lupo_s_i Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 hi all, well set about gettin some things done to the car ive been meaning to do for a while now, i originally got hold of some mk2 golf gti steels to go on but i wasnt sure on them, i loved the g60 steels but was starting to see them on too many lupos so i went for something a bit different, a set of new mini one steels came up for sale in my area so ive picked them up, i have new centres on the way and spacers, also ive taken 1mm off the centre bore to make them the same. im now in a predicament though, the wheel rims are only 5.5" wide, i know im not going to get any stretch but would 195-45's be too wide for the rims and luck stupid?or should i go for the bridgestone re40 that are 165-50's and risk losing grip?im still on the standard rims atm with worn barium tyres so i know the grip will be better whatever but im torn on the style or substance bout!i know the dubs are all bout style but at the end of the day its my 40mile (at least) daily driver!any advice would be welcome, and ill post a few pics once ive got the wheels oncheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 195's would be too wide for 5.5J's in my opinion.The 165/50 Potenzas are good tyres, you shouldn't notice any lack of grip with them.Thinking about it, 195/45's are probably out of the recommended fitment range on a 5.5J anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjp86 Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Are they 15 inch?If so is 185/45 not about right? Unless that is a strange size that nobody makes? I haven't checked!I don't like the idea of stretching tyres, I wouldn't want to compromise the handling/safety of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Only Nankang make 185/45/15's.I've noticed no performance difference with stretched tyres. Certain stretch is allowed.I've just checked and a195/45/15 Toyo T1-R is recommended for fitment to a 6J to 7.5J rim. It would look silly on a 5.5J. And do you think that this tyre would be perfectly safe on a 7.5J rim, yet dangerous on an 8J? There has to be a large safety margin in their results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjp86 Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Only Nankang make 185/45/15's.I've noticed no performance difference with stretched tyres. Certain stretch is allowed.I've just checked and a195/45/15 Toyo T1-R is recommended for fitment to a 6J to 7.5J rim. It would look silly on a 5.5J. And do you think that this tyre would be perfectly safe on a 7.5J rim, yet dangerous on an 8J? There has to be a large safety margin in their results.Well I'd probably avoid the Nankangs then!I've got 195/45 Yokohamas on my OZs which as 6.5 inchs wide. They are being used how they were intended to be used, with no stretch! Yeah there's going to be a point where it becomes unsafe, if it isn't designed for a width of more than 7.5 I wouldn't use it for a 8 inch rim! I'd rather put a wider tyre on - more area in contact with the road - more grip!Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 You think a tyre is suddenly going to become unsafe from an extra 1/2"?Or do you think they find out at what width it becomes less safe then knock an inch or so off 'just to be sure'?On that premise, why didn't you fit 205/45 tyres? They're permitted for a 6.5J to 7.5J rim. More grip?And you try fitting 8J rims with wide tyres onto a low Lupo...Anyway, 165/50/15 Bridgestone Potenzas are recommended for rim widths between 4.5J and 6J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjp86 Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Well why not just use it on the rim size it was intended for?! Well 195 is plenty enough grip for me! A nice balance between ultimate mechanical grip and handling.A mate of mine works at Pirelli in Carlisle and I showed him some pics of cars with stretched tyres and he couldn't believe people were prepared to run them like that! There has been much debate on pistonheads about this it seems... Check this out.http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...res%20-%20Legal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo_s_i Posted July 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 cheers guys, didnt think i would lose much grip tbh but i just wanted a second opinion, will be ordering the potenzas this week, whatch this space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Because sometimes you need the extra arch clearance that a stretched tyre gives.165's are plenty enough grip for me...So if 195's are enough grip for you, why say the wider the tyre = more grip? If I fit them to an 8J wheel then I'll still have the same amount of grip that I would with a narrower wheel with the same size tyre.If he's never seen stretched tyres before I'm sure he hasn't driven on them either.I've read the debate on Pistonheads, it's mainly full of people saying they don't like the look so it's dangerous. None of them have any experience of stretched tyres. For most of them the first they've ever heard of them is that thread.Go on Edition38 and you'll see thousands of people who have been running stretched tyres for years. None of them have ever reported a problem or a tyre coming off the rim.Guidelines can be exceeded. Nothing becomes dangerous that suddenly. If it's safe on 7.5J, it's gonna be pretty damn safe on 8J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcscooby Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 195/45 is OK for a 5.5J. They balloon ever so slightly but 5.5J is the narrowest rim 195 will go onto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philplop Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Depends on the make. As I've said, Toyo recommend their T1-R for no skinnier than a 6J.They look big on a 6.5, a 5.5 would look ridiculous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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