If I was to want to put wider tires on a passenger car (crown vic), what are the advantages/disadvantages to this? They wouldn't be the ugly low profile type because I want to keep the ride comfortable. I just want a "meatier" look. Slightly wider than police use on their vics. Will need to have matching Crager style rims as well (I know, I'm an old guy....lets call it "retro").
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Tire width
- Thread starter andrews
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
If you keep the first number (circumference) the same (ie: 225 /75/15) and just change the second number (aspect ratio) to a 70 or 60, then you will lower your car by a little bit (maybe an inch or so) and your speedometer will read faster than you are actually going. This don't really make much difference in the city, but can throw you off a fair bit on the highway.
If you have enough room in the wheelwells, you may be able to go up one size on the first number, while you go down a notch on the middle number. This will create a wider contact patch on the road, without throwing off you speedo.
One way to see how much a tire size change will affect the speedo reading is to determine how many revolutions/mile each tire size will have. You would want the rev/mile to be as close to the number of the original tires.
There is plenty of information on tire sizing the the tirerack.com website. There are also plenty of websites that can calculate tire size differences for you.
Hope this helps more than it confuses.
If you have enough room in the wheelwells, you may be able to go up one size on the first number, while you go down a notch on the middle number. This will create a wider contact patch on the road, without throwing off you speedo.
One way to see how much a tire size change will affect the speedo reading is to determine how many revolutions/mile each tire size will have. You would want the rev/mile to be as close to the number of the original tires.
There is plenty of information on tire sizing the the tirerack.com website. There are also plenty of websites that can calculate tire size differences for you.
Hope this helps more than it confuses.
wider tires equal better grip and handling but lower the miles per gallon all other things being equal.
I believe wider tires are also harder on the steering system because it takes more effort to turn the steering wheel. I had wide tires (255/60/15) on the front of my old Dakota and found that not only was the steering a bit harder than with 75 series tires, but wheel ruts in the road also threw the truck around a bit more because there was more grip (larger contact patch)in the tires. I got used to that though after a short while.
A word of caution:
Be sure you put on tires that have the same of larger Load Index. This prevents overloading the tires - and when overloaded tires fail, bad things can happen!
Hope this helps.
Be sure you put on tires that have the same of larger Load Index. This prevents overloading the tires - and when overloaded tires fail, bad things can happen!
Hope this helps.
You'll probably want to visit a Crown Vic forum to find out what sizes work and what back-spacing you need on the rims. Wider tires, within reaon, will have few ill effect and major positives, such as better handling. If you keep the same rim size and tire diameter, your ride will not suffer much, if at all.
What tire size do you currently have? Any idea what width and rim size you might go to?
The tire size is 225/60 16. The rims are 16x7. I haven't gotten the car yet, but plan on getting one soon. I really don't know how wide I will choose, but I know that I want it wider than stock by a couple of inches. Will I need new rims for that much width?
Check into the rim width and tires size compatibility before you buy. For 7 inch rims, 245 is about as wide as you should go. Check with the tire manufactureer for minumum rim widths for the size you want.quote:
Originally posted by andrews:
The tire size is 225/60 16. The rims are 16x7. I haven't gotten the car yet, but plan on getting one soon. I really don't know how wide I will choose, but I know that I want it wider than stock by a couple of inches. Will I need new rims for that much width?
If you put too wide a tire on a rim, the handling gets flabby.
If you want to stay with 16 inch wheels and want to keep about the same diameter, the nominal height of the rubber section of the tire in mm is tire size x aspect ratio.
a 225/60 is 225 x 0.60 = 135mm tall from the road to the rim.
If you want the same diameter in a 245 tire (not quite an inch wider), you would need a (225/245) x 0.60 = 0.55 aspect ratio. A 265/50 would also be close to the same height.
If you are buying new wheels, take a good hard look at at least 8 inch wide rims, unless you don't care much about handling.
An excellent upgrade for a Crown Vic is a P235/55R17 H-rated tire. The current Lincoln Town Car and the Crown Vic Sport LX both use that size.
You'll still get a good ride, but your cornering and steering response will be noticeably improved.
You'll still get a good ride, but your cornering and steering response will be noticeably improved.
Wider tires are also significantly more likely to aquaplane...
Don't know if it would fit, but a 255/50-17 would be closer to stock diameter. That's stock Impala SS size, and gives some very sharp handling, but a good ride too, with a Kumho 712. They are also very resistant to hydroplaning.quote:
Originally posted by Big O Dave:
An excellent upgrade for a Crown Vic is a P235/55R17 H-rated tire. The current Lincoln Town Car and the Crown Vic Sport LX both use that size.
You'll still get a good ride, but your cornering and steering response will be noticeably improved.
Yes. You've got to match the tire to a rim of appropriate width to get a good balance of ride and handling. Manufacturers will usually list a range of approved rim widths, and a nominal/measured/recommended rim width for each tire size. I'd recommend staying as close as possible to the nominal rim width they specify.quote:
Originally posted by andrews:
I know that I want it wider than stock by a couple of inches. Will I need new rims for that much width?
quote:
Originally posted by rpn453:
Originally posted by andrews:
[qb] I'd recommend staying as close as possible to the nominal rim width they specify.I have intentionally gone to maximum and even over maximum recommended rim with to improve handling with good, noticable results. There doesn't seem to much penalty in ride comfort either.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Messages
- 39,799
One thing that I think you should look into with aftermarket wheels (I didn't see it mentioned) is backspacing and offset. You're going wider. This will put more tire on the interior with the added section width. Check your stock turning limits and see how much additional tire you have room for.
If you elect to alter the backspacing you've got other issues to deal with. You're altering the scrub radius and the dynamic loads placed on the wheel. The turning axis is the same ..but the contact patch moves outboard.
This is an issue with jeeps that, naturaly, have radically bigger and wider tires. You effectively have to check your wear to get your toe right.
Isn't this one of the only cars (that I've ever heard of) that actually has a static toe out on a RWD vehicle? This has to employ some decent backspacing to allow this thing to track without wandering (moves the contact patch inboard in relation to the steering axis).
If you elect to alter the backspacing you've got other issues to deal with. You're altering the scrub radius and the dynamic loads placed on the wheel. The turning axis is the same ..but the contact patch moves outboard.
This is an issue with jeeps that, naturaly, have radically bigger and wider tires. You effectively have to check your wear to get your toe right.
Isn't this one of the only cars (that I've ever heard of) that actually has a static toe out on a RWD vehicle? This has to employ some decent backspacing to allow this thing to track without wandering (moves the contact patch inboard in relation to the steering axis).
andrews, www.crownvic.net is the gold standard for CV/GM forums.
I have been a member for about 7-8 months now.
They take their Vics and Grand Marqs very seriously.
Cruise the site and ask as many qeustions as you want. They are VERY helpful.
Many Crownvic.net guys freqent here too, me (Islandvic2), Astrovic, Darkdan, and ULVER to name a few.
Tire sizes that fit:
235/60 r15
235/60 r16
245/50 r16
255/50 r16
235/55 r17
245/50 r17
255/45 r17
255/50 r17 may rub front bumper on some models
Many upgrade to CVLX Sport 17" rims or Merc Marauder 18" rims.
Good luck.
I have been a member for about 7-8 months now.
They take their Vics and Grand Marqs very seriously.
Cruise the site and ask as many qeustions as you want. They are VERY helpful.
Many Crownvic.net guys freqent here too, me (Islandvic2), Astrovic, Darkdan, and ULVER to name a few.
Tire sizes that fit:
235/60 r15
235/60 r16
245/50 r16
255/50 r16
235/55 r17
245/50 r17
255/45 r17
255/50 r17 may rub front bumper on some models
Many upgrade to CVLX Sport 17" rims or Merc Marauder 18" rims.
Good luck.
First number is width, not circumferencequote:
If you keep the first number (circumference) the same (ie: 225 /75/15) and just change the second number (aspect ratio) to a 70 or 60,
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
Similar threads
- Replies
- 12
- Views
- 512
- Replies
- 15
- Views
- 2K
- Replies
- 27
- Views
- 3K
- Replies
- 10
- Views
- 829