Winter tire question
11-25-2009, 08:16 AM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Waterloo, Canada
Posts: 325
Winter tire question
Does anyone know if a set of P215/55R/17s (or possibly P225/55R/17s) would fit my vehicle for the winter. (2009, Premium).
I'm most concerned about the wheels themselves clearing the brake assembly. Is there a wheel hub diameter I should be looking to clear here. Anyone running those 17s mind telling me which wheels you have with them?
Thanks.
I'm most concerned about the wheels themselves clearing the brake assembly. Is there a wheel hub diameter I should be looking to clear here. Anyone running those 17s mind telling me which wheels you have with them?
Thanks.
11-25-2009, 11:31 AM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Waterloo, Canada
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Thanks guys. I had seen on tirerack.com that they were willing to sell me those 17s for the vehicle..I get slightly nervous paying $500 in shipping and duty to get them over the border so it's good to get second opinions. And before you ask, yes even at that price they still beat what I would pay here in Canada 
light, thanks for taking the time to measure. I had intended to do the same when trying to fit my wife's winters from an older vehicle last night. The 16s in question were no hopers (i.e would not fit over the brake calipers) and I was too flustered at the time to measure out for 17s.
I will post a confirmation when I get them installed.
light, thanks for taking the time to measure. I had intended to do the same when trying to fit my wife's winters from an older vehicle last night. The 16s in question were no hopers (i.e would not fit over the brake calipers) and I was too flustered at the time to measure out for 17s.
I will post a confirmation when I get them installed.
11-25-2009, 01:55 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 271
11-25-2009, 04:26 PM
#9
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
But . . . but . . . I just used baby talc to lubricate the the slide bar, ensuring the action is smooth and free. At least give me credit for moving up a notch from my old bead-on-rod manual abacus.
Like many folks, I am often not completely positive about the fit when stepping up many sizes in a tire. In the old days (1950s and 1960s), I would usually go to a dealer and stand the proposed tire next to a duplicate of the current tire, mentally adjusting for the additional height the proposed taller tire will add to the car, pause as I pretended to make complicated mental calculations, then turn to the tire salesperson and tell him to mount one on the front of the car, turn the steering lock-to-lock, and if it fits, mount the other three.
These days, I simply take the outside width (always in millimeters), then, determine the height above rim bead seat by using the profile (40, 45, 50, 55, etc) as a percentage of the outside width.
In other words, a 245/45VR18 tire is 245 mm at its widest point (outermost part of the sidewall). Since the profile is 45%, we calculate 45% of the total width (245 mm), and we get 110.25 mm, which is the height of the tread above the bead seat of the rim.
Using that method, we can actually draw a cross section of both the curent tire and the proposed tire on a sheet of paper, and compare them. If going to a smaller (shorter) or larger (taller) wheel, move the cross section of the proposed tire upward (if the new wheel is taller) or downward (if the new wheel is shorter) ONE-HALF inch for each FULL inch difference in size between the current and proposed wheels. This gives us the relationship between the current and proposed tires in relation to the fender, etc.
Having this exact difference in where the new tire will reach as compared to the old tire, we turn the front wheels of the car all the way to one side, then look under the front fender and determine if there is room at all points to accomodate the difference in size of the new tire.
Last edited by lightonthehill; 11-25-2009 at 04:28 PM.
11-25-2009, 04:33 PM
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Waterloo, Canada
Posts: 325
Thanks for suggestions. 17s it will be.
1010tires.com has the tires/rims I'm looking for at $1952 (taxes/shipping included) Canadian, whereas tirerack gets them over the border and to my door for $1660 (taxes/shipping/government rape included) Canadian.
I don't know if it is the Canadian suppliers that are paying way over the odds for tires sold to Canadians, or if they're simply trying to take too much of a cut. Either way it's hard for me to support businesses that can't get anywhere near the US prices, and it's a shame.
1010tires.com has the tires/rims I'm looking for at $1952 (taxes/shipping included) Canadian, whereas tirerack gets them over the border and to my door for $1660 (taxes/shipping/government rape included) Canadian.
I don't know if it is the Canadian suppliers that are paying way over the odds for tires sold to Canadians, or if they're simply trying to take too much of a cut. Either way it's hard for me to support businesses that can't get anywhere near the US prices, and it's a shame.
11-25-2009, 05:15 PM
#11
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 271
These days, I simply take the outside width (always in millimeters), then, determine the height above rim bead seat by using the profile (40, 45, 50, 55, etc) as a percentage of the outside width.
In other words, a 245/45VR18 tire is 245 mm at its widest point (outermost part of the sidewall). Since the profile is 45%, we calculate 45% of the total width (245 mm), and we get 110.25 mm, which is the height of the tread above the bead seat of the rim.
Using that method, we can actually draw a cross section of both the curent tire and the proposed tire on a sheet of paper, and compare them. If going to a smaller (shorter) or larger (taller) wheel, move the cross section of the proposed tire upward (if the new wheel is taller) or downward (if the new wheel is shorter) ONE-HALF inch for each FULL inch difference in size between the current and proposed wheels. This gives us the relationship between the current and proposed tires in relation to the fender, etc.
Having this exact difference in where the new tire will reach as compared to the old tire, we turn the front wheels of the car all the way to one side, then look under the front fender and determine if there is room at all points to accomodate the difference in size of the new tire.
In other words, a 245/45VR18 tire is 245 mm at its widest point (outermost part of the sidewall). Since the profile is 45%, we calculate 45% of the total width (245 mm), and we get 110.25 mm, which is the height of the tread above the bead seat of the rim.
Using that method, we can actually draw a cross section of both the curent tire and the proposed tire on a sheet of paper, and compare them. If going to a smaller (shorter) or larger (taller) wheel, move the cross section of the proposed tire upward (if the new wheel is taller) or downward (if the new wheel is shorter) ONE-HALF inch for each FULL inch difference in size between the current and proposed wheels. This gives us the relationship between the current and proposed tires in relation to the fender, etc.
Having this exact difference in where the new tire will reach as compared to the old tire, we turn the front wheels of the car all the way to one side, then look under the front fender and determine if there is room at all points to accomodate the difference in size of the new tire.
Some ignore the speedo and go for looks. On a sporty car, lower profile is better. Off road, bigger is better. Venturing far off the Colonel's original recipe will also encounter wheel wheel interference.
See the link below for a handy Java app that does all the calculations for you.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
11-25-2009, 07:18 PM
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 31
Thanks guys. I had seen on tirerack.com that they were willing to sell me those 17s for the vehicle..I get slightly nervous paying $500 in shipping and duty to get them over the border so it's good to get second opinions. And before you ask, yes even at that price they still beat what I would pay here in Canada
light, thanks for taking the time to measure. I had intended to do the same when trying to fit my wife's winters from an older vehicle last night. The 16s in question were no hopers (i.e would not fit over the brake calipers) and I was too flustered at the time to measure out for 17s.
I will post a confirmation when I get them installed.
light, thanks for taking the time to measure. I had intended to do the same when trying to fit my wife's winters from an older vehicle last night. The 16s in question were no hopers (i.e would not fit over the brake calipers) and I was too flustered at the time to measure out for 17s.
I will post a confirmation when I get them installed.
11-26-2009, 06:51 AM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Waterloo, Canada
Posts: 325
11-26-2009, 07:44 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 910
Thanks for suggestions. 17s it will be.
1010tires.com has the tires/rims I'm looking for at $1952 (taxes/shipping included) Canadian, whereas tirerack gets them over the border and to my door for $1660 (taxes/shipping/government rape included) Canadian.
I don't know if it is the Canadian suppliers that are paying way over the odds for tires sold to Canadians, or if they're simply trying to take too much of a cut. Either way it's hard for me to support businesses that can't get anywhere near the US prices, and it's a shame.
1010tires.com has the tires/rims I'm looking for at $1952 (taxes/shipping included) Canadian, whereas tirerack gets them over the border and to my door for $1660 (taxes/shipping/government rape included) Canadian.
I don't know if it is the Canadian suppliers that are paying way over the odds for tires sold to Canadians, or if they're simply trying to take too much of a cut. Either way it's hard for me to support businesses that can't get anywhere near the US prices, and it's a shame.
11-27-2009, 06:45 PM
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 31
smeegle, here's what I'm looking at
11-28-2009, 05:20 PM
#16
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 18
Winter Tire and Wheel Set Up
Ali at Tiremag in Concord On. hooked me up with 17" alloy wheels and Blizzak WS60 tires. Car rides nicely and looks pretty good as well. Of course the TPMS warning light is on, but so what? I know there is no malfunction and I know how to check my tire pressure.
11-28-2009, 06:47 PM
#17
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 31
Well, don't jus stand there....post pics for Chris-sakes!
11-28-2009, 09:40 PM
#18
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
He is in Canada. He was going to post pics, but by the time he got home, there was three feet of snow on the ground. The snow will gradually build up to around 11 or 12 feet by April, then gradually begin melting. The snow should be down to a foot of slush by June, at which time he will post pics.
11-29-2009, 08:56 AM
#19
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 31
He is in Canada. He was going to post pics, but by the time he got home, there was three feet of snow on the ground. The snow will gradually build up to around 11 or 12 feet by April, then gradually begin melting. The snow should be down to a foot of slush by June, at which time he will post pics.
I live in Canada as well. You're not that far off...but I wouldn't let that stop me!
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