strech tires on 9" wide wheels

[Vedubin01]

For some reason I was looking into getting a set of 16"x9" wheels and would like to know the pros-cons of ride, drive, and handling of a car with these wheels.


I have the full ground control kit if that helps.

[O 16581 72452 5]

*throws you a flame suit*

Only thing i can say is they'll look great on your car if it's the one in your signature. I'm running stretched in the rear, but i can't tell you anything about it because it's only the rear.

[Erick]

215/40/16 is the way to go Gordon. Pictures make it seem a lot more streched than it is... I learned to like it a lot.

But on Shocks/springs, the first thing I noticed was the steering response was increased. Without the flexing of the sidewalls, there's a BIG difference and I liked it.

Another thing is that you feel a lot more bumps on the road... which becomes the double edged sword of the stretch. But then again, I'm used to it with the stiff suspension that hte IE3 provides, so the extra wasnt that much more unbearable.

Hopefully later on today I'll be joining the GC crew and I'll let you know how it feels with the GCs.

- Erick
PS: I got a set of 16x9s for sale you know. ;)

[O 16581 72452 5]

I know 215/40 is the norm, but that's awfully smaller than stock, i'm personally doing 205/45, still smaller than stock, but it's at the halfway point between stock and 215/40, my 205/45s look a little goofy and out of place IMO because they're too small.

I'd shoot for a 215/45 if i were to do it again.

[Erick]

The only reason why I'd even consider trying 215/45 are the Hankook RS2s.

[joshh]

If you like it do it. But stretching a tire too far can cause problems. Like the tire not seating 100% and leaking. I know anyone with these is going to say it isn't so but I've seen these problems in person.
The other thing that can happen is the tire not giving you as much grip as if it were on a smaller rim. This has been proven. SCCA forums if you want to find it.
It's deffinately more for looks than performance. I have yet to see any autocrosser or road racer stretch a tire like that.

[f u z z]

listen to te drifter. he tells the truth.

[O 16581 72452 5]

If you like it do it. But stretching a tire too far can cause problems. Like the tire not seating 100% and leaking. I know anyone with these is going to say it isn't so but I've seen these problems in person.
The other thing that can happen is the tire not giving you as much grip as if it were on a smaller rim. This has been proven. SCCA forums if you want to find it.
It's deffinately more for looks than performance. I have yet to see any autocrosser or road racer stretch a tire like that.

It's popular for dorifto.

Are you sure the bead seating was the stretch or something else? I worked for a tire shop and had rims just not seat the bead good and would need bead sealer. When i seated the beads on my stretched tires, i had no trouble getting an awesome seal, shit sounded like a shot gun when it popped the bead up.

[O 16581 72452 5]

If you like it do it. But stretching a tire too far can cause problems. Like the tire not seating 100% and leaking. I know anyone with these is going to say it isn't so but I've seen these problems in person.
The other thing that can happen is the tire not giving you as much grip as if it were on a smaller rim. This has been proven. SCCA forums if you want to find it.
It's deffinately more for looks than performance. I have yet to see any autocrosser or road racer stretch a tire like that.

It's popular for dorifto.

Are you sure the bead seating was the stretch or something else? I worked for a tire shop and had rims just not seat the bead good and would need bead sealer. When i seated the beads on my stretched tires, i had no trouble getting an awesome seal, shit sounded like a shot gun when it popped the bead up. I see really see no reason for it not to seat like a normal bead.

[joshh]

I'm sure it depends on which tire is being used. A tire with a really stiff sidewall will not like being stretched like that.

[Erick]

^ Yes.... you dont stretch something like an RT-615.

[O 16581 72452 5]

I'm not saying you're wrong or anything, don't get me wrong, just may be something other than the stretch causing a bad bead seat. With as many tires as i worked with, i just don't see a stretch causing any issues because of the way a rim and bead is designed.

There's a steel cable ran in that bead, basically all a bead can do is flex side to side to get it on a rim while part of it is in the drop center, not expand from the inside out.

Hard to explain unless you've actually mounted tires i 'spose.

[Justin B]

I really dont mean to thread jack, but would a 205 50 15 rt615 be OK on an 8" wheel? 205mm is about exactly 8" so it shouldnt be stretched much if at all. Forgive my noobyness, but I dont know exactly what would look stretched, and Falken "suggests" a maximum of 7.5" for wheel width...I dont really want too much of a stretched look anyway. This application would be for my '02 :)

[Erick]

It'll have a light stretch. It's going to be fine.

By the way, I've mounted tires before, and unless the bead is bad, you need a ridiculous amount of pressure to be able to pop the bead off the wheel. Hard/track driving would not do that, unless 1-) the stretch is too ridiculous (like a 195 on a 9.5" wheel) or 2-) there is too much/little air in the tire... which will damage the tire before popping the bead off.

[O 16581 72452 5]

This is my 205 on an 8"



With a 50 series, it won't look as stretched...pardon my extremely dirty wheels, they polish to a mirror, i swear.