front runner skinny tire suggests

[Nasty]

My car came with skinny fronts on it, can't replace them with anything else at this time. The fronts I believe are 4.5". The tires on there now look like a cheapie 165r15 T rated. Being I will be running drag radials, I would like to keep my selection to radials. I also would like to be as close to the 26" height as I can. Cost at this time is important, the budget is limited-so MT Sportman radials are not an option or I would have them by now.

The only tire I can find rated for this wheel size, and be about 26" is the Kumho Powerstar 165/80R15 and is T rated. The price is right, but backordered locally.

I was pondering going wider, say a 205/70TR15 as some manufactures list them for as small as a rim as 5". That seems pretty close, but not sure how safe it would be. Anyone else using that size on front skinnies???

Suggestion welcome.

Thanks

 

[jevans]

I would take a look at Mickey Thompson Sportman's, I've ran them on quite a few street cars. I have 26X7.5's on my GN and they ride and handle nice...

 

[toofastforyou]

I have some regular P215-75-R15's mounted on narrow front rims. If you want less height, then use some P205-75-R15's...

Claude :smile:

 

[Nasty]

I have some regular P215-75-R15's mounted on narrow front rims. If you want less height, then use some P205-75-R15's...

Claude :smile:

Do you think they are safe on a smaller rim than suggested by the tire manufacture?

 

[Pablo]

You don't want to run radials on skinnies. Radials are designed to deflect a lot more under load than bias ply tires which in a normal tire size is fine and gives a smoother ride with less rolling resistance. The problem with skinnies is that you are now asking a tire that is not very good at holding its shape to hold up way more lbs per square inch than it should. This is why radials on skinnies always look like they are flat, and handle like crap.

The fact that your rear tires are drag radials is nearly irrelevant since you are running drastically different sized wheels and tires anyway. The only thing a bias ply tire is going to do is give you a somewhat harsher ride. In a suspension tuned for all radial tires of a given size, then you might expect to have a harsher ride on one end of the car than the other. Not really a big deal and like I said, in your case, with the drastically different tire sizes, it doesn't make a difference anyway since you are already going to have by default, a different level of compliancy end to end.

I highly suggest getting some bias ply tires designed for skinnies. I used to run radials on my skinnies until I researched the above information. Going to bias ply MT sportsman (4 ply) was one of the best things I ever did.

 

[VictoryTrans86]

I def. agree with using the Mickey Thompson sportsmans....but guys...one of the first thing he said was they were out of the question due to a budget, or he would already have them. I have 205/75's on my car on a 4.5" rim which is smaller than they recommend, and I have no problems. It's about the same width but an 1" shorter than the 215/75's mentioned above which are about 28" tall I believe. Its slightly wider than I would have liked, but I also like the 27" height so I don't have too much of that raked look in the front. They ride nice on the street, and I know a guy w/ a mustang that has run high 10's w/ them, but I'm sure thats pushing the speed rating

 

[d0n_3d]

M/T Sportsman fronts here on 15x4 Weld Alumastars

tire size is 28x7.5 (actually 27" tall and 4.5" wide