Looking for some input from those out there with some experience with their tire choices. I have a set of 14X5.5 rally rims and am trying to decide on what size tire to buy. Been looking at Radial T/A's and they have a 215/60 and a 215/70 in the 14 in size.

I was thinking the 70's would fill up the wheel wells a little nicer. Will I notice much of a difference in handling between the two? Also can I put a wider tire on even though the recommended wheel width goes up to a 6 or 6.5 wide rim, without any trouble....

I won't be doing any racing but I have upgraded the front end with kyb's and some solo road racing torsion bars (got em cheap while chrysler still had some in the system here in Canada).

Thanks
Brent

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Arizona Duster in Canada

Those are both too big for a 5.5" wide rim. I would look at using a 205 / 70 with smaller rims like that. 195 / 60 would be ok for that width rim, but I am sure is not what you are looking for.

A larger tire will not perform better than a smaller one if it is not supported properly by the rim. It can be dangerous.

According to the tire specs both the 215/70 and 215/60 have a tire range from 5.5 to 7.5 for the 70 and 8.5 for the 60. So they should fit. I was more interested in the difference in handling between the 60 and 70 series tire.

Thanks

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Arizona Duster in Canada

Here's another vote for 205/70R14 on 5½" rims; it's a combination that works really well and looks good. Just because a tire will fit on a rim, doesn't mean the combination is optimal. 215 really is getting too wide for effective use on a 5½" rim.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks guys...

I guess I'll go with the 205's then. I was looking at some info on a few of my past cars and a 90 Beretta GTZ I owned had 205's on it and they were plenty wide looking....lol...saves me 20 bucks too.

Dan I may have some A/C questions for you when you get back from your trip...picked up a 30lb tank of r12 so things are looking ccoooollll.

Later
Brent

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Arizona Duster in Canada

I also have the 205's on my car. I think your best bet in sizing is to go with a tire that your wheel size is somewere in the middle of the recomendations. I wouldnt try to squeeze a 205 on a 7" rim but I think it say's it will fit.

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Grandpa's 1974 Dart Custom 4 door 225 auto, Aluminum Radiator, 1920 Holley.

I have experience with 75, 70, and 60 series tires on those rims. 60s are way better (on almost any rim, in fact). Try to find some 205/60-14s or 215/60-14s. I had 215s on my 68 for many years and loved them.

70s will be better than 75s definitely, but there is a bigger jump in handling going to 60s than from 75s to 70s.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I am going to have to vote for the 205's also. I have put wide tires on skinny wheels before, it will work ... for a while. It you will have to run the tires overinflated, or it will handle like crap, still won't handle good. The wide tire/skinny wheel will stress the sidewall of the tire, either due to excessive flexing at a "normal" pressure, or by over inflation. Over inflating will also cause the centers to wear out the tires first. All that said, a 215/70 on a 5.5" wheel isn't "that" bad, I have gotten away with much worse. The shorter the sidewall, like a 60, the worse it is, a 70 or maybe a 75 would not be real bad, but still not real good either.

A skinny tire on a wide wheel is not quite as bad, actually it can work ok sometimes.

Remember, 205 is the width of the tread in millimeters, 70 is 70% of the width (70) or 143.5 mm from the tread to the inner wheel lip.

Remember too that moving from "stock" sized tires, taller will make your speedometer read slow and you will turn less rpm's at cruise, shorter will make your speedometer read fast and you will turn more rpm.


TopHat

Actually, 205 is the width of the whole tire bulge-to-bulge. Tread width is less. The lower the profile, the closer the tread width is to the overall width.

Remember the width of a tire will vary because of the rim width. Roughly .2" change in tire width with a .5" change in rim width.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes