15"x6" wheel. What size tyre?

[slowly slowly]

I seem to remember looking at a web site where they said if you went down a size(195 to 185) instead of up a size (195 to 205) you did`nt actually lose grip, wider tyres don`t mean more grip.

The logic being that down a size gives you a stiffer tyre side wall, up a size gives you well, not so stiff a tyre side wall.

I`ve got some 15"x6" Ronal alloy wheels coming next week for my Toyota Paseo, its light and only as 90bhp so i can`t just wack some 225 on it, i want to put 185`s on it and think they will work better than 195`s.

Do you think the 185`s will sit better on the wheels than the 195`s and so handle better.

Any suggestions on a good make of tyre would be appreciated (i`m not made of money).


Thanks.


Its running on 185x65x14 at the moment.

>> Edited by slowly slowly on Friday 14th April 20:46

>> Edited by slowly slowly on Tuesday 18th April 18:47

[gridgway]

I'm not sure I know enough about tyres and suspension to give a full answer, but I'll say what logic I'd apply. Although I don't know the rationale for you increasing wheel diameter.

185's are easily enough for 90 bhp. The grip can be determined as much by the tyre compound as size.

So then what size...I would try to keep the rolling radius the same so your speedo doesn't get more inaccurate!

diameter of 185 65 14s is (in mm):

14*22 + 185 * 0.65 * 2 = 548.5mm

15" wheels gives:

15*22 + 185 * 0.60 * 2 = 552mm (0.6% difference)

So provided you can get 185 x 60 x 15's at sensible prices you are sorted!

As to best tyre, I would go to a "trusted" tyre place and see what they suggest. I normally stick to proper known brands for performance tyres, but for example have put a lesser known brand on a slower car at the recommendation of my trusted tyre place.

For me I am biased against changing too much from manufacturer spec sizes as the suspension is generally made to work with certain tyre sizes. I'm certainly not a great fan of low profile rubber bands as aftermarket add ons!

HTH
Graham

[slowly slowly]

I went to visit my mother yesterday, when i turned into her street i spotted an identical car 7 houses away so i went to speak to him and found out the correct size tyres are not 185x65x14 but 185x60x14.
I usually go on www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html to get the equivalant sizes.
I don`t like going wider with a underpowered car so it looks like 185x55x15 will be the best.

The reason for the change is i will need tyres soon so these wheels were cheap and the model up from mine had alloys.
The new alloys are Toyota alloys so they will be decent.