too slowly. I understand they are AA rated and Z rated but i really loved my Falkens. <---- just my opinion


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## jeffinbham (Nov 1, 2003)

Teknokid said:


> I believe its 18's but they might rub. Im not sure i know its pretty close with my 17's


i have 18's and a 2 inch drop, no rubbing. the wheels even suck up into the fenders in the rear and it looks kinda like an M3. fuck yeah. 18's. - jeff


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## Sethticlees (May 30, 2002)

I got 215/40/R17's on my 200sx. The car looks GOOD but they ride like shit! Feel every bump in the road. 

But do what you like. 

I'm going 205/50/R15 soon.


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## Russia (Jul 24, 2003)

When looking around Ebay for tires I found these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33745&item=2462048728

Is it ok to buy tires on Ebay? I dont have a lot of money to spend...are these decent tires or are there different alternatives?

Art


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## Russia (Jul 24, 2003)

Anyone?


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## wes (Apr 30, 2002)

They are pretty good tires. I am not sure about the pirce, check with Discount Tire or Tire Rack to make sure it's a good deal.


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## Russia (Jul 24, 2003)

Ok thats cool, thanks a lot Wes...I was just seeing if its ok to buy tires on Ebay and its not something where you get what u pay for...But yea, thanks.


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## lshadoff (Nov 26, 2002)

I just traded my stock rims/tires (15x6.5 with 205/50-15 Kumho Ecsta Supra 712 tires) even up for these 16x7.5 Kosei K1 Racing rims with 205/50-16 Bridgestone Potenza S03 Pole Position tires.








They have a 35mm offset, and with the wide rim, come out about even with the side of the body. I have a GAB/Prokit suspension (1.5-2" drop), and the rear tire rubbed when the suspension was near bottoming out. I adjusted the shocks a bit stiffer, and it seems to be OK. I'll probably roll the fender lips soon, though.

Lew


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## tkvtec (Apr 20, 2003)

lshadoff said:


> I just traded my stock rims/tires (15x6.5 with 205/50-15 Kumho Ecsta Supra 712 tires) even up for these 16x7.5 Kosei K1 Racing rims with 205/50-16 Bridgestone Potenza S03 Pole Position tires.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wish i could've worked out a deal like that. I bought those same exact rims in silver. Your tires rubbing are because you have 50 series tires on there. You should have 45 series in order to stay near stock diameter/circumference.


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## lshadoff (Nov 26, 2002)

tkvtec said:


> I wish i could've worked out a deal like that. I bought those same exact rims in silver. Your tires rubbing are because you have 50 series tires on there. You should have 45 series in order to stay near stock diameter/circumference.


The problem is partly due to the lower wheel offset (stock is 40mm and the K1s are 35mm) which puts the rim about 1/4 inch further out. And it's partly due to the wider rim width (6.5 in stock and the K1s are 7.5 in) which puts the outer edge even further out, plus the larger overall diameter of the tires makes them fill the wheel well more and come closer to the fender lip.

The PO had the rims on a 98 200SX SE-R with a ShigSpeed coil-over suspension slammed 2.5 inches, and he had to roll the fenders to make them fit.

Since the tires came on the rims, I'll live with them until they wear out. 

Lew


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## 200SushiX (Jul 12, 2002)

Zero66 said:


> maybe this is a dumb question, but how do i know how wide of a tire i can go on my 96' sentra. i know this id prolly a dumb question, but i dont know how what the size is that will give me an agressive stance for my car without haveing the tire stick out the side fo the fender. I need somthing that is low profile and will fit on a 17" rim. anybody have any suggestions?


My *suggestion*: don't get 17's; you can
get 15X7.5's, which look phat as shit on a Nissan.
Volk makes TE-37's in 13X8 size, which would
be awesome, too! Anything over 16 inches is a
real *drag*!


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

(going from memory) The Volk TE-37 are those light weight "racing" rims right?? I think ive only seen those in white which IMO look tight. I would have gone with those but they are pretty expensive when i looked around. Anyways, unless he plans to race with those tires i say go with the 17's. I have them and i think they look great. When i go racing at the track I throw on the 13" steelies.


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## discussimports (Feb 25, 2004)

i just got 18's and nitto 215/35 18's and they are fine and i lowered the car 2inches as well...looks good...if you want pics email me and i will share


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