Tires
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,414
Likes: 2,745
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,776
Likes: 182
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
You didn't list the aspect ratio of your tire.
But a 9.5" rim is wider than the tread width of the 255/45-17 tire.
So, they do look a little funny (like being stretched in reverse).
The bead of the tire (at the rim) is wider than the actual tread width.
The factory used a 255/45-17 tire on an 8.5" rim.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,624
Likes: 2
From: Canandaigua New York
No, they won't look "stretched".
You didn't list the aspect ratio of your tire.
But a 9.5" rim is wider than the tread width of the 255/45-17 tire.
So, they do look a little funny (like being stretched in reverse).
The bead of the tire (at the rim) is wider than the actual tread width.
The factory used a 255/45-17 tire on an 8.5" rim.
You didn't list the aspect ratio of your tire.
But a 9.5" rim is wider than the tread width of the 255/45-17 tire.
So, they do look a little funny (like being stretched in reverse).
The bead of the tire (at the rim) is wider than the actual tread width.
The factory used a 255/45-17 tire on an 8.5" rim.
Last edited by Keystring; Jan 26, 2013 at 12:21 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,414
Likes: 2,745
I don't believe the OP needs to be so much concerned with SIZE just age! There actually might be a benefit to a slightly larger diameter, get it rotating and it's substantially less effort to keep it rotating.
JUST NEEDS OLD HARD TIRES -
JUST NEEDS OLD HARD TIRES -
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Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,776
Likes: 182
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Your "tread width" is not 255 mm though. 
255 is the section width.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=7
When I went to 9.5" wheels on the front of my '96, I at first wanted to keep the factory 255/4517 tire.
But they looked "funny". They "bulged out" where the bead meets the rim.
Once I put on the 275/40-17, they looked much better.
As I said above, the factory used an 8.5" rim with their 255/45-17 tire.
It is just a much better fit.
255 is the section width.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=7
When I went to 9.5" wheels on the front of my '96, I at first wanted to keep the factory 255/4517 tire.
But they looked "funny". They "bulged out" where the bead meets the rim.
Once I put on the 275/40-17, they looked much better.
As I said above, the factory used an 8.5" rim with their 255/45-17 tire.
It is just a much better fit.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
Your "tread width" is not 255 mm though.
255 is the section width.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=7
When I went to 9.5" wheels on the front of my '96, I at first wanted to keep the factory 255/4517 tire.
But they looked "funny". They "bulged out" where the bead meets the rim.
Once I put on the 275/40-17, they looked much better.
As I said above, the factory used an 8.5" rim with their 255/45-17 tire.
It is just a much better fit.
255 is the section width.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=7
When I went to 9.5" wheels on the front of my '96, I at first wanted to keep the factory 255/4517 tire.
But they looked "funny". They "bulged out" where the bead meets the rim.
Once I put on the 275/40-17, they looked much better.
As I said above, the factory used an 8.5" rim with their 255/45-17 tire.
It is just a much better fit.
