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i want to put 175/55 up front and 195/55 in rear. what matching brand can you recommend. for some reason i am having a hard time coming up with this
thanks guys
thanks guys
tires
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Just be sure you won't run into problems with these tire size choices. You're looking at almost a 4% stagger from front to rear, and the OEM stagger is roughly 1.5%. This may trigger your stability control system at higher speeds and especially when cornering at higher speeds.
No one has definitively said what amount of stagger will create problems on a Smart but on my other vehicle, deviating more than about 1.5% from the OEM stagger is enough to create significant problems with the active handling.
No one has definitively said what amount of stagger will create problems on a Smart but on my other vehicle, deviating more than about 1.5% from the OEM stagger is enough to create significant problems with the active handling.
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i didn't think there would be a problem. stock 155 front and 175 rear=2 sizes difference
proposed change 175 front and 195 rear=2 sizes difference
i know this will affect the speedometer
hope someone else has some input or may have tried this setup
i went with the 175 cause that is the largest tire that will fit a 4.5. i would rather have 5 inch rims but can't find any used...yet. not getting the tires just yet but wanted the info for when the time comes if need be. i would rather have 195 on all corners. with that said since the system is set up for a stagger why wouldn't 4 equal size tires cause a stability control problem since the tires are sending different signals than what it was programmed for(no stagger).
proposed change 175 front and 195 rear=2 sizes difference
i know this will affect the speedometer
hope someone else has some input or may have tried this setup
i went with the 175 cause that is the largest tire that will fit a 4.5. i would rather have 5 inch rims but can't find any used...yet. not getting the tires just yet but wanted the info for when the time comes if need be. i would rather have 195 on all corners. with that said since the system is set up for a stagger why wouldn't 4 equal size tires cause a stability control problem since the tires are sending different signals than what it was programmed for(no stagger).
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Your front tire is a 155/60-15 and your rear tire is a 175/55-15.
Even if the aspect ratios are the same, the larger tire will grow more in diameter if you increase both by the same width. That's because the height is determined by the width times the aspect ratio (which is expressed as a percentage).
Many installers will not put a 175/55-15 on a 4.5" wide rim. Even if they would, pinching a tire like this results in sidewalls that are not at an optimum angle. Your handling will become mushy because the rim is too narrow, and it will increase the tendency of your front tires to tramline.
Tires in size 175/55R15 and 195/50R15 do come on wheels that were optional on the 451, as Huronlad kindly noted. Taller rear tires were suggested by misterbadexample, but his ABS reluctor rings as far as I know are/were shot when he used this combo.
www.tirerack.com can help list matching front and rear. If I really wanted to stagger the 175/55 with 195/55, and that is not 195/50 and 195/55 is not a typo, I would not care front and rear are not the same brand/model. You can also see under specs the rim width range allowable for the tires in question. Not sure which rims your car has, so can't really tell what size they are, and can't see which size would reasonably fit.
www.tirerack.com can help list matching front and rear. If I really wanted to stagger the 175/55 with 195/55, and that is not 195/50 and 195/55 is not a typo, I would not care front and rear are not the same brand/model. You can also see under specs the rim width range allowable for the tires in question. Not sure which rims your car has, so can't really tell what size they are, and can't see which size would reasonably fit.
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my front Continentals are 175/55. i called tirerack today and they said the 175 would not work on the 4.5 rims whereas discount tire said they would fit ok. also tirerack would not sell me the tires (saying they are now liable that they know i want to change my tire sizes other than stock and what kind of car it was). i thanked him and told him i would relieve them of any liability and call back and using a different name, phone# and car make and he just hung up on me. tirerack said the only 175 they showed was the continental and i know there has to be another out there besides them but i haven't found any yet.
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You also need to watch the other variables for the tires such as speed rating, and load range. all tires are not the same. I have never had an issue with any size tires I have got from Tire Rack, except when ordering the stock size tires. And that was because of the different size front to rear. Once I said it was for a smart, they had no problems. Ordering the same size tires for all corners has never been an issue.
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That's interesting. The big-box stores usually won't install other than stock sizes due to liability, but specialty tire stores that offer performance tires and wheels are normally quite flexible because a fair chunk of their business is related to high-performance and custom vehicles, probably most of which don't confrm to stock specifications.
Were you talking to the South Bend Tire Rack location? I bought a set of four 15x6 wheels with 195/50 tires from them over the phone back in 2011. In 2012 I had pressure sensors installed in a set of four 195/50 winter tires/wheels at their location, and this past May I bought a set of 4 195/50 tires which they installed on modified (4 to 3 bolt) 15x6.5 wheels, all without question.
I also purchased non-standard tires at a couple Discount Tire locations in the Orlando area. In fact, they sold and installed tires on custom widened (6.5" and 7.5") wheels on one of my turbo smarts.
It's likely that the person on the phone doesn't have the expertise to answer voluminous questions. They may be trying to help, but they may also be simply trying to disengage.
It has been my experience that Discount Tire employees are driven by what the computer data base tells them. Any deviations from OEM will usually be flagged by sales or at installation. This includes number of flat repairs and the age of the tire when you go back for repairs, rotations and such.
This no doubt is in the interest of DT customer safety and LIABILITY.
As jsenka suggests, Mom & Pop specialty/speed shops can be more accommodating.
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I guess my point really was that my experiences with DT and TR were very positive and clear cut.
That said, I didn't request anything that was outside of industry-recommended tire size/wheel width guidelines, or ask them to install unreasonable tire/wheel combinations. I knew what I wanted and why, and had enough confidence in my choices to assure them that I knew what I was asking for.
I also have no doubt that they would have sent me packing if I wanted something that was clearly unsafe, off-the-wall, or indefensible liability-wise.
That said, I didn't request anything that was outside of industry-recommended tire size/wheel width guidelines, or ask them to install unreasonable tire/wheel combinations. I knew what I wanted and why, and had enough confidence in my choices to assure them that I knew what I was asking for.
I also have no doubt that they would have sent me packing if I wanted something that was clearly unsafe, off-the-wall, or indefensible liability-wise.
Ditto, and I have no problem with DT & TR looking out for the safety of the motoring public.
Discount Tire was very proactive in the selection of my latest tire upgrade especially with regard to the profile and circumference!
@TRobinson6. Try Hankook for your tire size. I know they make them, because my '09 Brabus came stock with them on the front on a 5.5x15 wheel. Hankook 175/55-15 Ventus V4 ES.
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Has anyone tried Westlake RP18 195/55r15 tires? What was your opinion of them?
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