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Tire sizes and tire rubbing

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
The '69 Alpine was wearing 195R65 X 14 X 6.0" "Mags" when we bought it. The car had terrible problems with tires rubbing, the fronts on tight turns and the rears on bumps. Today, one of the front tires went flat, so I removed it. I decided to see how the tires/wheel from the '67 Alpine would do. They are 185R65 X15 X 6" steel. Taller wheel = more rubbing, right? WRONG! The car experienced zero rubbing over about 30 miles of roads that would have produced terrible rubbing with the 14" wheels.
Obviously something has not been mentioned. That something is offset. The 15" wheel has 32 mm of offset, the 14, well I don't know, as they are unmarked, but I'd guess about 10 mm as all of the rubbing is on the outside of the tire. Sitting side by side, the 15" X 185 tire/wheel is about 1" taller than the 14" X 195 tire/wheel. I suppose the downside of the 15" wheel is that it looks dead stock. It will be interesting to see how many SUNI guys will notice the "ringers".

Bill
 

Aladin Sane

Diamond Level Sponsor
This is one thing I am dieing to figure out at SUNI. I have a set of new in the box 14" panasports that came with my alger project. I will be looking at every car with 14" wheels I can find and see what people are running for tires.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
@aladain .. Will all depend on offset of wheels.. Your springs and if the front valence is trimmed or not...
 

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
The '69 Alpine was wearing 195R65 X 14 X 6.0" "Mags" when we bought it. The car had terrible problems with tires rubbing, the fronts on tight turns and the rears on bumps. Today, one of the front tires went flat, so I removed it. I decided to see how the tires/wheel from the '67 Alpine would do. They are 185R65 X15 X 6" steel. Taller wheel = more rubbing, right? WRONG! The car experienced zero rubbing over about 30 miles of roads that would have produced terrible rubbing with the 14" wheels.
Obviously something has not been mentioned. That something is offset. The 15" wheel has 32 mm of offset, the 14, well I don't know, as they are unmarked, but I'd guess about 10 mm as all of the rubbing is on the outside of the tire. Sitting side by side, the 15" X 185 tire/wheel is about 1" taller than the 14" X 195 tire/wheel. I suppose the downside of the 15" wheel is that it looks dead stock. It will be interesting to see how many SUNI guys will notice the "ringers".

Bill
195/65 15 24" dia. 7.7"w 185/65 15 24.5 dia. 7"w
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
In my situation, tires are not important, wheels are.
195/65 15 24" dia. 7.7"w 185/65 15 24.5 dia. 7"w
My bad (perspective).
Bill
This is one thing I am dieing to figure out at SUNI. I have a set of new in the box 14" panasports that came with my alger project. I will be looking at every car with 14" wheels I can find and see what people are running for tires.
Why do you care what others are running? Decide what is best for YOUR situation and use them.
Bill
 

Toyanvil

Gold Level Sponsor
Here is an old picture of my car with 185/60-14 on Panasports.
bmw7598IMG_2331-XL.jpg
 
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