JCD

Please say 315.

Mojave

The rim size for a 315 is 10.5-12.5. The rim size for a 295 is 10-11.5. You might, MIGHT, be able to squeeze a 315 on a 9.5, but it will be so squeezed, I don't think it would have any more traction over a 295.

I think the 295 would have just as much grip on a 9.5" wheel as a 315 would, and the 295 would be lighter too.

AUTO_X_AL

A 315 kuhmo is not as big as the 315 Hoosiers and I have seen 315 Hoosiers on the 9.5 wheels. Is it better than the 295 that may be up for debate. From what I have seen the Kuhmo's all run a bit smaller than Hoosier's.
Al

mountainbiker2

My buddy did it all the time. He raced autocross. 315/35/18 on a stock C5 rim. 18x9.5

Steve

mcintex

I have a 305 18" on a wagon wheel (9.5), but it was a tight fit.

John Shiels

It will be pinched and bulge the tread face.

UstaB-GS549

I have 315 Goodyears on my 9.5" fronts right now. FWIW a lot of T1 racers run 315 on 10" fronts. Goodyear lists 10" as minimum rim width for their 315.

The braking is great, but steering response is a little strange. I was hoping the wider tire would wear longer, but could not see any measurable difference.

I'm going back to 275's on the front.

FastZR1

I have seen guys run both Kuhmos and Hoosiers (315x35 17) on a 17x9.5" rim. It worked.

Would I do it, no. But I know they raced with them because I saw it.

RAFTeRACER

I have run hoosiers and kumhos 315 on 9.5. The kumho's fit better but I could not complain about either tire's performance. After buying 11" wheels I wont go back, but use what ya got till ya get something better.

Kschwamy

I have run 315's on 9.5x18 wagon wheels. Tough to get on but they worked fine.

Falcon

The 295 and the 315 both weigh 26#'s so there's no weight savings. One important factor about the 295's is that it is 7/10" of an inch larger in diameter than the 315's. This can affect the rake of the car a little, but probably not very noticable. Another thing to note is the sidewall is a little taller on the 295's, changing turn in response just a little.

I have run the 295's on 11" rims in front and they worked well, but not as well as the 315's. It was a good compromise. I'm sure they would be fine on 9-1/2" rims, too.

Dainbramage

I've got 305 RA1s on stock 9.5" wagon wheels. Fit ok... haven't gotten to really test them out yet though.

John Shiels

I saw a guy with 335 on 9.5" wagon wheel, talk about pinched

talon95

Just to add another data point, Matthew Braun won a Solo2 national championship on 315's (Hoosiers) in his A-stock C4 which has 17x9.5's also. Must not work too bad...

Dave G.

Solofast

It just depends on that particular tire as to whether it is gonna work better on what rim. Matthew won on earlier series Hoosiers and they seemed to work on that rim. The 710 is a totally different tire. Most folks running 710's on the front of C5's have tried both the 275's and 295's. There wasn't any measurable time difference between the two tires, although the 275's were said to "Feel better" (read sharper) than the 295's. If there wasn't much difference between those two tires why would you want to go even wider yet?

Bigger tires aren't always better. If you pinch the tire too much you can end up using only half the tire, and not gain any grip from it. I haven't seen anybody using 315's on 9.5 inch rims on the back of C4's, even thou they would likely fit. I am pretty sure that somebody has tried it, and if it worked, everybody would be doing it.

I'm not against experimentation, and that's how Matthew got it to work on his C4, but the 710's bear no resemblance to the earlier Hoosiers. The 710's have a much softer sidewall and respond differently than the Hoosiers, so it is apples and oranges...

Try if you like, and if it works, go for it, but buying a set of tires to try out like that could well be throwing $1,000 away.

talon95

True, but the original poster was interested in whether 315's could be mounted (and I assume work). Not if they were actually faster.

JCD

True, I didn't state my reasoning, this thread has covered some interesting ground since I started it and headed out to have some beers and watch the Kentucky/Clemson football game.

I may be able to pick up at least a pair of used 315's at an excellent price for the wear. So I just wanted to make sure I wasn't throwing money away to get tires that wouldn't even fit the wheels I already have (and no, I can't buy more wheels, my wife was annoyed enough when I got the third set, I won't even talk about when I got the fourth set! ).


Thanks everyone for the input.

2HorsePower

You could always SELL one of your sets of wheels and use the proceeds to buy a wider set. And no - four sets of wheels is enough for one car and I'm NOT building you another tire rack to hold them!