:D 
Can someone help with tire sizes please?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 569
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From: Clever, Mo. USA
Can someone help with tire sizes please?
I am considering 17X8 TT2's for my 71. However I want to keep an equivilant tire diameter to what I have now. The low profile tires look great on my 81 but I want to keep a notalgic look with the 71. The rears are currently 255/60/15 and the fronts are 225/60/15. Can anyone tell me what size to to get for the 17"s. I still use the stock trailing arms so width is a concern as well.
Thanks in advance,
Dennis
Thanks in advance,
Dennis
Melting Slicks
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From: The cure for the blues is eight cylinders roaring
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
255x45x17 for an 8in. wheel will keep you very close to stock diamiter. I've seen 275,265x50x17 but I have yet to see who makes them or where to buy.
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
Here's a formula to determine tire diamter:
for
265/70/15 tires:
(([265x.70]/25.4)x2) +15(or rim diameter)=over all diameter of tire & wheel
for your 255/60-15==27.0 inches in height
225/60-15==25.62 inches
Find a tire that you want at the Tire Rack & click on "specs".....it should give you a chart of the various sizes and approximate OD.
for
265/70/15 tires:
(([265x.70]/25.4)x2) +15(or rim diameter)=over all diameter of tire & wheel
for your 255/60-15==27.0 inches in height
225/60-15==25.62 inches
Find a tire that you want at the Tire Rack & click on "specs".....it should give you a chart of the various sizes and approximate OD.
Senior Member since 1492
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (Wightnite)
255x45x17 for an 8in. wheel will keep you very close to stock diamiter. I've seen 275,265x50x17 but I have yet to see who makes them or where to buy.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: NM
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
I am considering 17X8 TT2's for my 71. However I want to keep an equivilant tire diameter to what I have now. The low profile tires look great on my 81 but I want to keep a notalgic look with the 71.
Think we have a conflict here. You want 17's but want to keep the nostalgic look and maintain the same diameter. To go with 17's and same diameter you will have a much shorter side wall. The nostalgic look calls for large side wall. By going to 17's you just cut 2" out of the side wall. So you can go with 17's or you can keep the nostalgic look, but just cannot do both at the same time. :(
tom...
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Clever, Mo. USA
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (Tom73)
Dennis,
Think we have a conflict here. You want 17's but want to keep the nostalgic look and maintain the same diameter. To go with 17's and same diameter you will have a much shorter side wall. The nostalgic look calls for large side wall. By going to 17's you just cut 2" out of the side wall. So you can go with 17's or you can keep the nostalgic look, but just cannot do both at the same time. :(
tom...
Think we have a conflict here. You want 17's but want to keep the nostalgic look and maintain the same diameter. To go with 17's and same diameter you will have a much shorter side wall. The nostalgic look calls for large side wall. By going to 17's you just cut 2" out of the side wall. So you can go with 17's or you can keep the nostalgic look, but just cannot do both at the same time. :(
tom...
I don't disagree, but I also don't completely agree with you. My definition or better yet my opinion of a nostalgic look is a larger tire on the back than on the front. I want to keep the rake in the car or in other words the rear ever so slightly higher than the front while keeping the wheel wells full. I use 17's on my 81 and 255/45/17 tires on all corners. It looks great and gives it the G-machine look as described by Hot Rod magazine. Not exactly what I want for the 71. Does anyone agree with what I'm trying to do hear? I hope I'm on the right track. I appreciate your input Tom and would love to hear what others think.
Thanks as always,
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 963
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From: melbourne,Australia
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
Dennisr,i have 255.50.17 nitto nt450 on my 74R and they are EXACTLY the same height as the orig tires,there was a recent thread on this from MoMo about the difficulty of finding 15" tyres....you will be amazed at the difference the 17" tires make.....john :chevy
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
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Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (jdunne)
Yeah I remember that thread.
I pretty much decided on reducing from the original 27" height to 26". There are loads of tires in 26 or less inch diameters, but very very few good performance tires in 27". And if you want to increase your footprint wider than a 255 yet keep 27", forget it.
The 1 inch difference creates an error in the speedometer gear. For example, I have a 3.36 rear end, and if I get 3.55 speedo gears in my Muncie, it'll be accurate again with 26" tires.
Then the only concern I'll still have is ground clearance.
I pretty much decided on reducing from the original 27" height to 26". There are loads of tires in 26 or less inch diameters, but very very few good performance tires in 27". And if you want to increase your footprint wider than a 255 yet keep 27", forget it.
The 1 inch difference creates an error in the speedometer gear. For example, I have a 3.36 rear end, and if I get 3.55 speedo gears in my Muncie, it'll be accurate again with 26" tires.
Then the only concern I'll still have is ground clearance.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 274
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From: Pampa Tx
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (MoMo)
This is a pretty handy tool for tire comparisons.
http://www.dsm.org/tools/tiresize.htm
Phlash 72 BB Roadster :seeya
http://www.dsm.org/tools/tiresize.htm
Phlash 72 BB Roadster :seeya
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 15,146
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From: NM
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
Dennis,
Think we have a conflict here. You want 17's but want to keep the nostalgic look and maintain the same diameter. To go with 17's and same diameter you will have a much shorter side wall. The nostalgic look calls for large side wall. By going to 17's you just cut 2" out of the side wall. So you can go with 17's or you can keep the nostalgic look, but just cannot do both at the same time. :(
tom...
Tom,
I don't disagree, but I also don't completely agree with you. My definition or better yet my opinion of a nostalgic look is a larger tire on the back than on the front. I want to keep the rake in the car or in other words the rear ever so slightly higher than the front while keeping the wheel wells full. I use 17's on my 81 and 255/45/17 tires on all corners. It looks great and gives it the G-machine look as described by Hot Rod magazine. Not exactly what I want for the 71. Does anyone agree with what I'm trying to do hear? I hope I'm on the right track. I appreciate your input Tom and would love to hear what others think.
Think we have a conflict here. You want 17's but want to keep the nostalgic look and maintain the same diameter. To go with 17's and same diameter you will have a much shorter side wall. The nostalgic look calls for large side wall. By going to 17's you just cut 2" out of the side wall. So you can go with 17's or you can keep the nostalgic look, but just cannot do both at the same time. :(
tom...
Tom,
I don't disagree, but I also don't completely agree with you. My definition or better yet my opinion of a nostalgic look is a larger tire on the back than on the front. I want to keep the rake in the car or in other words the rear ever so slightly higher than the front while keeping the wheel wells full. I use 17's on my 81 and 255/45/17 tires on all corners. It looks great and gives it the G-machine look as described by Hot Rod magazine. Not exactly what I want for the 71. Does anyone agree with what I'm trying to do hear? I hope I'm on the right track. I appreciate your input Tom and would love to hear what others think.
No problem, just we have a difference in what nostalgic look is. I was thinking of stock proportions while you were talking about how the car stands. Guess mine is nostalgic stock and yours is nostalgic street. :D
tom...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (Tom73)
Also, check out this site. It lets you visually compare 2 tire sizes superimposed over each other!! Make sure you click on the 2 views, so you can see it from the side (comparing tire height) and see it from the back (comparing tire width). MJ
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
From: melbourne,Australia
Re: Can someone help with tire sizes please? (dennisr)
Dennisr,sorry for the large pic.....these tyres fit with all standard items and no clearance issues....
......john :chevy
[Modified by jdunne, 1:50 AM 8/29/2002]
[Modified by jdunne, 1:55 AM 8/29/2002]
[Modified by jdunne, 2:42 AM 8/29/2002]
......john :chevy [Modified by jdunne, 1:50 AM 8/29/2002]
[Modified by jdunne, 1:55 AM 8/29/2002]
[Modified by jdunne, 2:42 AM 8/29/2002]