# Changing Tire Size??



## WATSON1 (Jul 9, 2005)

OK, 02 3.5SE, 215/55/17 on the corners. Good or bad idea to go to 225/50/17? More tire selection and better prices in general. Not really sure which direction to go, figured someone else has got to have an opinion or two on this one. Thanks, Rusty


----------



## Felonious Cat Stalker (May 1, 2002)

When messing with tires sizes, check out this link:
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Note that it tells you the difference that will be shown on your speedo


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

WATSON1 said:


> OK, 02 3.5SE, 215/55/17 on the corners. Good or bad idea to go to 225/50/17? More tire selection and better prices in general. Not really sure which direction to go, figured someone else has got to have an opinion or two on this one. Thanks, Rusty


I just put 235-50-17 Kumhos ASX on. Something like .78 more footprint on road and they look better to.


----------



## WATSON1 (Jul 9, 2005)

shokhead said:


> I just put 235-50-17 Kumhos ASX on. Something like .78 more footprint on road and they look better to.


Are you having any trouble with rubbing the fenderwells when you make close turns? that's mainly what I'm worried about, and if you can post some pics, I'd like to see what they would look like.


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

WATSON1 said:


> Are you having any trouble with rubbing the fenderwells when you make close turns? that's mainly what I'm worried about, and if you can post some pics, I'd like to see what they would look like.


No pics but it looks better and zero rubbing. Could have gone 245 but didnt.


----------



## Flip94ta (Jan 7, 2006)

235 and 245 are TOO wide for a 7 inch rim. Ask your tire manufacturer. 225/50/17 came on 00-03 maxima SE's and will work fine on your rims. I have had $142 dunlap 5000's and $120 Avon tech 550s and the Avons are great, look at the tech 500's if you just need a summer tire. I think they are just $112. the 550's are allseason and possibly M+S rated.


----------



## WATSON1 (Jul 9, 2005)

Flip94ta said:


> 235 and 245 are TOO wide for a 7 inch rim. Ask your tire manufacturer. 225/50/17 came on 00-03 maxima SE's and will work fine on your rims. I have had $142 dunlap 5000's and $120 Avon tech 550s and the Avons are great, look at the tech 500's if you just need a summer tire. I think they are just $112. the 550's are allseason and possibly M+S rated.


Thanks, I haven't got any yet, I was waiting around to see what kind of replies I got. I'll probably be be buying some next week.


----------



## Smitty 3.5 (Dec 13, 2004)

Flip94ta said:


> 235 and 245 are TOO wide for a 7 inch rim.


I would agree, however there are a few tires that are approved by the manufacturer to run a 235 on a 7" wide wheel. There are a lot of people that have put 235's and 245's on the factory 17's, they will fit but not in the way the tire manufacturer has intended. I personally have 225/50/17's on my factory wheels when I used to drive my car in the winter.


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

Flip94ta said:


> 235 and 245 are TOO wide for a 7 inch rim. Ask your tire manufacturer. 225/50/17 came on 00-03 maxima SE's and will work fine on your rims. I have had $142 dunlap 5000's and $120 Avon tech 550s and the Avons are great, look at the tech 500's if you just need a summer tire. I think they are just $112. the 550's are allseason and possibly M+S rated.


So my 235-50-17 on my stock 02 3.5 rims are not working?


----------



## Smitty 3.5 (Dec 13, 2004)

shokhead said:


> So my 235-50-17 on my stock 02 3.5 rims are not working?


Your Kumho ASX's are reccomended by the manufacturer for a 6.5" to 8.5" wide wheel, so you are ok with the stock wheels.


----------



## Flip94ta (Jan 7, 2006)

Alot of people think that stuffing the widest tire that will fit on a rim means that they will get the best performance. This is not true. Look at factory hi-po cars and the relationship between tire and rim width. Cars like M3's and M5's are good examples, the tires are the same size as the rims. This supports the tire the best and reduces scrubbing of sidewalls in corners. A 225/50 tire would probably handle better than a 235/50 on your stock rims. Unless you are looking for a softer ride. The rim/tire width really becomes important when the aspect ratio lowers, the same 235 with a 45 ratio changes the minimum rim to 7.5 inches. So yes a 235/50/17 fits, but its on the edge of acceptability, the way that I drive and some other folks drive could be a little too much for that kind of pairing, when pushed hard a wide tire on a narrow rim can lead to blowouts.


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

You can drive as hard as you can with a 235-50 on that stock Altima rim and NEVER have a problem. A touring tire on a sports sedan,now that makes no sence.:thumbup:


----------



## Smitty 3.5 (Dec 13, 2004)

shokhead said:


> You can drive as hard as you can with a 235-50 on that stock Altima rim and NEVER have a problem. A touring tire on a sports sedan,now that makes no sence.:thumbup:


 What are you talking about, touring tire, sports sedan? I could cram a 275/45/17 on the factory Altima rim and drive like an idiot and still survive, but why?


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

What are you talking about. Where in the hell did driving like an idiot and a 275/45 come from. We are talking about having a 235/50 on an Altima and it no being a problem at all. Just incase you didnt know,an 02 3.5 is a sports sedan and the come stock with BS touring tires.


----------



## Smitty 3.5 (Dec 13, 2004)

shokhead said:


> What are you talking about. Where in the hell did driving like an idiot and a 275/45 come from. We are talking about having a 235/50 on an Altima and it no being a problem at all. Just incase you didnt know,an 02 3.5 is a sports sedan and the come stock with BS touring tires.


You said you can drive as hard as you want all day with a 235, and before you aid you could have fit a 245, but you didn't. Well I figured if you said you could fit a 245, why not fit a 275 both are too wide and in my opinion a 235 is pushing it too. Just because it can be done doesn't make it correct. A sports sedan is something like an E55 AMG, I drive a 3.5 Altima and have never referred to it as a "sports sedan." Now the next time you go driving your sports sedan really hard look at the outer edge of the rim it will have little marks where the tire rolled over and touched the outer edge of the rim because you are using a very wide tire for a 7" wheel. You will have some scrubbing of the sidewall as well, and in a "sports sedan" that is not a good thing.


----------



## Flip94ta (Jan 7, 2006)

Shokhead you are with in spec, I guess what I am saying is that I would not go autocrossing with that setup. If you do care about handling 225/50 would be a better size. 235's are probably giving you are softer ride and if you're into that than thats cool. 

My old size was 235/45/17 on stock maxima rims and I had alot of problems. One side wall failure, one sidewall bulge big enough to get the store to replace the tire, and flatspotting every night when I parked the car. I dont know that having the tire on out of spec rims caused all the problems but I'm sure it definiately factored in. 

BTW you are using a touring size on a sports sedan. :loser:


----------



## shokhead (Jan 28, 2006)

I call it a sports sedan and you can call it a family sedan,it dont matter much.I guess i'm living on the edge with 235-50's. YeeHa.


----------

