Larger tire size ?

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I have a 2013 Mustang GT with 255/40/19 tires and prob early summer I would be looking to replace them with some new rubber. Many on the Mustang forums go up to a 275/40/19 size tire that seems to be the widest tire recommend for the size stock wheel and I'm told they will fit and work just fine. My question is would there be any major disadvantages to going up to the wider 275/40/19 size tire? I'm thinking it may effect the fuel millage some although prob not as much as when I have my right foot it it so I don't really care about that. Any other negatives anyone can think of?
 
I was going through a similar choice with my Explorer. Trying to think if I wanted to go larger tire size for a bit of ground clearance. There's a few things you need to think about;

- Larger tires will zap more torque from the engine and cause extra stress on the driveline & transmission.
- Larger tires will stick to a dry road more but will tend to float in other conditions (rain, snow, mud) rather than bite down and dig in.
- Wider tires will have more rolling resistance and will zap fuel economy. I'm unsure of whether or not the higher rolling resistance will overcome the extra grip you're getting. Bottom line is, a wider contact patch will have more surface area but less PSI against the ground for bite.
- Larger tires will cost more so if you're on a budget, you'll want to stick with factory size but a better quality brand rather than a larger tire from a cheap manufacturer.
- Different sized tires will affect handling but I imagine in your case it would make the car feel more 'planted' and stuck to the road.

Not all of those things will affect you or affect you negatively. I mostly put them up as general things for other people to think about.


*EDIT*
Another thing you might think about is axle ratio. Some vehicles come with weak ratios that wouldn't be good for larger tires.
 
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Not much of a difference at all. You just replacing the back tires or the front too?

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http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-comparison/
 
As I know sidewall is dependent upon width so the wider the higher the tire with the 40 aspect. It will eat fuel and eat low end power the most. I noticed it hugely on my Suv. With a GT you shouldn't notice it nearly as much.
 
It will reduce mileage and increase tire wear (more friction= more heat and wear).

Also, it will throw off your speedo and odometer unless you reduce the aspect ratio to keep the same overall diameter. In this case it's only a 2.3% error you would induce. Gearing won't be affected much.

255/40 is already a decent tire width, especially with today's much more sophisticated compounds. I doubt you are really going to feel much real-world difference vs. the cost and (relatively minor) drawbacks.
 
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3:73 gear package and frankly I'm out of first gear so fast I often feel I should have went 3:55's so the slight taller tire may be a plus in my case. Yes I was thinking all 4 tires so I could rotate them. Just not sure if it's worth it to go to the 275 size I'm starting to think no.
 
What wheels do you have? I am going to need tires soon on my Track Pack wheels and the Michelin Pilot Super Sports are only about $20-25 more for the 275/40/19.
 
I don't have the Track Pack but I do have the Brembo brake upgrade so 19" wheels not sure how wide they are I have to look it up.
 
It wont make much difference. You are only going 20mm wider. I run a three inch taller than stock tire on my F250 and barely notice the difference.
 
With 3.73:1 gears you will probably get better mileage all around. The car is relatively light and powerful. You are not putting mudders on a 22RE. You might be able to go to the dealership and have the ECU flashed to correct the speedo.
 
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Another factor to consider is ride quality. All else being equal bigger tires = more unsprung weight.
I don't get why people want to stuff the biggest wheels and tires that they can under their wheel arches.
If you want cornering grip or traction for raceday then I have no argument, but for everyday use I find oem size just fine.

Claud.
 
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