biggest/widest front tires?

[andymac0035]

How big/wide a tire can you get away with up front?

I want to run the same size tire front and back (I know there is more room out back).

Was going to go with 225/70/15, but read somthing about 255/60/15 fitting?

Is that with or without rubbing/hitting at full lock?

The goal would be the fat-tired look with better handling.

I currently have 215/70/15's. No intentions of lowering.
A slight lift would actually be more usefull to me.

[Lincolnmania]

i wouldnt go bigger than a 245/60/15 on stock wheels

[mrltd]

245/255 on a stock wheel will not give any better handling. It will make handling worse.

225/70/15 is a STOCK size (look at the tire placard on the doorjamb) for police cars. Fits fine


335/35/17s fit with a little work.



This has been discussed in length previously, search string "widest tire" here are a few of the results

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=29299&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=24908&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=17872&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=7835&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=6096&highlight=widest+tire

[85MercPark]

the 255/60/15 I had would rub on the front fender...

[andymac0035]

Well, my plan was originally to get some 15x7 ranger explorer wheels for next summer and run 225's on my steelies for this winter. Then I got offered a deal on a set of late 90's towncar alloys for $50. They are only 15x6.5. Trying to decide if I should hold out for 15x7's or not.

Thanks for the links, I'll give them a look. I did look through the stickies above, just didn't see what I was looking for.

245/255 on a stock wheel will not give any better handling. It will make handling worse.

225/70/15 is a STOCK size (look at the tire placard on the doorjamb) for police cars. Fits fine


335/35/17s fit with a little work.



This has been discussed in length previously, search string "widest tire" here are a few of the results

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=29299&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=24908&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=17872&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=7835&highlight=widest+tire

http://grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.p...ht=widest+tire

[andymac0035]

the 255/60/15 I had would rub on the front fender...

How bad did they rub? Because that is what I'm concerned about.

I used to have a 1999 for ranger 4x2. It came stock with 15x7 wheels and 225/70/15's.




Then I put some 275/6015's on it. Wow! What a difference! Handles a lot better too.



But I'm sure that ranger had more clearance than my CV.

Basically, I (personally) think 225/70/15's don't look as good on a 15x7 as they do on a 15x6.5.
But If I could clear 255's then I would want the 15x7.

When I was picking out the tires for that ranger I had 3 sizes laid out side by side.
225/70/15, 255/60/15, and 275/60/15.
The 255 was the shortest (0.5" shorter than the 225)
Then the 225/70/15
and the 275 (which was 0.5" taller).

A 255/60/15 on ranger wheels (if it cleared) would be ideal for my CV as it matches the hight of my stock 215/70/15's.

I wasn't planning to think about this so soon, but I would like to make up my mind as to whether I should get those towncar wheels or not.

[87gtVIC]

I have 225 70 15 installed on my turbines. No rub. Handling is not great though. A LOT of screeching on wide turns, of course with excessive speed.

[1987cp]

Install no larger than 255/60/15 on stock wheels. That's actually already wider than apprporiate and will lead to excessive wear in the center of the tire. I didn't personally experience any rubbing with that size on stock wheels with about 1" front suspension drop.

A possibly desirable size, provided you're willing to change the speedo gear and possibly lower the suspension so it looks right, would be 265/50/15. However, I can only find that size available in Cooper Cobras or Mastercraft Avengers, and you definitetly do not want to try those tires on stock wheels.

[andymac0035]

I have/had no intentions of putting anything bigger than 225/70/15 on my stock wheels.
I intend to use my stock wheels for running snow tires this coming winter.

I would like to get some aluminum alloy wheels by next summer.

Putting 255/60/15's on some 15x7 wheels would be great, if they won't rub my front fenders.
........this point seems to be debatable. Do some panther's have more clearance than others?

[Grand Marquis GT]

I've dne 255/60R15's on 15X7s up front with no problems.

[andymac0035]

Hmmmmm........

Well, if the 255's are okay then I may have to pass on those lincoln wheels.
Too bad though, $50 is cheap for a set of 4.

For a bit there I thought I'd eventually end up with 2 sets of 225's (summer and winter).

I need to get a full-size spare too. So if I go for 255's next year I may want to get 215's for my snow tires (and spare).
.......That way all my tires will be the same hight/diameter.

[1987cp]

Yeah, definitely don't bother with another set of 6.5" wheels if you're looking at getting wider tires.

One random thought: have you considered 16" wheels? Factory 16x7 wheels aren't the choice for a really wide tire (not that many seem to be available in 16" these days ...), but a 235/60/16 does make for some quite respectable handling, and you can get a H or V rated tire pretty cheap (don't need it for top speed, but the stiffer carcass makes for more responsive cornering).

[andymac0035]

I have considered 16" wheels. My father-in-law has an 88 Mark VII LSC.
He got some different wheels and will eventually be taking the stock LSC 16" turbines off of it.
Don't know how wide the LSC turbines are, but he said I could have them if I wanted them.
But it's my understanding that I won't be able to use the centers?
And for whatever reason I seem to be stuck on wanting 15's.
Also I really REALLY don't like lowprofile tires. I actually have considered 14's (if they will fit?)

I can say for sure that I don't want anything shorter than I already have.
Ground clearance is actually an issue where I live. That is why I was condsidering going to 225's summer and winter.......well that and I was starting to think I couldn't go wider without rubbing.

[1987cp]

I don't personally know much about Lincoln wheels .... supposedly some do use an odd 5 on 4.25" bolt pattern that just means they won't bolt on to your stock hubs. Other than that, I don't know of any issues with fitting them onto your car. I'd say, try them on, and if they go on, they should work.

'79 through I about '81 or so came with 14" wheels on the base model, and they do give the car a real old-fashioned look if that's what you like. You can probably even order new OE replacement 14x6 wheels from the Tire Rack. You may still need to change speedo gears, though, as if I remember correctly, 27" OD tires for 14" wheels are getting a bit hard to find.

You may well be happy with a 225/70/15 on your original wheels, as if nothing else, that was indeed a factory tire option for several years.

[merc91]

with a stock offset the biggest you can go without rubbing is 235/70/15's. i have BFG 225/70/15's in the front and 275/60/15's in the rear and it handles nice, and keeping stock front offset is what keeps your handling good and turning geometry on cue. so i would suggest keeping front offset the same.
if you havn't already, you will want some stiffer shocks and springs tho because these stock waterbeds have a heck allot of travel which limits tire size.