Can a Geo Metro with 12 inch tires use 13 inchers?

[DOCTORBILL]

Every time I make a move to save money, some crap like this happens.

Twelve inch tires are now more expensive than 14 inch tires!

Question - can I find 13 inch rims that will fit a '93 Geo Metro with 12 inch tires?

Would those rims cost me my left testicle (actually it is worthless!) ?

Would it screw up anything more than the speedometer to use a tire
one inch more in diameter ?

DoctorBill

[302Z28]

I have a '92 Metro that I installed 185/70/13 Toyo Spectrum tires on. It rides and handles great, aside from the speedo being out of calibration. There are some 13" wheels that will fit the Metro bolt pattern. I went to the local Les Schwab and had them match the bolt pattern, then purchased a set of their "snow wheels". They are plain rims, but will adapt the 13" tire to the Metro. I have put over 100K on the car with the 13" tires, and have not experienced any clearance issues. It would appear that just once in my lifetime, I finally made a good decision!

[DOCTORBILL]

[quote=302Z28]I have a '92 Metro that I installed 185/70/13 Toyo
Spectrum tires on. It rides and handles great, aside from the speedo
being out of calibration. There are some 13" wheels that will fit the
Metro bolt pattern.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I wish I had known all this before I had purchased four 12 inch rims for
snow tires here in Spokane. $60 total cost.

If I went out and found 13 inch rims NOW that fit the car, I would have
to spend the difference I would save on 13 inch tires vs 12 tires...
No one would buy the 12 inch rims back - or trade them in.

How much is your speedometer off? You could tape a cut out paper
rim over it with new speed marks! If done nicely, it wouldn't look
bad....

Do you happen to know which car those 13 inch rims were for?

Thanks for the info!

DoctorBill

[{LK} Mario]

i bought my 96 geo with 13'' rims already on it. im not sure exactly what they were off of though? sry i cant be off more assistance

[Crvett69]

95 and up metros came stock with 13" rims. you have to be carefull putting the 13" rims in place of the 12" ones. the lug holes in the rim are a lot bigger on the 13" ones and to get them to work safely you have to either install bigger wheel studs or buy special lug nuts

[serenity]

Doctorbill My 1992 lsi convertible came standard with 13" wheels I do not know if my lug nuts or roters and drums are different from other metros or not but I think that the bolt pattern are the same. I believe tha most of the convertibles had 13" wheels I'm thinking check your local salavge yard to see if there are any lsi and or convertibles there. If the are the same lug nut pattern they can't cost all that much. Good luck

[Roadblister]

My 94 came with 12" rims too and I've had troubles with my tires as well. One problem has been getting 12" tires but on top of that my tires only last about a year before I start having trouble with the side walls. I think it's because of the speeds I go on the interstate and access ramps. I commute one-way to work about 80 miles and it takes it's toll. So I found some used 13" rims for sale in the classifieds. The guy said they came off of a Nissan but I'm not convinced he was sure. Anyway they fit perfectly including the lugs.

From here I'm going to buy some Falken Ziex Ze 512 175/60-13 tires from http://www.edgeracing.com/tire/913/ and these should have an overall height about the same as the original setup. Hopefully the lower profile will add the performance I need to make the turns without stressing the side walls as much too.

Thom