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Tire Sizes - a lil help

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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 06:53 AM
  #1  
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Default Tire Sizes - a lil help

i've searched the forum. but still cannot find the exaact answer..

i got z06 repro rims in z06 oem sizes
so the tires sizes are supposed to be
265/40/17 & 295/35/18

I need tires and I was surfin Tirerack.
My 2 choices are Bfgoodrich kdw2 & Firestone Firehawk
but the kdw2 only has 255/40/17 instead of 265s for the front.
would these fit my rimS? would it look weird or ugly?

if yes, then i would just buy the firestone firehawks wide ovals.

now my 2nd question is if i get the firestone firehawks,
should i get the 275/40/17 instead of 265/40/17 cuz a lotta ppl on the forum states that the 275 fills up your rim nicer?.

any help would be appreciated!!
thanks

Terry
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 07:22 AM
  #2  
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I run 275's up front and 295's in the rear. Get the Wide Ovals, cant be beat for the price.
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by SGT. PYLE
I run 275's up front and 295's in the rear. Get the Wide Ovals, cant be beat for the price.


Good choices.
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 604_c5
i've searched the forum. but still cannot find the exaact answer..

i got z06 repro rims in z06 oem sizes
so the tires sizes are supposed to be
265/40/17 & 295/35/18

I need tires and I was surfin Tirerack.
My 2 choices are Bfgoodrich kdw2 & Firestone Firehawk
but the kdw2 only has 255/40/17 instead of 265s for the front.
would these fit my rimS? would it look weird or ugly?

if yes, then i would just buy the firestone firehawks wide ovals.

now my 2nd question is if i get the firestone firehawks,
should i get the 275/40/17 instead of 265/40/17 cuz a lotta ppl on the forum states that the 275 fills up your rim nicer?.

any help would be appreciated!!
thanks

Terry

Example: 275/40/17

The first number is the width of the tire.

2nd is the sidewall height (profile) 40 is a low profile as apposed to a 70.

3rd is the wheel size.


A higher profile will 'fill' the wheel well up a bit more, but not look as sporty and may cause some wheel rubbing issues too.

Wider tire could be a double edged sword. Great for higher HP traction, but might really suck for daily driving because your getting WAAAY worse gas mileage than the normal 15MPG
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 02:34 PM
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Here ya go...i worked on this a little bit this morning...should help ya out!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...751&forum_id=6
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 08:09 PM
  #6  
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From: Vancouver BcBUD
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yes, thank you everyone for the hlep

but no1 hsa realy ansewred my question
i do know how to read tire sizes,
and my question is plain and simple.
nd i kno what all the numbers mean

i've got 17x9.5 & 18x10.5 rims

now can 255 width tires fit the 17x9.5 without looking awkward or performance lackin?
if not,
then i will go witht he 275width firestone firehawks

and oh yeah, i drive a corvette, and a x5 4.8... im not realy concerned with mileage and mpg stuff like that.

thanks

Last edited by 604_c5; Oct 17, 2005 at 08:11 PM.
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Old Oct 17, 2005 | 10:34 PM
  #7  
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So to answer your question a 255/40 and a 255/45 will both fit a 9.5" wheel. The question then becomes whether or not you have a rear tire to match. For the bfgoodrich I would use a 295/35/18. For the firestones I would use a 265/40/17 and a 295/35/18. I would look to a set of Goodyear F1D3 as they have better sizes and they arent that much more...just my 2 cents...
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Old Oct 18, 2005 | 12:44 AM
  #8  
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From: Vancouver BcBUD
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thanks man!!!!!
for all the help!!!!!
lucky to have a guy like ya in the corveettte forum!

heh,.. this question may be annoyin.. but is there anyone using 255 on 17x9.5(zo6 oem front wheel)?
does it look fine compared to 265? cant notice that they are thinner when they are on ur car right?
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Old Oct 18, 2005 | 02:30 AM
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Wider tire could be a double edged sword. Great for higher HP traction, but might really suck for daily driving because your getting WAAAY worse gas mileage than the normal 15MPG[/QUOTE]

WHat the heck !!!... why does a wider tire cause gas mileage loss... is this true ?
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Old Oct 18, 2005 | 02:50 PM
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First, I never get anything below an average of 22mpg on the DIC even when city driving...on the highway I hit 28-30. The only thing that might cuz loss of fuel economy would be in rotating mass because the tire is heavier. A lot of physics come into play here because even with a higher rotating mass, even though its harder to get them rolling (technically) its harder to stop from rolling once they are (technically). So you would think that just coasting your mpg would go up and on the accel, you mpg would go down and eventually even out. Very basic physics state that friction has nothing to do with surface area (wider contact area from a wider tire) but in reality many other things influence this so this may not always be entirely true. That being said, I dont think the extra mass is going to affect the mpg to a point where you will be able to tell...you'll probably notice the extra mass int he steering and handlign characteristics first...this is why some people wont buy the reproduction z06 wheels...because they weigh more.
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