205/55 or 215/50 on 5.5" rim?

[drifter136]

Right now I am on the stock 15" x 5.5" steelies, but will eventually upgrade to 15" x 6.5" or 7" rims. Until then, will the 205 be too wide for the 5.5" rim? According to Whalentire.com's chart, a 5.5" rim is the minimum width you'd want for a 205 and wanted your opinions. What about the 215?

Also, I'm looking at getting the Kumho ASX tire. Anyone use these? I want good wet and dry traction and decent snow. I don't drive overly aggressive, but want something that I can feel confident in on corners.

[SilverY2KCivic]

Originally Posted by drifter136

Right now I am on the stock 15" x 5.5" steelies, but will eventually upgrade to 15" x 6.5" or 7" rims. Until then, will the 205 be too wide for the 5.5" rim? According to Whalentire.com's chart, a 5.5" rim is the minimum width you'd want for a 205 and wanted your opinions. What about the 215?

Also, I'm looking at getting the Kumho ASX tire. Anyone use these? I want good wet and dry traction and decent snow. I don't drive overly aggressive, but want something that I can feel confident in on corners.

Absolutely that's too wide of a tire. On 5.5 you can't go any wider than 195 width. On a 6.5 wide wheel, the sizes to use are 195 (standard) or 205 (the widest). My 7J width wheels use 215 width tires, and normally it would be a 205 tire. Unless you need tires right now, just wait to get tires when you get the new wheels.

As for tires to feel confident in the corners with, I haven't heard anything about the Kumho ASX. In fact from personal experience as well as recommendation from frieds, I'd never buy a Kumho tire again unless it was the MX maybe. Any tire below the 712's suck for their performance ones. The 712's are inconsistant in quality, you can end up with crappy ones or good ones, just depends on the batch. The 711's are alright in the dry and a death trap in the rain.

Tires I have experience with are the Kumho 711's, Yokohama ES100's, Falken Azenis Sports, and my just gotten last week, Hankook R-S2 Z212's which I feel so far are the best tire I've owned yet, even better than the Azenis Sport RT-215's. For you I'd recommend the Yoko ES100's, or the Dunlop Direzzas or for a cheaper tire with good grip, the Falken Ziex 512's. All are good tires for handling performance as well as decent enough to be safe in wet weather. Another tire to add to that list is the Bridgestone Potenza RE 950s which I've also driven on before. They stick as well in the rain as they do in the dry which is almost always unheard of with tires, very good tires I'd have to say.

[CivicSiRacer]

Nah I had my 205/50x15" Azenis tires on my 15x6" OEM Si wheels. While not the best setup it's better than 195 width tires. Problem going to be is finding a place that can put a 205 tire on a 5.5" wide rim.

I put 195 wide tires on my stock steelies back in 1998. And I think those were 5" wide.

[snowman2005]

how do u figure out the widest u can put on a certain width.

[CivicSiRacer]

Originally Posted by snowman2005

how do u figure out the widest u can put on a certain width.

http://www.tirerack.com

But it's all science really:

6.0" rim can fit 175 185 195
6.5" rim can fit 185 195 205
7.0 rim can fit 195 205 215
7.5" rim can fit 205 215 225
8.0" rim can fit 215 225 235

Where the middle tire size is supposed to be the optimum for that wheel width.

[snowman2005]

good info

[CivicSiRacer]

Originally Posted by snowman2005

good info

And forgot to mention the numbers on the left are skinner than recommended. And the numbers on the right are fatter than recommended. The later will look somewhat balloonish on the wheel.

[snowman2005]

so im guessing a 5.5 rims would be 165 175 185? im just wanting a 195 rim on the 5.5 rim im trying to get. many ppl say it fit but idk

[CivicSiRacer]

Originally Posted by snowman2005

so im guessing a 5.5 rims would be 165 175 185? im just wanting a 195 rim on the 5.5 rim im trying to get. many ppl say it fit but idk

It should fit. THough you might have a hard time trying to find someone to fit that onto your wheel. Also your ride and cornering is going to suck since the tire is going to feel like a ballon on your rims.

[snowman2005]

finding someone to fit it on the rims? u dont think just local shops would do it.im pretty sure im gona go with 195/60-14 with hx rims