goldfishhh

I am in need of replacing my tires (205/55-16) and want to get something that is a bit wider.

What will fit on my rims and ultimately my car? I think that if I get a tire that is too wide, I will rub the fenders and with a stock suspension, that probably increases the ability to rub.

Dean-

Shameless in Chicago

205-50-16 work fine. Go for it.

cousingrandpa

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/60834/100_0049_2.jpg"></center><p>
I have 225/50/16 on mine, They fit fine &amp; are a +1 upgrade size.

goldfishhh

So, I think, by reading and finding a pretty cool site to run some calculations, the difference between a 205/50-16 and a 255/50-16 as compared to what I have 205/55-16, is the 205/50-16 has a lower sidewall height and the same tire width. The 225/50-16 has just about the same sidewall height yet a wider width.

http://pw1.netcom.com/~sgalaba/tiresize.htm

I wonder about performance. Which of the 2 tires will produce better handling characteristics?

markbradford

Since the profile (the second number of the three or four listed in a tire spec) is a %'age of the width, a 205/50/16 tire will actually have a slightly shorter sidewall than a 225/50/16.

The difference would be about a centimetre's height in this case. 2cm height for the tire total.

goldfishhh

So, I typed a bunch of numbers into the cool translator website and came up with the following grid. I think that I want to put 225/45-16's on my car. (and the tires exist in that size.)

I don't think that it will rub, because the circumfrence of the tire is less than OE and the tread width is just a bit less than an inch more than OE.

Best of all, the sidewall heigth is nearly 1/2 inch less than OE.

Am I on the right track?
Stock

Width Aspect Rim Sidewall Height Circumference Tread Width 100mph speed
205 55 16 4.44 78.16 8.07 100

New
205 50 16 4.04 75.62 8.07 103
225 50 16 4.43 78.09 8.86 105
225 45 16 3.99 75.31 8.86 103
215 45 16 3.81 74.2 8.46 105
215 55 16 4.66 79.52 8.46 98.29
235 50 16 4.63 79.33 9.25 98.52

markbradford

Honestly, you really don't have to worry with any of the selections you've proposed. The B5 A4 came stock with 225/45/17s on the sport package in 2001.5, and many of us run WAY more offset with aftermarket wheels with no issues.

goldfishhh

I just ordered the Dunlop SP Sport 9000's!

(pretty good price too) $812 (tax, title, license, disposal, mounting, balancing, stems etc...)

Thanks for all of your help!

D-

markbradford

np

goldfishhh

I gotta wait a few days before my "bling bling 16's" come in.

I'm sure that you haven't heard that phrase in that context.



Dean-