Tires, why is wider better?

MainstreamStang

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Jun 7, 2004

#1

• Jun 7, 2004

• #1

Ok, I'm about to get some new tires for my new 18 chrome saleens. Why, besides looking better, should I get wider tires. Right now I have 245/40/17's should I go with 245/40/18's , 265/35/18's or 275/35/18's and why. Thanks

 

JonJon

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Aug 16, 2002

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#2

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• #2

More surface area, better handling/traction.

 

streetstang03

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Dec 27, 2003

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the dark side of the moon/home of the 1999, 2003,

Jun 7, 2004

#3

• Jun 7, 2004

• #3

get the 275s. wider= bigger contact patch w/ the road= better traction

 

E

el_kid_1

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Jun 7, 2004

#4

• Jun 7, 2004

• #4

Go with 295/35/18...your ride will look bad ass!!!

edit: that's for the rear only! Up front you could use 265/35/18

 

Blakers01GT

Master of the Clubhead

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#5

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no not always better handling then the proper tire size, if the tire is too big, handling only gets worse. although launching gets better. also with a wider tire on a smaller rim, ride quality suffers, I have experienced this, will never go bigger then standard again

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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Feb 18, 2001

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Jun 7, 2004

#6

• Jun 7, 2004

• #6

wider tires suck in the rain and snow.....something to keep in mind for us daily driving stangers.

 

mpcv2000

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Jun 7, 2004

#7

• Jun 7, 2004

• #7

If you have 9" rims I'll go with 275/35 all the way around

You'll be able to rotate them, the car will look very good , it may track from right to left sometime if the pavement is uneven , this is something you'll get if the car has been lowered and tires are wider .

 

4.6_02_Black_GT

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Charlotte NC

Jun 7, 2004

#8

• Jun 7, 2004

• #8

275/35/18 Eagle F1 on all for corners.

Its already been said....wider tire on the proper width rims=greater contact pathc and more traction.(with correct air pressure)

Lower aspect ratio also reduces sidewall flex and improves cornering ability at the limits.

 

zgarske1038

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Jun 7, 2004

#9

• Jun 7, 2004

• #9

my 315's look badass and have great traction ive lost all wheel hop that ive had its nice being able to just stomp the gas through first rather than easing it through.... im gonna try to get some pics up sometime

 

MainstreamStang

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Thanks for all the replys so quick. The rims are all 18x9 (I did this so I can rotate my tires, so bigger in the back is not an option). Is there a big difference between 265's and 275's, I heard the 275's will rub up front. This car is my daily driver and will be driven in the rain, I will be getting winter tires for my stock 17" wheels, so snow is not an issue. I'm thinking of going with either Toyo or Yokohamma. What do you guys think?

 

MainstreamStang

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#11

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Hey MPCV2000, how do you like your Mac cat back? Sound good?

 

marcus95

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Jan 26, 2004

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Jun 7, 2004

#12

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Lots of good responses. If you have the 9's all the way around you will probably like the look of a 265-35-18 on the fronts and 285-35-18 in the rears. You will have no problems with that set up. If your Saleen wheels are authentic then the offset for your rears is different from the fronts therefore no need to buy the same tire all the way around for rotating, Unless you want to unmount and mount again just for a rotation.
If you have the 10 inch rear wheels Saleen or not you will like the look of a 295-35-18 out back. It fills up the wheel well nicely. Some guys get lucky and have no problems going up to 305's and 315's in the rear. It all depends on the set up. You could rub on the quads or somewhere else and some guys don't even notice any "rub" until they get on it in the twisties.
Good luck

 

JonJon

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#13

• Jun 7, 2004

• #13

MainstreamStang said:

I heard the 275's will rub up front.

Click to expand...

I have 17x9 275/40's all around
they don't rub but they track a lot (the wheel will pull to a side). my car is aligned properly.

 

MainstreamStang

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#14

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They are Saleen replicas from MustangTuning.com

 

zgarske1038

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Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Jun 7, 2004

#15

• Jun 7, 2004

• #15

ive heard or people squeezing 315 nittos on 9's my personal oppion is go as wide as you can on the rear smaller in the front just looks nicer im runin 245/45/17 front 315/35/17 i know these are not 18's but in terms of width i love this combo i dont really have any rim protection at all on the fronts but i try to avoid hitting crap anyways

 

wms004

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Jan 15, 2002

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Jun 7, 2004

#16

• Jun 7, 2004

• #16

MainstreamStang said:

Thanks for all the replys so quick. The rims are all 18x9 (I did this so I can rotate my tires, so bigger in the back is not an option). Is there a big difference between 265's and 275's, I heard the 275's will rub up front. This car is my daily driver and will be driven in the rain, I will be getting winter tires for my stock 17" wheels, so snow is not an issue. I'm thinking of going with either Toyo or Yokohamma. What do you guys think?

Click to expand...

I run 265/35/18 in front and 275/35/18 on the back, 18x9's all around. Keep in mind 265/5 is a little shorter than 275/35, and 285/35 is a little taller than 275/35.. but you can run 285/35 out back and have the tire still fit well on the rim.

-wade

 

SonicB

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#17

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wide tires can be tough going in the snow. i assume the greater contact area reduces the average downward force so the tires tend to sit on the snow rather than dig in.

 

XtorT'r

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Minnesota, YAAA

Jun 7, 2004

#18

• Jun 7, 2004

• #18

I don't kow how often you stomp on it from a dead stop but, I understand that because of the wider tires are giving you better tracktion it will put more stress on you rear end ~*POP*~. Just wanted to make sure you remember that if you go too wide. !Correct me if I am wrong!

 

JonJon

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#19

• Jun 7, 2004

• #19

SonicB said:

wide tires can be tough going in the snow. i assume the greater contact area reduces the average downward force so the tires tend to sit on the snow rather than dig in.

Click to expand...

yes. narrow tires cut throw the snow. however, with 18" Chrome Saleens, I don't think they'll see much snow time

 

stallion98gt

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#20

• Jun 7, 2004

• #20

gotta love 315