best tires for a 15" rim

[smufguy]

I am gonna buy a 15" rim or even a 16" (that is in remote case) . I wanna know what is the biggest tire size i can put on there. I wanna go with a 205. My guess on the 15" is a P205/50 tire. is that right? i wanna go with dunlop or goodyear. I got discount with HK Tires here in NJ, and they sell dunlp and goodyear and cooper shit. Besides, dunlop and goodyear are what i trust.

[Site]

You're right, 205/50/15 is the biggest you can go with no rubbing. I got this info from Jim. He totally knows.

[markmdz89hatch]

yep, and I've been running a 205/50/15 on my little rizz'ie for a few years now, and let me tell you... that's what you want. I promise that a 215/50 or 45 will scrub-a-dub-dub and you don't want that do you. OK, it's my b/day, that big 21, so ignoee r this poast b/c I'm a little too hammered to type. but that's what you want.

[smufguy]

i wish we could be running 215. its sooo much rubber and damn the look of it from the back is just a killer. anywayz. i wish i was ricer and run 215 in the back. but hey, i am not one. 205 is awsone. so which one u guys like? dunlop, goodyear or Pirelli? I dont wanna go for yokohama or toyo or shit like that. i am a daily commuter and this car is gonna be just that, so u know not too much money on fancy tires. i am going for the z performance tires the ones with the pointed grove and with single side rotation. thanks again guys. :);) :smokin:

[markmdz89hatch]

hey smuf--> In all reality, both goodyear and dunlop are over-rated and over priced. You could get a set of Toyo FZ-4's for less then any good goodyear's and personally, i think they out-perform the goodyear any day of the week. Actually, I'm sure that the majority of the group will agree with me when I say this, Kumho are really the way to go, they're dirt cheap in comparison, and you get a whole lot for what you pay.

[smufguy]

how about the thread wear? are they longer life? i want a tire that i can depend on rain, snow and dry as always. LIke i said, i am a daily commuter and i dont wanna be slipping in rain or snow, but do good in dry. i want decent traction in all season. not the best, but decent.

If anyone could be specific with the tire type and number, it would help a lot and what kinda rim can i go with? A friend of mine from inlineracing options is hooking me up with a BBS made wheels. I want a 15" gunmetal which fits a 205/50 rubber.

Can i go bigger on the rubber like 205/55?

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by smufguy


Can i go bigger on the rubber like 205/55?

No no no no don't do that, you'll be way off on your speedo and it'll be like you installed taller gearing, not a good thing.

You mention possible 16" you can run 215/40-16 if you get a 45mm offset or 43mm offset and are willing to possible roll the rear fenders. But you'll certainly save some money if you stick with the 15's.

If you have a charge card you should make sure that you can't get other tire makes for the same if not less via tirerack or discount tire.

I'll do a tire search for dunlop and goodyear and see what I find given what you want in a tire. (thank you for spelling out what you want in a tire that is very helpfull).

[Grant2k]

i am running 205/50/15 Firestone Firehawks and i have been really pleased with them. They have a whole lot of tread, maybe more than you are looking for, but they are a good tire, and really cheap. They do look a little like snow tires because the tread goes down the top of the sidewall just a hair, but they are great in the rain and snow. they are a good all around normal driving/commuting tire, but probably not too good for real performance driving.

[smufguy]

Thanks for the input grant, but as far as of now, i am sticking with three of my choices, goodyear, dunlop and pirellies. I would love to get pirellies, but the price is an issue. not willing to pay 80 bucks on one tire.

Thanks for your input too Jim. I was just checking on that 205/55 things. I was just hoping for a shot at that. I mean, i do need a decent tirewall so that i wont fuck up my rim and also, i wont be feeling as if i was riding on a damn solid tires like those from the 20's.

Like i said, i need some decent threadwear on those tires and they should be decent in all around weather and handling. I would prefer the one way rotational tires that can be rotated from back to front and not diagonally or switched to the other side. I dont know what the name of the threadpattern, but they start from the center and radiate outward in the form of a curved V. once again, thanks Jim.

I am sticking with 15" rims, 5 spoke or spoked Gunmetal rims that woud accomodate a P205/50 rubber. Thanks once again for helping me out. :)

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Ya know, even though the tire you've spell't out isn't going to have a stiff sidewall, a 205/50-15 is going to have plenty of meat between the rim and the road. 195/50-15, now that different or 205/40-17 those only have about 1" between the rim and road.

I found goodyear GT II tires at tire rack for $69. I had a set of them on a car once and they were a decent tire that meets the specs your looking for. I'd think the dunlop Sport A2's would be worth the difference in price. $84 a tire Check out tire rack's testing of the 2 tire's.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testResultsModel.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Eagle+GT+II

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testResultsModel.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+A2

[AZmike]

I've got the Dunlop Sport A2's. I've only had them for a month or so, but so far I'm impressed. They grip pretty well, but I still have a stock suspension setup so I can't push too hard. I was cutoff once though and they were a big help for braking. I'm sure my old tires would have let me slide into the guy in front of me. The Dunlops just held on. I got them at discount tire for $305 mounted and balanced. They match prices, even tirerack.com. I'm not sure if they have any locations that far east though.

[smufguy]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Eagle+F1+GS-D3

this is the look i am going for Jim. I dont want a touring tire look. i want somethign different for a change u know? If the thread pattern i gave u has the same handling and performance copared to the touring allwheather tires, then i will go with the tires u gave me jim. but if they both have the similar charecteristics (which i doubt) then i will go with the look similiar to the one i gave u.

on the side note: HK tires here in NJ asked for $47 for one tire (185/70 R14) to be put on balanced and checked on my 4g since my Uncle knows a guy there for discount. and i saw a dunlop SP with radials like i mentioned and it was the perfect fit 205/50 r15 so u know, i might get that if it meets my requirements.

[markmdz89hatch]

go with a Nitto 450, that's what I'm running, and although it's deemed a performance tire, it's been great in heavy rain. For snow, I have yet to try it out, but I've got a hunch that it'll be fine.

[Grant2k]

so you are buying tires for looks?

[smufguy]

Originally posted by smufguy
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Eagle+F1+GS-D3

this is the look i am going for Jim. I dont want a touring tire look. i want somethign different for a change u know? If the thread pattern i gave u has the same handling and performance copared to the touring allwheather tires, then i will go with the tires u gave me jim. but if they both have the similar charecteristics (which i doubt) then i will go with the look similiar to the one i gave u.



this is for you grant, u see what i am talking about? If the tire in the link has the same charecteristics and handling in not just dry weather, but even in rain and esp snow, then i would go with it like i said and i am not just buying the tire for looks. dont be mistaken.

[rallyeNate]

Falken Azenis Sport- they work so well and are pretty inexspenive
Toyo Proxy- i most likely spelled the name wrong (i am sure someone will flame me), they are pretty much the same tire as the race tyre except unshaved.

[MyGarbageLXi]

Originally posted by markmdz89hatch
yep, and I've been running a 205/50/15 on my little rizz'ie for a few years now, and let me tell you... that's what you want. I promise that a 215/50 or 45 will scrub-a-dub-dub and you don't want that do you. OK, it's my b/day, that big 21, so ignoee r this poast b/c I'm a little too hammered to type. but that's what you want.

haha ur a pimp:pimp:

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by rallyeNate
Falken Azenis Sport- they work so well and are pretty inexspenive
Toyo Proxy- i most likely spelled the name wrong (i am sure someone will flame me), they are pretty much the same tire as the race tyre except unshaved.

But he's not really looking for a max performance non all-season tire. Otherwise the falken's are a great tire.

[smufguy]

exactly Jim. Jim knows what i am talking about. ALL SEASON PERFORMANCE TIRES. <<<<just for future reference>>>

[markmdz89hatch]

this may sound stupid, but the first tires i put on the 15's before i knew anything about tires, was Futura (pep boys special), and honestly, as far as all season, those are right on the money

[smufguy]

like i said mark, i dont trust futura or cooper or anything anymore. i had a bad bad bad experience with cooper (led to an accident) and goodyear and dunlop and pirellie are trust worthy more than ever.

but u know what mark, u might be right. i dont know about newer tires, but i still got the fear and my trust on those tires are not that strong. thats why i am wanting either dunlop or goodyear (though both are same) or pirellies. but thanks for the input man.

[rallyeNate]

like i was saying go with the falkens
205/50/r15 85v only 75per tyre, ya cant beat that!

but if your looking for a set of tyres that are ALL SEASON, you will loose out on the dry performance, NJ suck for tyres-with the snow and all

if you have cash flowing and deside to get a set of summer and winter tyres check out the Pirelli Winter 210 SnowSport
205/50/r15 h sorry no load rating, dont worry about it.