Tire benefits - 205 vs 215
- Thread starter Watarski
- Start date
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16902
Watarski said:
I have 215/40s and they are definitely better than my old 205/40s. They are also taller than 205/40s so they have more sidewall and are closer in overall diameter to the stock tires than the 205/40s. Ride quality is a bit better but that could be due to brand and performance type as well.
While the wider width would help pretect the rim somewhat, it will not prevent all instances of curb rash. My suggestion would be to limit the amount of parking you do on a curb. If that's not possible, then develop the habbit of parking a little farther away from the curb.
Hello,
205's on a 7" rim would be best for handling.
215's fit best on a 7.5" rim, again, for handling.
Although 215's will provide you with marginally better curbing protection, a slightly larger contact patch and a ratio closer to the stock tires' circumference, 215's have too much roll-over (roll-over occurs during cornering) The more roll-over the less direct-ness you'll feel when steering. This is especially apparent in high g situations and you'll experience this if you do lots of spirited driving in winding highways and/or the autoX.
In your case, 215's for slightly more comfort and rim safety or, if you want the best handling, 205's with rim protection and more careful parking will be your ticket to saving your rims.
Nothing you can do to protect rims from curbing or damage casued by colliding with deep potholes. (Having said that, a 215 will protect your rims (better.)
205's on a 7" rim would be best for handling.
215's fit best on a 7.5" rim, again, for handling.
Although 215's will provide you with marginally better curbing protection, a slightly larger contact patch and a ratio closer to the stock tires' circumference, 215's have too much roll-over (roll-over occurs during cornering) The more roll-over the less direct-ness you'll feel when steering. This is especially apparent in high g situations and you'll experience this if you do lots of spirited driving in winding highways and/or the autoX.
In your case, 215's for slightly more comfort and rim safety or, if you want the best handling, 205's with rim protection and more careful parking will be your ticket to saving your rims.
Nothing you can do to protect rims from curbing or damage casued by colliding with deep potholes. (Having said that, a 215 will protect your rims (better.)
I am extremely anal about where I park, I'm the furthest guy in the lot. These rashes occured from pot holes and a drive thru touchless car wash. I do drive spirited, so I want the best handling. However, I have Kumho's. Does anyone make a 205 with rim protection? (Other than Falken?)
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P5inder said:
rollover varies with brand, sub-brand of tire within a brand, and performance type. you can't just generalize a particular size. most 215/40s are plenty stiff (especially for the street). my least responsive, weakest sidewall tire was a 205/40R17 Kumho which gave me a nice gash in my rim from a pothole. those tires felt like they would roll off of the rim in a long hard sweeper. but, in some cases, you get what you pay for.
rim protection is good.(first)
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Watarski said:
A lot of companies claim it: Yokohama and Dunlop come to mind from the tires I have looked at. I have Dunlop Direzza DZ101s. They aren't the best performing tire out there but they are great on the street and come with rim protection for a pretty decent price. I don't have a pic but they stick out about 1/2" from the rim.
used to have 205/40s and found the sidewall too low for my liking - our roads can be quite broken and full of potholes, so i was always scared of damaging the tires and/or rims. switched to 215/45s and i don't know if i will ever go to a different size, to me they just fit the car perfectly.
- :
- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
Both sizes offer rim protection for the curbs depending on the brand of tire. 40s will be less comfortable & more suseptible to pothole damaging the rim but handle better. 45s will be less suseptible to pothole damage & more comfortable but won't handle quite as good. It's a trade off to a degree.
bradicus18 said:
werd, what he said!
What kumho gave you troubles? I <3 my Kumho Ecsta MXs, they seemed awesome.
I'm sure someone has already said it but just ot reiterate, going to 215/40 does not at all equal more rim protection. My 205/40s protect my rims a hell of a lot better than my 215/40 Ecsta MXs ever did.
205/40s just look stupid on our cars though, they're too small. You have to be lowered a TON for it to look good. I'm lowered more than 2 inches in the rear, 1.6" in the front, and yeah.. it just doesn't look right with 205s (note: my sig pic is with 215/40/17
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Kansei said:
Yeah, I hear good things about the MXs. That is what I mean when I say they vary even within a brand's sub-brands. I was referring to the end-all-cheap-crappy tire the Ecsta 711. Those tires suck bad.
And still, no matter what size you go with, look for the ones with rim protection. I still believe that 205/40s are just too small. Without rim protection, a 205/40 might cost you a gash in the rim from any pothole or bump especially if your wheels are at the wrong angle. Oh, and what Kansei said about looking stupid, it really looks bad if you're not lowered.
My practice is to park next to curbs, as close to them as possible to put distance between me and the next car's wide-swinging, dent-making doors.
Consequently I rub curbs from time to time but my 512s take it--my rims are perfect. Tried them in snow last night and they were, well, decent. Great in rain and very good in dry, considering they're A/S.
On the downside, the sidewall isn't vertical so they don't look as cool as other tires, but maybe it's worth the sacrifice.
Consequently I rub curbs from time to time but my 512s take it--my rims are perfect. Tried them in snow last night and they were, well, decent. Great in rain and very good in dry, considering they're A/S.
On the downside, the sidewall isn't vertical so they don't look as cool as other tires, but maybe it's worth the sacrifice.
Attachments
Josh are those 205 or 215? 215 I'm guessing, because well my 205s look a little silly, even though theoretically it's a proper tire size for a 7inch wide wheel.
link to pic: http://picasaweb.google.com/clauretano/November2006TheCar/photo#5001196271641100306
and yeah, I'm lowered a LOT and look how stupid 205/40 looks compared to the 215/40s I had in my sig pic: http://picasaweb.google.com/clauretano/November2006TheCar/photo#5001197472282050578
It's bad enough that I seriously don't want to put my summer wheels back on when it gets warm out until I get new tires (and these have PLENTY of life on them still).
link to pic: http://picasaweb.google.com/clauretano/November2006TheCar/photo#5001196271641100306
and yeah, I'm lowered a LOT and look how stupid 205/40 looks compared to the 215/40s I had in my sig pic: http://picasaweb.google.com/clauretano/November2006TheCar/photo#5001197472282050578
It's bad enough that I seriously don't want to put my summer wheels back on when it gets warm out until I get new tires (and these have PLENTY of life on them still).
Watarski: Exel Speed wheels in gunmetal.. not available in gunmetal anymore or even in the bolt pattern of our cars. They are cheapo knockoffs of the Yokohama Advan Kreuzer V, which you can get for like $500+ per wheel plus a few months to get them imported
I know a few people on here are running the Ecsta AST, they seem pretty nice.
I really need to figure out what I'm doing for wheels/tires. I want to get some dedicated autocross tires for my stock wheels or I could sell my summer wheels/tires and get some nice looking lightweight 16s, buy some sticky tires like the Ecsta MX again, and then no need to change tires at each autocross
I know a few people on here are running the Ecsta AST, they seem pretty nice.
I really need to figure out what I'm doing for wheels/tires. I want to get some dedicated autocross tires for my stock wheels or I could sell my summer wheels/tires and get some nice looking lightweight 16s, buy some sticky tires like the Ecsta MX again, and then no need to change tires at each autocross
Maybe what you need are beadlocks, lol. That would kick ass.
http://rockcrawler-mrt.com/16inchwheel.html
http://rides.webshots.com/album/275972756iREgjD
http://rockcrawler-mrt.com/16inchwheel.html
http://rides.webshots.com/album/275972756iREgjD
- :
- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
Believe it or not I went from 1 brand of 205/40/17s to another & the new ones were actually bigger like 215s where they barely fit without rubbing & glad I didn't go for the 215s because they woulda rubbed for sure(in that brand) I wanted 215s to get away from the dash rattling effects of the previous set.
