Tire Rack is suggesteing 205/55/16 for the front 7 inch wheels and 225/50/16 for the rear 9 inch wheels. I'd like to get Blizzaks. Can/should I get thinner tires than what tire rack suggests, and are there other tires that are better than the blizzaks?

 

Epic,

I test snow tires. Nothing out there better than Bizzaks.

You would only need thinnner tires if you drive on lots of surfaces where you'd need the tire to dig below the soft surface to the harder underlayer.

Ramon

 

205s on the 7 inch is stock.

If you should not put 225s on a 9 inch, would it be ok on an 8.5 inch rim?

 

I don't think you'll find any 225/50/16 tire will fit on a 9" rim. Typically the maximum specified rim width for that size is 8". Check the tire manufacturer's recommendations to be sure.

 

Are you going to buy wheels along with your snow tires? Just get 4 7" wheels, and run 205's all around. They are snow tires, after all, not high performance summer tires. You don't want salt getting all over your summer wheels anyway.

 

Jake,
How bad do you think it would be to put 225s on a 8.5? I am bidding on a set of momo 8.5s from a BMW to put the snows from my Z28 on. The BMW bolt pattern is the same as the Holden/Pontiac pattern.

I think the GTO would look silly with BMW brand BMW rims.

 

Personally I wouldn't do it if it's not recommended by the tire manufacturer. I haven't checked every tire make, but the 225's I've seen all specify 8" maximum rim width. My 245/45/16 S-03's recommend 9" as the maximum width, so that gives you an idea of the limits.