What effect does tire size have?

[rd]

I want to put 10 holes and probably 225-60-15 tires on my 89 2.3 LX in place of the stock 14 in wheels and tires.

Will this have any negative effect on the trans?

Speedo correction I can handle and the performance loss should not be a problem.

Any reason not to do this?

 

[Turbopit]

No reason not to do it. It will feel like a new car!

 

[JamesBaumann]

If anything it will increase handling because you'll have more rubber on the road. IMO anyway. As far as performance losses, I dont really see where you are coming from. The only thing that I can think of is having a bigger, heavier wheel, so it doesn't take off as fast. However, 10 hole wheels are aluminum, where as the polycast ones you probably have are not. So the weight may actually be quite similar.

 

[96Splash]

Having larger tires on your drive wheels will change your overall gear ratio (as seen thru roll-out) this will make your engine work harder to accelerate, however it will actually lower your rpm's at highway speeds, so it should woork easier to keep the car at 65mph (or 95 if your like me sometimes... )

Roll-out: the distance your car travels from one revolution of the engine excluding free rolling. it can be seen mathematically thru this equasion--

(tire diameter x 3.1416)
--------------------------------------- = ROLL-OUT
(transmission ratio x rear-end gear ratio)


Only taking top gear into this equasion let's say 1:1 is top gear which would be simply 1 and your rear has 3.73:1 which would be 3.73 so

1 x 3.73 = 3.73

And your old tires where 25.5 inches tall and your new ones are 36 inches tall (exageration) So--

old tires 25.5 x 3.1416 = 80.1106
new tires 36 x 3.1416 = 113.0976

divide each by 3.73 and you get

old tires rolls-out at 21.48 inches per engine revolution
new tires rolls-out at 30.32 inches per engine revolution

I know most people find this useless, but I also know somebody would blast me for saying it changed your gear ratio since you aren't changing any gears....... Plus I also find the mathematics of cars interesting (I know I'm a geek :damnit: )



Also your speedo will always read slower than what you are actually traveling, and your odometer will be off as well. This can be fixed and a good transmission shop should be able to switch out your speedo drive gears in the tranny for around $20-$30 and it shouldn't take more than an hour...

 

[rd]

Thanks.

I have seen better wheels on lots of 4 cyls, but I was curious what others acutal experience was.

I have the wheels, but was mostly concerned that the A4LD would be stressed, especially at low speeds in overdrive.

Since I just changed the trans, I want this one to live as long as possible, or at least until I can rebuild the other one.

Ten Holes it is!

 

[bvav22]

What does ten hole mean? that i had tne lug nuts? and how do u put that on if i only have 5 five now?

 

[glowstang93]

These are what are commonly referred to as 10holes. They started as stock on fox gt's then made their way to the lx's when they went to ponies.

 

[realtripp]

Ten holes are also commonly called "phone dialers"

 

[Turbopit]

Guys, keep in mind that just because you put on bigger diameter wheels, your overall diameter does not have to be larger.

 

[Jekyl]

IM runnin chrome 16inch ponys on mine with 225s i believe...ill have to double check that

 

[4bangstangvert]

Switching out the 14" granny wheels for 16" was probably one of the best changes i made to my car. Not only does it look a helluva lot better, the ride is 10 times better. I have 225/55's on mine it has such a nice stance now. My car used to shake like a mofo anything over 65 mph, now it rides really smooth for a fox convertible. Also a lot better going around bends.