tires on 7.5" and 9" rims?

[ColdAccord]

OK this question has been asnwered in euro-look terms. But I don't really want stretched sidewalls

I love the look, don't get me wrong. I just want something more practical.

ok so my rims are 16x7.5 in front 16x9 in rear

up front, I would assume I need 215/xx/16

in back, would 225/xx/16 be right? i think 235 would fit better, but will that rub?

what size sidewalls should I get?

for reference; my car is an 87 so it has the high arches, and it will be lowered with h&r sports, so it will be 1.3" lower all around.

[Digitalwave]

Well, if you don't want stretched tires you should be looking at 225/45-16 front and around a 245/40-16 rear.

[C ///M]

Well, if you don't want stretched tires you should be looking at 225/45-16 front and around a 245/40-16 rear.

AFAIK, no one makes a 245/40R16. That is the problem with 16s on an e30. The tire choices are awful. You'd be a lot better going oversized in order to get the correct staggered setup to get a tire that would protect the rim, but in order to do so, you'd need rolled fenders and a very stiff suspension.

Since you are sticking with Sport Springs, your best bet would be 205/50R16 front and 225/45R16 out back. I think this would be a perfect setup for you. It isn't a stretched look, but the rear wheel isn't really protected by a tire. It is the maximum "stretched" look I would appreciate, and by saying that, I mean it isn't stretched. The rear tire isn't quite wide enough for the wheel, but it still looks great and you'll have some very nice traction. You won't notice any understeer with the staggered setup unless you're a track junky.

Here is Bert's car with 16x9 B1's all the way around and 225/45R16 tires.

I recommend you PM him on how his fitment was with clearance and whatnot. You'll have absolutely no trouble up front, and you should be perfectly fine in the rear with the higher arches and correct offset wheels. I believe you'd be running 7.5" up front with a 25mm offset and the 9" rears only come with a 15mm offset, which is a little deep. So you may want to roll those fenders atleast in the rear. Rolled fenders are cooler anyway...haha.

[ColdAccord]

i wonder if I could fit 235s on the back

[C ///M]

There aren't any 235 tires you can use. Like i said, tire choices in 16" for e30 fitment suck. Like I said, your only choice is the 205/50s and 225/45s. Your ONLY OTHER OPTION is to go oversized, and you literally can't do that without some nicely rolled fenders, very stiff springs, and thick sways.

[ColdAccord]

i don't want more sidewall roll

[Ryan Stewart]

Well I have 225 up front on 7' and 245 on 8' in back on 16s. 45 series both:

ES100s:

http://photos.imageevent.com/rstewart/body/websize/fronttire.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/rstewart/body/websize/tires.jpg

If the offset is perfect it will fit. Mine were 28. Rear arch rolling is a MUST.

[C ///M]

i don't want more sidewall roll

All I can tell you then, is you're gonna have to change your suspension plans or change your wheel plans. There simply isn't a tire wide enough for a 9x16 inch wheel and e30 overall diameter fitment. The only way to get a tire wider than a 225 for the rear is to run oversized.

Ryan, remember his rear will be an inch wider than yours and he wants a tread width pretty much equal to 9 inch wide wheel (overall width of a 9" wheel is most likely around 9.75 inches lip to lip). That comes out to around 245mm.