Wider tyres on front? - 7" wheel

[dunc]

My car currently has 205 width tyres on the front (7" x et55) and 245 on the rear (8.5" x et50), I would like to use wider on the front and keep with 245 on the rear. What can I go to, 215 I assume would be fine, what about 225?

I'll be putting Michelin PS2's on btw.

Also I'm not sure what profiles should get used with these? All 17" diameter btw.

Thanks in advance,

Dunc.

 

[edh]

It's usually 255 (rear) on 17's on a 944 ?

Most manufacturers publish the range of wheel widths they would recommend. I'm using 225/45/17 Fk453 on the front of my Boxster on 17" 7J wheels.

 

[J.C944TurboMan]

I have just replaced the D90'd with 205 width tyres for a set of 17inch alloys using 225 tyres on the front now . I have noticed a lot of railing through the steering . It has really changed the way my S2 handles . keeps snatching at pot holes and any uneven road surfaces . I pumped them up to 35psi on the front , I will drop to 30 psi see if it makes any difference . Bare this in mind

 

[dunc]

Hi cheers for the quick responses

It's boxster 17's on mine, I should have said. I'd like to put 225 on ideally so that's good news.

Also I don't mind tram lining as long as more grip is the trade off

Dunc.

 

[944 man]

Id go for 4x 225/45/17. 255 is far too wide for a road car and its excessive on my Turbo. Approved sizes are 205/55/16 & 225/50/16, 225/50/16(7") & 245/45/16(9") and 225/45/17 & 255/40/17.

Im not sure that whats approved would influence my decision though. 245 was far too wide for the 951 in 1988 and the staggered tyres were introduced as much for appearance as anything else - the fronts were narrower than most 2.5l 8v NA cars left the factory with (215s) and this certsinly didnt improve the cars handling.

 

[Neil Haughey]

245x45-16 all round on my car, looks [8D]

I had to drop down to thinner spacers up front through but have checked and it clears everything fine with FG wings and racing low ride height. Yet to drive the thing in anger though apart from up and down t'lane where the car is stored.

 

[Eldavo]

To echo,

I have PS3s on the front, 225/45/17s

No probs.

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

245x45-16 all round on my car, looks [8D]

I had to drop down to thinner spacers up front through but have checked and it clears everything fine with FG wings and racing low ride height. Yet to drive the thing in anger though apart from up and down t'lane where the car is stored.

Just like a Turbo Cup... []

 

[dunc]

Cheers again for the feedback. Going to go with 225/45/17's then, considering conti sports now though - been hearing really good things about them. Similar price to the Michelin SP's.

 

[edh]

ORIGINAL: 944 man

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

245x45-16 all round on my car, looks [8D]

I had to drop down to thinner spacers up front through but have checked and it clears everything fine with FG wings and racing low ride height. Yet to drive the thing in anger though apart from up and down t'lane where the car is stored.

Just like a Turbo Cup... []

225/45/17 all round on mine - cheaper tyres that way [] I like the way they handle on a square setup though

 

[dunc]

Agreed had many a rwd'er on same size all round and it works well but probably only changing the front because of the poor grip so can keep the rear 245, they are much poorer quality tyres anyway it may end up being fairly even after all.

Cheers,

Dunc.

 

[944 man]

245 rears promote understeer, especially when combined with tyres narrower than 15" wheeled 944s used.

 

[dunc]

If widening the fronts does not improve things I'll get the rears narrower tyres

Thanks again for the advice.

Dunc.

 

[Hallsy]

Thing is, without fitting wider front wheels would it be a truley square setup?

If you put the same width/profile tyres on different width wheels (7J front, 8.5J rear) wouldn't you effectively end up with softer sidewalls on the front wheels?

Did the Turbo Cup cars have the same width rims front & rear?

 

[ChasR]

My car is strange.

It has 205/50R17s on the front, and 255/40R17s on the rear. Both are Michelin Pilots (I reckon the fronts are PS2s with the rears being PS3s). Anyway, it is a very grippy chassis, and the the sizes chosen by a local independent near me.

But 225/45R17s should also work .

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: Hallsy

Thing is, without fitting wider front wheels would it be a truley square setup?

If you put the same width/profile tyres on different width wheels (7J front, 8.5J rear) wouldn't you effectively end up with softer sidewalls on the front wheels?

Did the Turbo Cup cars have the same width rims front & rear?

True. For racing we run 8x16 rims all round or rather PCGB used to until they went to a tyre deal that didn't have any suitable 16" tyres and forced everyone running a 944 to go to 17" rims with barely any forewarning.

 

[ChasR]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

ORIGINAL: Hallsy

Thing is, without fitting wider front wheels would it be a truley square setup?

If you put the same width/profile tyres on different width wheels (7J front, 8.5J rear) wouldn't you effectively end up with softer sidewalls on the front wheels?

Did the Turbo Cup cars have the same width rims front & rear?

True. For racing we run 8x16 rims all round or rather PCGB used to until they went to a tyre deal that didn't have any suitable 16" tyres and forced everyone running a 944 to go to 17" rims with barely any forewarning.

This will explain why on a garage day a certain S2 perplexed me when it had 8J wheels all round. IIRC it had 245s on the rear.