As title

Will 215/45 17s foul the wheel arches on classics.

Thanks in advance for any replies

 

The recomended size is 205x45x17, , So it may be close !!!! WIll make a difference if your car has been lowered / uprated Etc.

Dean

 

I've got the wheels in the scoobs at the top of the page (new age bug eyed), they're 215/45/17's, the cars not been lowered, i get no scrubbage and no problems on my classic

 

Problem with Classics is width at the back, not height, so should be okay.

The size closest to OEM is 215/40x17, which will also keep your speedo accurate. The 45 profile is quite a bit bigger, but the speedo reads under anyway. It could turn out that your speedo is spot-on accurate with 45 tyres, but it might get you into trouble.

If you go ahead, try and get your speedo checked with a GPS speed camera detector like a Road Angel so you know where you are.

Richard.

 

The recommended size is NOT 205/45/17 on a classic
205 is to small a width tyre. Until saturday, I was using what I thought was the recommended size of 215/40/17, with my speedo under reading by a good 7mph at all times.
I've just got some 2nd hand alloys that have 215/45/17 on, and now the speedo is very nearly accurate according to my Tom Tom 3 sat nav.
If you've got a mucho lowered car though, 45's may rub, so 40's would be your best bet. I've got eibach's on mine, and although I've not actually been out for a proper blast since saturday, I've not noticed any rubbing
chris.

 

Hi

Here is a link to a tyre size calculater.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

If you put in what the stock size of the tyre should be you can the play about with the sizes until you get the results you need. It will tell you by how much the speed will under/over read.

E.G.
My 95 uk turbo stock size was 205/55/15 by playing with this it found that ideal upgrade was 215/40/17 with 0.4% speed difference compared to 205/45/17 which was 1.6% too slow.215/45/17 work out 3.1% too slow.

Pete

 

Funny how this exact size is recommeded and used in the PPP upgrade package by prodrive. !!

Andy

 

Indeed. the reason most people go for 215/40/17 over 205/45/17 is the availability of reasonably priced performance rubber

BTW my classic came with 215/45/17 and was lowered 40mm. There was slight evidence of rubbing on hard cornering, but IMO at OE ride height they are OK

 

I suggest you Email SIDC & get them to change there Frequently asked questions & answers then, Seeing as you are more of an authority on it than they .
http://www.sidc.co.uk/faq.htm#4.2

Quote "The recommended tyre size for the 17 inch wheel is 205/45 ZR 17, although 215/40 ZR 17 tyres can also be used and provide more choice of manufacturer."


Dean

 

Hoppy sorry but even your Gps speedo is not that accurate & as Per Sidc & as FUZZ says 205x45x17 is the closest match, Infact as a tyre gets wider even at a low profile ,its height increases slightly, SO a 40 in a 205 will be lower than a 40 in 215 width .
Dean

 

That'll be because the 40 measurement is a percentage of the width of the tyre,40% of 215 is bigger than 40% of 205.
Thats how the tyre sizes have been explained to me in the past,could be wrong tho

 

Oops! I stand corrected
sorry!
Guess I was misinformed back when I bought my scooby. Good point about more choice with 215 over 205 though.
chris.

 

you are correct Paul, the aspect ratio is indeed a percentage of the width.



Andy

 

Thank you DeanF.

The OEM 16x7in wheel comes with a 205/50x16 tyre. Wheel offset is 53mm.

Prodrive 17x7in wheels come with 205/45x17in Pirellis as they are their rally team sponsor. Wheel offset is 52mm. The tyre is nominally 0.8% larger circumference over OEM.

Most people fit 215/40x17 replacements as there is a much greater choice of good tyres in this size. It is nominally 1.2% smaller circumference.

A 215/45x17 tyre is nominally 2.3% larger circumference than 205/50x16.

Tyre sizes are nominal, not actual, and different brands can vary in width by 5mm or more on the same wheel. Fitting them to wider wheels, eg 7.5x17, will introduce further variation. When these factors are combined with after-market wheels with off-sets typically varying between 45mm and 52mm for Classic Scoobs, it explains why some people get rubbing on the outside rear arch while others don't.

The difference in circumference between a new tyre and a worn out tyre is less than 1%.

The SIDC faq is good, but not 100% correct and somewhat out of date, eg the Bridgestone SO-2pp has not been available for at least two years.

The Road Angel GPS speed camera detector shows actual speed. Some other similar devices are set to over-read slightly, ie they say you are going faster than you are. My speedo on a MY00 Classic over-reads by approx 10% at low speeds and 5% at high speeds.

If you fit 215/40x17 tyres to a 17x7in wheel with an off-set between 50-52mm, you will not have any problems on a Classic. If you fit 215/45x17 to the same wheel (note the off-set) you will be okay with rubbing, but you will have eaten into the safety margin provided by the speedo by 2.3%. Check it with a Road Angel to find the exact difference at various speeds so you are not caught out.

Richard