Tommy Malmstrom

I am looking into the possibility of running with wider fuchs and tires on the rear wheels, I have found a pair of 9x16 that seems interersting...

My question though is what would the benefits be regarding the front wheels if I run the same tire, 205/55, on a 7x16 compare to a 6x16 rim?
Will I be able to feel the difference on the street or would it only be possilble on the track? Sadly we have somewhat limitied possibilities for track racing with street cars in Sweden...

Btw, I have an 79 SC (euro) that runs on 6x16 205/55 and 7x16 225/50 today.

/Tommy

Rick964

You would probably only notice a difference on the track. The actual contact patch of the tire will change a bit when going to a wider wheel while cramming it on a narrower wheel will make the tread arch a bit but for a 205 a 6 or 7 is probably not going to make much of a difference. The Tirerack web site shows 205/55-16 fitting a 5.5 to 7.5" wheel so both 6 and 7 are in the middle.

JackOlsen

The wider wheel will have a greater mechanical advantage on the sidewall with a same-width tire. You would notice it on the track in an otherwise well-set-up and well-driven car. I'd hope you wouldn't be pushing the car hard enough to notice it on public roads.

racer

Im not sure you'd really notice. I've run 245-45-16's on the back of my SC on both 8's and 9's at the track and for autocross and couldn't tell a difference. Psychologically the 9's are faster since they cost more and are from a Turbo! Maybe for me the issue was I flexed the sidewall so much with both the 8's and the 9's I should have had a bigger tire to begin with

ulrichd

And it just looks better, in my opinion.

r911

JO is talking about twist of the tire rel. to the wheel...

Edward

What they all said. But a 205 and a 245 tire really DO look better on a wider rim. The 7s and 9s spread out the tread enough to notice it visually from a few feet away ...that's gotta be worth something.

Edward