V6 Discussion and questions about the base carbureted or MPFI V6's and the rare SFI Turbo V6.

tire width...15x7?

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Old Nov 4, 2001 | 06:36 PM
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85f-bird's Avatar
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From: St. Louis, MO
Car: 85' Firebird (Project), 92' RS
Engine: 2.8L, LS1
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Open , 10 Bolt (ukn)
tire width...15x7?

ok, well i'm running a set of 215-65-R15, and i'm thinking that those are 15 x 7 inch. rims. IF this is true, what's the widest tires i can wear on the back of my car? Thanx in advance.
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Old Nov 4, 2001 | 08:18 PM
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Brian K's Avatar
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From: Orlando,Fl, USA


I like 235 60 R15 and 245 60R15 for the rear... I have 235 60 R 15 all the way around... Car Craft once put 245 60 R15 on the rear in 1993....
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Old Nov 4, 2001 | 10:42 PM
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From: LaFayette, NY
Car: '10 Subaru Forester
Engine: 2.5 Boxer
Transmission: 4EAT
Axle/Gears: 4.44
Most popular size for 15x7 seems to be 225/60R15 Max I'd go is 235/55R15... after that you'll probably see some balooning.
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Old Nov 5, 2001 | 08:11 AM
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From: Hotter'n Heck, Ar
I have 235/60R15 all the way around.

If the tires were any bigger they would look pretty strange.

Dale
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Old Nov 5, 2001 | 03:01 PM
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235/60R15 is the widest you SHOULD go. you can put wider on, but it's useless. I'd go with 235/60R15, since it was an optional size one year, only 4 actually had them though. '86? i can't remember now, either way go for it.
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Old Nov 5, 2001 | 09:23 PM
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From: Owingsmills, Maryland, USA
i got 235's on my car... i like them...

tire reads width/sidewall-length/rim-size
correct?
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Old Nov 6, 2001 | 10:04 AM
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From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
I had P245/60r15's as my "first" larger rear tires, on the stock 15x7 rim. The sidewall wasn't too "ballooney", either. I then put P255/70r15's on that 15x7 rim, and that sidewall was Very bulged! In fact I needed to "modify" the inner rear quarter panel with a sledgehammer to get that one to fit. It looked much better when I moved it to a 15x8 rim, and now I've got P275/60r15's back there.

As to fronts, the current size is P225/60r15, on a 15x7 rim, so I don't have too much useful info about the fronts.

------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)
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Old Nov 6, 2001 | 04:53 PM
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From: LaFayette, NY
Car: '10 Subaru Forester
Engine: 2.5 Boxer
Transmission: 4EAT
Axle/Gears: 4.44
you know why the 255/70's didn't fit? Because those are ridiculously tall tires.

Running 255's you should keep the aspect ratio down to 50 or so...
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Old Nov 6, 2001 | 06:01 PM
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Xenodrgn's Avatar
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From: Bayville NJ and Newark at NJIT.
It has nothing to do with rim height, it's all about width.

7" wide rims the widest safest you should go is 235.

8" and you can run 245's

ect...

These arn't hard fast rules... simply a safe guideline to follow.

------------------
1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

C'mon, spin 'em for papa...
http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg
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Old Nov 6, 2001 | 10:29 PM
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Black 86 'bird's Avatar
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From: Southwest Ohio
Car: 1986 Firebird, 2000 WS6
Engine: 2.8, LS1
Transmission: 700R4, T-56
Axle/Gears: Stock, Stock
I've got 255/60/R15 on the back of ny car and it looks fine. I like them.

------------------
2.8 mpfi
My only mod: Flowmaster 40 series
http://www.geocities.com/pita_j2000/MyFirebird.html?1002261961590
PICS ARE UP!!
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Old Nov 7, 2001 | 09:35 AM
  #11  
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From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ChillPhatCat:
you know why the 255/70's didn't fit? Because those are ridiculously tall tires.</font>
Really? Thanks for clearing that up! I was confused about that for a bit.

But, they weren't too tall for my car, they were too wide. I knew that before I bought them (I measured, comparing the old P245/60's to the new tire's stats). The tire fit fine on the passenger side. The problem was on the driver's side, at the bottom inside of the wheel well, forwards of the axle. There was about a 5" area that needed to be bent back, and a sledge helped out perfectly!

If it makes you feel better, the P275/60r15's are 28 inches tall, and the P255/70's were 29 inches. So, I still have a "ridiculously large tire" on the back.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)
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Old Nov 7, 2001 | 10:06 AM
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From: LaFayette, NY
Car: '10 Subaru Forester
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Transmission: 4EAT
Axle/Gears: 4.44
lol
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