255/45R17 on front wheels

[blkcobra50]

Has anyone ran a 255/45 tire on their front wheels? How did they look? Any Pictures???

Reason being...I have a little bit of a gap that I want to close up on the front of my 94 cobra with BBK lowering springs. I currently have 245/45's on the front and wondering it will look with a little bigger sidewall but wider tire up front to try to lessen the gap. I want to get Nitto NT555s for the front and Nitto Drag Radial NT555Rs 275/40R17's for the rear. Wheels are 17x8. Thanks guys!

 

[95cobraguy]

255/40/17 on the front, steeda sport springs.

 

[earleys94gt]

I run 255/40/17's as well. No pics. but I like the way it looks. My friends say that they stick out just slightly from the wheel wells, and it looks mean. Plus, with a lower profile tire you can lower with your spring drop.

 

[blkcobra50]

95Cobraguy - Thanks for the picture. Every time I see your car I say to myself that I want mine to have the shine. I need to get painting!

I was also considering the 255/40 but as said its a lower profile which I was trying to stay away from because it will increase the gap I have between fender and tire.

I know less than a 1/4 of an inch of sidewall between 255/40s and 255/45 is not much but anything will help. I just don't know if it'll look good. 255/45s have only a bit more than 2mm of sidewall than 245/45s...

I love the way BBK springs ride, that is why I don't want to go to a lower spring like sportlines or H&R supersports. Then I could get the 255/40s! Plus my alignment is good now and I've heard with those springs a bumpsteer kit or CC plates are needed to get away from uneven tire wear.

Any more ideas?

 

[BlackVert]

also, when it gets too low, then you start having issues like scraping on speed bumps, scraping when there is a dip in the road ... i had 2" drop and even though it looked great, i the above issues, and they couldn't align the tires correctly without c/c plates

doesn't different diameters on the front and back mess with the ABS at all? don't the fronts have to be turning the same speed as the backs or something like that?

 

[reddy351]

You put springs in to lower your car. A taller (45 series) tire will raise it back up. You might even end up with negative rake and your car would look funnier than if you had a little more of a gap than you'd like.

I'd say that if you want to close that gap AND keep the springs, take the isolators out of the front springs to make it happen.

Good luck with it.

 

[Nik_95Cobra]

255-45's here with a 9" rim on the front with Eibach Pro-Kits

 

[95cobraguy]

95Cobraguy - Thanks for the picture. Every time I see your car I say to myself that I want mine to have the shine. I need to get painting!

original paint (except for the hood)

 

[SublimeRT]

doesn't different diameters on the front and back mess with the ABS at all? don't the fronts have to be turning the same speed as the backs or something like that?

That's true to an extent. There's a certain percentage from front to rear that if they differ more, it'll trip the ABS light - I can't recall the exact number right now though. I run 255/45s up front and 275/40 rears on the stock 17x8 Cobra wheels with no problems. But for example, I ran 165R-15 skinnies (26" tall) on 15x3.5 fronts and 28x12.5x15 ET Streets (28" tall) with 15x10 wheels in the back on my old Mach 1 and it tripped the light.

In hindsight though, I wish I would've gone with a 255/40 up front. The 45 is taller than the 275/40 Nitto and it looks a little funny to me. Only reason I went with the 45 to begin with was it was the factory size for the 94-95 Cobra. I can post pics if you'd like.

 

[blkcobra50]

Thanks for all the insight guys. It's much appreciated. A buddy of mine said that he'll swap springs (eibach sportlines) just to see how they look.

I can absolutley take the isolators out but will that have any effect on ride quality? I have poly isolators.

I think I am going to go with 255 40s in the front. 45s may be too big as said I want to run 275 40s out back also. It may look weird with more sidewall up front...

We'll see about the isolators...depending on any feedback about taking them out.

 

[fiveoho]

i run a 255/45 sumitomo front and a 275/40 sumi rear on 17x9 wheels with the eibach sportlines. i had the same questions you did b4 i ordered mine. originally, i ordered 255/40s for the front. i never mounted them but from looking at them, i was afraid it would look to rubber-bandy. shipped those back and got the 255/45s. to me, i can tell the difference- the front tires do have a hair more sidewall than the rear. not too crazy about it but i dont think it looks bad. on the other hand, i dont have any fender gap either with the 45s. its a toss up