My Arrival Blue Cav will need tires soon. From what I have seen, 215/55-16 is listed as a stock replacement size via Tire Rack and Discount Tire, which is cheaper than my stock 205's. I was wondering if anyone has gone this route, how much more the bigger tires weigh and if there any noticible negatives to the swap.
I also want to eventually upgrade to a 17" wheel to clear a bigger brake upgrade. I would like to put either a smoke or black wheel in place of the chrome. Does anyone have pics of this on their Arrival Blue car?
You are worried about tire weight? That's not an issue trust me.
What is the stock size? 205/60R16? A 215/55 will be pretty close to the same height I would think, but it will be slightly wider for a little better traction. I say go for it if it is cheaper, and there shouldn't be any negatives as it should not rub from going just slightly wider.
1983 Camaro Z28
Or 225/50's if they will fit on the stock rims.
Kardain wrote:Or 225/50's if they will fit on the stock rims.
It might be close, and they might bulge out a little, but I think they should.
1983 Camaro Z28
Thanks for the input. I'm worried about the weight and size issues for a couple of reasons. First, with the 215 being a bigger and heavier tire, I don't know how this will affect such things as braking performance (read stopping distances) and fuel economy. I travel about 600 miles every weekend. More unsprung weight at the wheels can increase fuel usage and braking distances, as well as wear and tear on the suspension systems.
The other reason for the question is OBD II compatability. The 215 is taller and rotates less than the stock tires. Depending on the sensativity of the computer, something as small as a tire change to a bigger (or smaller) size affects everything from spedo accuracy to how the ABS works.
I am only asking if anyone who has done this has had any ill affects from it.
My stock size is 205/55-16
The Cavalier computer and sensors seem quite unconcerned with out-to-lunch tire sizes and weights. I ran 215/35-18 tires last fall, and plan to use them again this summer. They came with the rims, and I see no reason to let them go to waste. Despite the significantly smaller diameter, and heavier weight of Motegi MR7 alloys wheels, I didn't notice any ill effects or increased braking effort in daily driving. ABS functioned just fine. The speedo is out a bit, but the smaller tire actually helps to keep me from speeding quite so much.
As far as added wear and fuel consumption, I would say it depends a bit on what sort of driving you do during those 600 miles. If it's a lot of highway travelling, I'd say the difference would be negligible. If you do a lot of aggressive and/or stop-and-start driving, you could have an issue.
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Thanks for the info. I noticed something with my stock Eagle RSAs. They have a tread wear rating of less than 300, and are on track to wear out at around 50k. I've read about these tires wearing out about the mileage have right now, which is 34k. I saw a set of Fuzion ZRIs that have over a 300 tread rating, which should last me at least 70k. I just purchased a lifetime alignment and wheel R&B, and plan on using them every 6k.
Lawrence Mapps wrote:Thanks for the info. I noticed something with my stock Eagle RSAs. They have a tread wear rating of less than 300, and are on track to wear out at around 50k. I've read about these tires wearing out about the mileage have right now, which is 34k. I saw a set of Fuzion ZRIs that have over a 300 tread rating, which should last me at least 70k. I just purchased a lifetime alignment and wheel R&B, and plan on using them every 6k.
I really need to get around to writing that FAQ....
The tire ratings that everyone commonly uses is abbreviated UTQG, Universal Tire Quality Grading. However, there's a reason that people that know about tires call them the
Useless TIre Quality Grades. Reason being? Each independent brand is allowed to set their own specifications for wear, traction and temperature. Even brands under the same umbrella (Bridgestone/Firestone/Fuzion, Goodyear/Kelly, etc.) may not carry the same standards. Meaning the treadwear ratings from the Goodyear to the Fuzion is worth exactly $1 less than the McChicken I'm eating right now. All the UTQG's will tell you is that Tire X from any brand is stickier/longer lasting than Tire Y from the same brand.
If you stay with the 16's, go 225/50/16. Minute difference in overall diameter + wider footprint. If you like the Fuzions, you might want to look at the Potenza G009 instead. Every bit the performance of the ZRi, but a MUCH better all season performer.
1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
#1. I have a set of 225/50/16 Goodyear Tripltreds and love 'em. No rubbing and according to the GPS, the speedo is spot on. Almost and inch wider than the stock 205's and the same height.
#2. Even though the RSA's have a low treadwear, I still had meat on mine when I replaced them at 70K. It all depends on how well the tire is maintained (rotation and tire pressures), how the car is driven, and how well the alignment on the car is kept. The RSA's come stock on a number of vehicles including the Ford Police Interceptor Crown Vics.
#3. I agree that treadwear is a useless rating. I purchased the Tripltreds over the Potenza's because of the 80K mile warranty vs. 50K for the Bridgestones. BTW, the Bridgestones G009 I think are in the 400's treadwear while the Goodyears are rated almost 800. Totally useless.
My father had an HD Ram with the OEM Michelins. Due to frequent r/b and alignments he got almost 120,000 out of them. I know the treadwear rating is suspect and actual treadwear is dependent upon maintenance and driving styles. The point of my question was to know if anyone had the same experiences as I have and to give opinions of the tires listed.
ZlineDavid wrote:Lawrence Mapps wrote:Thanks for the info. I noticed something with my stock Eagle RSAs. They have a tread wear rating of less than 300, and are on track to wear out at around 50k. I've read about these tires wearing out about the mileage have right now, which is 34k. I saw a set of Fuzion ZRIs that have over a 300 tread rating, which should last me at least 70k. I just purchased a lifetime alignment and wheel R&B, and plan on using them every 6k.
I really need to get around to writing that FAQ....
The tire ratings that everyone commonly uses is abbreviated UTQG, Universal Tire Quality Grading. However, there's a reason that people that know about tires call them the Useless TIre Quality Grades. Reason being? Each independent brand is allowed to set their own specifications for wear, traction and temperature. Even brands under the same umbrella (Bridgestone/Firestone/Fuzion, Goodyear/Kelly, etc.) may not carry the same standards. Meaning the treadwear ratings from the Goodyear to the Fuzion is worth exactly $1 less than the McChicken I'm eating right now. All the UTQG's will tell you is that Tire X from any brand is stickier/longer lasting than Tire Y from the same brand.
If you stay with the 16's, go 225/50/16. Minute difference in overall diameter + wider footprint. If you like the Fuzions, you might want to look at the Potenza G009 instead. Every bit the performance of the ZRi, but a MUCH better all season performer.
ive been telling people that for over a year now... ive given up on trying to explain that to people.
the 225/50 r16's will work better than the 215/55R16, especially if your car was lowered. i would not want to put a taller tire on a lowered car for fear of rub.
the one thing about the 225's is that the minimum rim width that they are capable of being mounted on (atleast for the specs i have seen) is a 6 inch wide rim. that is the stock rim width for the Z24/GT so these tires will be pretty damn tight on there once they are mounted on and will actually pull the tire inwards more, giving less of the tread down on the ground for a footprint then if they were mounted on the recomended rim width.
1997 RedR - ZedR
The ZRi won't last 70K. Maybe 50K with proper care. The ZRi is Bridgestone/Firestone's answer to Kumho/Sumitomo/etc: A cheap, high performance tire.
1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
I figure I am putting about 6-7k per year on my ZRi for the past three years, and at this rate they look like they will hold up for at least 2-3 more years. So about 35-40k is what I am expecting from them. I do not think I drive them hard, but I am not super easy on them either. The only complaint I have of them so far is ride quality. The ride is much stiffer/harsher than on my Kumhos, but the ZRi handle so much nicer. I have no idea about "all-season" capabilities since I use Affinity LH30 for winter use.
I also agree on the RS-A not being that bad of a tire. I got 50k out of mine and they still had tread left on them when I replaced them. Heck, I let someone else use them for another 5k-10k miles on their supercharged cav and they still weren't bald when I got them back. They weren't the greatest tire by any means, but did the job for the most part.
whitegoose( RedR-ZedR) wrote:If you stay with the 16's, go 225/50/16. Minute difference in overall diameter + wider footprint. If you like the Fuzions, you might want to look at the Potenza G009 instead. Every bit the performance of the ZRi, but a MUCH better all season performer.
the 225/50 r16's will work better than the 215/55R16, especially if your car was lowered. i would not want to put a taller tire on a lowered car for fear of rub.
the one thing about the 225's is that the minimum rim width that they are capable of being mounted on (atleast for the specs i have seen) is a 6 inch wide rim. that is the stock rim width for the Z24/GT so these tires will be pretty damn tight on there once they are mounted on and will actually pull the tire inwards more, giving less of the tread down on the ground for a footprint then if they were mounted on the recomended rim width.
You have expensive tastes. My price for the G009's is just south of $600, OTD, at my local Firestone. I found a set of Kuhmo's on Tire Rack for less than $300, shipped.
215/55 and 225/50 are the same height. The 225 is a +1 upgrade. As for rim width, I've also worried about that. The stock 205's already extend over the rim lip quite a bit. I may just find a set of 17's off of a Cobalt SS and stick on a set of 205/50's.
