Tires 225/45/15 or 225/50/15

[theczechone]

So i've looked through like 30 pages of post your wheels thread and can't find the right picture. I would like to get new tires for my 240z, I have a set of 15x8 ROTA rkr  with 0 offset. 

I would like a set of Hankook RS4 but they are only available in 225/45/15. I'm not sure how that's going to look on the 240z. I don't want a big gap between the fender and tire. Can someone post a picture of 225/45/15s on an 8 inch rim? Please also mention any modification to the suspension. Thanks

[seattlejester]

Rim width doesn't really matter for determining the gap between the fender and tire unless you are referring to being really low. A picture on your part may be helpful to determine what you consider acceptable.

 

A 225/45/15 is a pretty small tire. I had the BFG Rival S and they were really small in diameter.  23 inches if I remember, the stock tire size is around 25. The 225/50/15 is 24 inches which I think is a nice middle ground and looks good. 

 

 

Car with 225/45/15 on a 15x7+0. After this picture I had to drive it back in and adjust the height because it was scraping the floor. 

[theczechone]

Hi Jester, you have a 280z right? Are you running BC coils? Those do look small, unfortunately there is way better selection in tires for 225/45 than 225/50

[theczechone]

 

Big fan of this car, I think those are 225/50 kumho tires on the rear

 

Any other choices in 225/50/15 other than what's on tire rack? Would love to get a tire like Toyota ra1 in 225/50

[seattlejester]

I have a 240z and yes I am running the extreme BC coilover kit.

 

That is unfortunately the case I think hondas and miatas run that smaller tire size so we're kind of out of luck.

 

Here's the car with the 225/50/15 Kumho Ecstas. 

Compared to the 225/45/15 BF Rivals

 

Just fills out a lot better. The factory tire size is actually even bigger then the 225/50/15, that fills out the well even better, but almost looks like too much tire at that point.

Car with the 215/60/15 falken azenis

They have a pretty bad contact patch though

 

Falken on top and Kumho on bottom

[tyranie909]

What suspension mods do you have? I run a 16x8 and 225/50. I could have easily fit a bigger tire in the back but the front only had a pinky finger gap between spring perch and tire. This is with stock suspension with new struts and lowering springs. I had run into the same issue as you while researching a tire size. If you want to run a bigger tire then you are going to need to get aftermarket coilovers. If you don't want to do that then you can run the 225/50 but may have to trim the spring purch. Personally my car sits to high with lowering springs and will be going with adjustable coilovers all around so I can run bigger tires and get a better stance.

Edited April 4, 2017 by tyranie909

[theczechone]

Here is the car in question. In the picture the car has 15x7 or 15x7.5 +5offset epsilon wheels. Rear tires are BFG G force sport 225/50/15 (NLA) and fronts are Dunlop Direzza II 205/50/15. Suspension is all stock. There is entirely too much wheel gap on the front, and the 225/45 have the same OD as the 205/50, so that basically answers my question. 

Also i no longer have these wheels, right now i have a set of Rota RKR 15x8 +0 offset wheels with el cheapo 215/60/15 tires. They fill out the wheel well great but the car sits like a 4x4. grr. In hindsight i should have went with 16" wheels way more tire options. 

 

 

Jester, thank you for posting the pictures of your car. it doesn't look bad with the 225/45 but i will definitely need to do some suspension work to change the car's altitude to make it look decent. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by theczechone

[auxilary]

Yokohama ES100 225/50/15 on 15x7

 

[seattlejester]

To make it look decent I think you would have to drop about an inch or so more then I am at, and at that height I was high centering the floor on things. 

 

I get what you mean though the 215/60/15 make the car look like its on stilts. Probably why my set only has 1000 miles on it. I am definitely planning the move to 16's, not many more tire choices, but the extra rim diameter makes more tires look "right."

[ryant67]

I'll be picking up my Toyo R888R's in 225/50r15 next Friday, and they are going on my 15x8 ET0 Volk TE37V wheels.  I'll post pics once mounted.  

I'm lowered about 1.5 to 2", I believe, on MSA blue springs.  My arches are completely stock.  Fingers crossed I don't run into any issues

[seattlejester]

Ooh that sounds like quite the setup. Please do post pics!

 

I do feel you may rub, I think I was on 2 inch lowering springs following johnc's guide. Had to roll the guards.

[theczechone]

auxilary, those tires are great, unfortunately they are discontinued and weren't replaced in that size. The only Yoko option right now is advan a048 but at 230/ tire it's a bit expensive

 

ryant67, I'm also interested in the the looks of your car with that set up. I was worried about the R888R in wet conditions. 

[theczechone]

a less known tire option i just found

http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-67-102-victra-ma-z4s

 

unfortunately the VR-1 is not offered in this size.

[Dat73z]

I would go with 225/50/15. Here is an older picture of my car on RKR 15x8 +0 225/50/15 R888 (old style). T3 suspension all around. Needs a light fender roll to clear the rear. 

[seattlejester]

^That is really clean.

[Dat73z]

Thanks! I've found that is the ideal ride height on that tire/wheel setup to service the car. 2 finger gap all around and a low pro jack barely slides under the crossmember/diff. I was tucking tire before and the crossmember was basically on the ground. Absolute pain to get the car in the air.

[seattlejester]

I'm somewhere in the same boat, I had to make my front chin removable after I stiffened it up as I couldn't slide my jack under it anymore. Definitely been looking at some more interesting options to lift the car. Been looking at custom jack points or onboard air/electric jacks. I wish they had jack points like an E36.

[ryant67]

Driving the wheels up onto stacked 2x4's doesn't work?  That should help raise the car up for jacking...  Unless I am misunderstanding the issue?

[theczechone]

@Dat73 your car is beautiful, how long did your R888 last, I want to do some autocross/trackday events but mostly just drive it to work or on some country roads. 

[Dat73z]

I am actually still on that set of tires. I drive it nearly every day but my commute to work and the grocery store isn't that far  . Weekend trips occasionally maybe a couple hundred miles each time. I figure I have ~6000 miles so far, maybe another 4-6k left on them. Not too much wet weather driving but I've noticed they aren't that great in the wet. With a 3.9 clsd rear end and close ratio 5 speed, triples and tight suspension I can easily kick out the rear in the rain. Overall I'm happy with the tires and can't wait to get the updated set.