what size 17" tire for fox body?

[bcmbcmbcm]

Hey folks,

snagged some 93 Cobra wheels from pickapart for $60 each!

tirerack lists the following size for 93 Cobra 245 45 17

but for 87 Mustang with 'optional 17"' they list 235 45 17

what is the correct size?

looking at the specs the 245 is 25.7" tall and the 235 is 25.4 tall.

The stock 225 60 15 are (I think) 25.5 tall.


which ones should I use??

 

[NKau]

If you're on tirerack, you can see what rim width range each tire will fit. I'd go with the 245's personally

 

[cenok is family]

i hate you. i'll give ya $250 for em.

 

[Sicarius428]

245s. optional 17's in 87?!?
Kevin

 

[Flavadave4]

I'd go with the 245's

 

[stang&2Birds]

You want 245/45/17's.



WARNING RANT FOLLOWS!

BTW: Since you're smart enough to know about tirerack and tire specs look at MULTIPLE tires for the "specs". Tire sizes are like pants/dress sizes - part of it is PURE AND TOTAL BS!

Let me say this again:
In *REAL-LIFE* THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "STANDARD" TIRE DIMENSIONS FOR *ANY* TIRE SIZE - PERIOD!

So, the 25.5 "spec" you found for a 225 60 15:
o Varies from one tire make to another
o Is NOT accurate, even to 0.1"
o Is often something based on "typical" values
o Varies with TEMP, WEAR, TOLERANCES, RIM SELECTION.

BTW: Last night, I bought *front* Blizzaks for my Stang so that when I drive it that ~once a week in the winter, my front tires ate not like skis. I have Blizzaks for the rear. But, they no longer offer 225 60 15's in the WS50's. I need 245/45/17 on the front because of my brakes. I have ABS on may Stang, so I need to have *all* 4 tires within ~3% of each other (in *real life*, not by some BS specs people pull out of their rear-end). So, I'm very PO'd that I didn't find the spec for my rear tires.

FWIW: You can get 245/45/17 WS50's for a very cheap closeout price on tirerack! You can save ~$100 over the newer LM25 replacement Blizzaks.

Okay, I guess enough bitching about asking WHY it's so *****ing hard for tire companies to meet "specs". Well, for now at least.

Oh yea, I have RE720 245/45/17's as my summer tires (replaced by the RE750). It's WIDER than a "typical" 245/45/17. That's *very* important when *stuffing* tires in the very small tire wells of an *86*.

Last: That's why many tires shops REQUIRE many cars to get ALL FOUR TIRES AT ONCE! It's a *safety requirement* on cars with ABS/TC/etc.

 

[SuperStang83]

I would go 245s up front and 255s in the rear.

 

[Mustang5L5]

but for 87 Mustang with 'optional 17"' they list 235 45 17

what is the correct size?

looking at the specs the 245 is 25.7" tall and the 235 is 25.4 tall.

The stock 225 60 15 are (I think) 25.5 tall.

There was never an optional 17" wheel on any Fox Mustang. The only Fox that got 17's was the '93 Cobra. In 1987, all you could get were 15's.

With that said, a tire that would give to a diamter similar to stock is 245/45/17

However, on my '88 with 17's i run a 235/45/17 for a little bit more clearance

 

[wythors]

245/45R17. They fill things out very nicely and have no rubbing issues.

 

[Anaconda]

I have 245/45/17's all four corners, there is some rub on the front at full turn, but not enough to worry about. They fill the fender well perfect. I may change to 255's on the rear when I buy new tires. Forgot the say that I ahve 93 cobra wheels also.

 

[PUNISHER RACING]

I run 235's in the front and 275's on the rear

 

[Fox8950]

Same here on the 235s/275s. Had 245s on the front but they rubbed at full turn like Anaconda was describing (although mine was enough to worry about)

**Should probably mention I did have to take the lip down on the inside of the fender so it wouldn't gouge the 275s but thats it, still running my quad shocks even tho I probably don't need to but they don't hit so why mess with them.

 

[just4bob50]

I have 93 cobra style wheels on also. Im using 245's front and 275's in the rear. I was going to mount MT 275 DR's out back but thats alot more tire than a sreet 275. Im not sure if I will get them to fit.

 

[Repostyle]

I've got 235's on my lowered vert with no rubbing. I'm sure 245's would fit and 255's would fit too, but you might have to roll the fenders a little for the 255's.

 

[iwashmycar]

they're not 93 cobras, but they've got 245/45's all around...I'd personally love some 275 on the rear...someday

View attachment 340817

 

[JustA5.0]

Hey folks,

snagged some 93 Cobra wheels from pickapart for $60 each!

tirerack lists the following size for 93 Cobra 245 45 17

but for 87 Mustang with 'optional 17"' they list 235 45 17

what is the correct size?

looking at the specs the 245 is 25.7" tall and the 235 is 25.4 tall.

The stock 225 60 15 are (I think) 25.5 tall.

I'd actually take both sizes suggested by tirerack for your application. I believe their optional 17" listing is simply based on +1'ing the stock 16" pony tire being 225/55/16 (+10/-10/+1).
Assuming a 17x7.5(93 Cobra)-17x8 Wheel
87-90 Mustang 235/45/17F & 245/45/17R
91-93 Mustang (due to the enlarged wheel wells) 245/45/17 all around. *Bonus you can rotate the tires
Now the reason to have 235s on the front of your 87 is like other have mentioned, to avoid rubbing issues (may still rub a bit at full lock, hard cornering or depending on the suspension setup). You could also throw a set of rack limiters on, but that would be annoying if you have to park the car in tight spaces frequently.

Personally I think anything wider than a 245 on an 8" width rim looks too bulgy on the sidewalls. A lot of people that run 255 and 275s on the rears of Foxes have 9" wide rims (i.e. Cobra Rs, 03 Cobras).

 

[ray66]

All depends on how you want you'r stang to sit.
I run 285/40/17 out back and 255/45/17 up front plus
it's dropped about 2"

 

[91green5.0]

Ive got 4 lug 17" saleen wheels on my 91 and ive got 275s and 245s up front with no problem, the rear get nowhere near the lip and it sags in the back from my stereo, they rub the quad shock enough to take paint off them but not often. Was wondering if lowering the front an inch to make it sit level would be a problem with 245s if any of you have done it. Thanks.

 

[JustA5.0]

Ive got 4 lug 17" saleen wheels on my 91 and ive got 275s and 245s up front with no problem, the rear get nowhere near the lip and it sags in the back from my stereo, they rub the quad shock enough to take paint off them but not often. Was wondering if lowering the front an inch to make it sit level would be a problem with 245s if any of you have done it. Thanks.

I'm not sure what your sound setup weighs, or what springs/shocks you have, but it seems like the ones in the rear are due for a change. Unless you have some crazy/heavy sub system back there, I can't see the added weight making a 1" difference with fresh suspension components.

Since you do have a system back there, I'd look into getting a set of 4 lowering springs that are slightly lower for the fronts (i.e. 1"F & 7/8"R or something like that). Given you have a 91 (enlarged wheel wells) 245s shouldn't rub in the front on an 8" rim, but maybe a teeny bit on a 9" (and quite possibly no rub at all, either). Unfortunately, there are many suspension/wheel combinations, 87-90fenders vs 91+, and varying levels of body stress between different Foxes that you aren't going to get a 100% answer until you try it. Simply put some people wouldn't rub with 245s up front, and some would, even though they both have 5.0L Foxes.

 

[JustA5.0]

All depends on how you want you'r stang to sit.

And the width of the wheels in question