Will they fit?

[Jett]

Just bought 27540WR17 tires for the rear, but now I am getting cold feet.:frown: This size will fit without rubbing on stock suspension and wheels, right? I don't particularly want to use spacers, although they do make the car look better - I will if I have to though.

Size 275/40WR17 is the largest size I am interested in. If these fit I won't go any larger.

 

[Zishan]

On what wheels? OEM or Aftermarket? If aftermarket, what offsets? What size tires are you running now?

 

[Jett]

...on stock suspension and wheels...

OEM suspension, OEM wheels, alignment to 1994 Honda specs. Right now I am running 255/40WR17s on the rear - they have more than 36,000 miles on them and need replacing. The fronts (225/45/WR16s, installed at the same time) don't need to be replaced yet.

Thanks for responding. From the looks of your avatar, you have some experience with wheels and tires.

 

[Zishan]

Sorry, didn't see the OEM wheels/suspension info...

I have no experience with 275's on the stock configuration, but here is my advice.

To see if it will fit, simply reach your hand into the wheel well area. Try feeling how much space you have from the top of the tire to your OEM shock/spring. You could also lie on your back underneath the rear of the car and look at it from that direction. I'd recommend at least 15mm of space.

Now, 275's on the rear OEM wheel, I'm not sure if that would look right. I believe that size is too large for the OEM 8.5 inch wheel. It will probably fit, but might look awkward. I run 265's on a 10 inch wide wheel, although it has a very very slight stretched look to it. I think 275 are ideal on a 10 inch wide wheel.

 

[Osiris_x11]

why not just get spacers...?

For reference:



For future reference: http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp

The OEM/stock '94 rear-wheel is only 8.5" wide. Tire sizes vary across brands & models (ie. a 255/40R17 of a Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 might be slightly wider than a 255/40R17 of a Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position).

I *personally* wouldn't put a 275-series tire on an 8.5" width. Going by your past tread-life experience, I'm assuming these aren't the grippiest [sic] & stickiest of tires, so un-compromised performance/handling aren't the numero'uno priorities; therefore a large contact patch won't matter, especially for stock h.p. Not to mention the added weight of the larger tires (that's a big tire, man). . .

But, the 275/40R17 doesn't seem like it'll rub/touch the fender-liner/etc' (at the OEM-suspension's stock-height) as your only gonna be 0.63" taller than your current setup back there (and 0.95" taller vs. the stock '94 rears). Many people w/ 18" or 19" wheels in the rear are taller w/ tires relative to their '91-'93/'94-'01/'02-'05 stock wheel/tire setup, than those values just mentioned for your application. . .

Then again, I never understood the draw towards meatier rear-tires when performance wasn't the primary concern. If aesthetics/looks are of your primary concern, 15mm-25mm spacers would do wonders. Many people w/ the 16/17 OEM wheels use them. . . .

HTH!

 

[Jett]

I reached inside the wheel well after I had bought the tires. (Smooth, hunh?) I hadn't realized that the shock/spring was so close - I was more concerned about the wheel wells themselves.

I'd recommend at least 15mm of space.

I agree with your assessment that 15 mm of spacing would be about right. With 15mm spacers 275s should end up with the same spacing as the oem size without spacers. I have been looking at 15mm spacers from Science of Speed should it come to that, and I now think it is going to.

If aesthetics/looks are of your primary concern, 15mm-25mm spacers would do wonders. Many people w/ the 16/17 OEM wheels use them.

I always thought the oem tire size just looked too small and looked lost in the wheel well - I am just trying to fill it up. I agree that spacers all around make the car look better. That may be a good thing, because I am thinking I am going to need them.

The problem isn't really the size of the fender well, it is that the shock/spring is so close to the inside wall of the rear tire. Reach in directly over the top of your rear tire and feel, you will immediately see what I mean. I just learned this myself today. FWIW, the 255s fit and performed just fine.

Then again, I never understood the draw towards meatier rear-tires when performance wasn't the primary concern...that's a big tire.

Go big or go home! (I am also thinking about installing a Subaru WRX wing.) You can never have too large tires or too much wing, right?

That tire size calculator is great! Thanks for the link. I had not considered that the tires would be too large for the wheels, but I am going to have them mounted and find out. On a side note, my local gas station got this new high-tech air pump. It rocks! You digitally set your pressure and it pumps your tire up to the correct pressure, or down to the correct pressure. Doesn't really sound that different, right? This one is light years ahead of the older air pumps; it is very easy, convenient, and fast.

 

[Zishan]

Re: why not just get spacers...?

For future reference: http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp

Excellent info here, I alway forget about that calculator. Ironically, my OEM rear wheels are bald and I was wondering how 265/40/17's would look. Currently they are 255/40/17's. I figured they would look too thick.

 

[Jett]

I was wondering how 265/40/17's would look. Currently they are 255/40/17's.

As you know, the 255/40/17's fit fine. With 265s, at 10mm wider, you would be adding another 5mm to the inside. Based on my highly mathematical feel test, I think 265/40/17's would fit. But now I am thinking the 275s, which add an additional 10mm of tire to the inside, will require spacers.

 

[Jett]

I had the 275s installed. I had a set of 7mm spacers in the trunk for backup in case I needed them right away. The tires went on the oem rear wheels okay, but when installed on the car, wow are they close to the rear spring. The distance from the tire to the spring is the width of my skinny index finger - about 3/4". They haven't rubbed anything yet, but they are really close to the springs. I am going to keep running them without spacers, but I can't say as that I would recommend them - the tire just seems too too close to the spring.

If I had it to do all over again, I would go with the 255/40/17s and avoid all this drama.