Tire Size

[turbobully]

I know this has been asked a thousand times and I have searched postings with some answers but I am asking anyway. Who has put a 275 rear on the stock 15X7 wheel and what have you had to do to make it fit? next size down is a 255 what is a good street tire in both these sizes? looking for handling on an every day car not just straight line grip.

 

[TheYak]

275 50 Nitto's on the stock wheels here.... they barely fit. No modifications here. They look good by the way :wink:

 

[turbobully]

Sweet no rubbing?

 

[696]

Nittos 555 seem to be the way to go for 15's. In 16's the biggest I can find is 245/50/16 no 275

 

[Joe 1320]

Nittos 555 seem to be the way to go for 15's. In 16's the biggest I can find is 245/50/16 no 275

there are 255/50/16s out there.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=255/&ratio=50&diameter=16&x=42&y=7

 

[696]

Sorry, I meant in the Nitto 555 tires.

 

[UNGN]

If you want handling, put 235/60's on the back, unless you have a monster rear sway bar. A car with 275's on the back will understeer big time, rub the frame and generally handle worse than a car with 235's on the back.

Looking cool doesn't always = good handling.

 

[G NASTY]

I am looking at Goodyear gt in 275 60r 15. Decent tire? I want white raised letters. What will fit the front with no rubbing.

 

[UNGN]

I am looking at Goodyear gt in 275 60r 15. Decent tire? I want white raised letters. What will fit the front with no rubbing.

235/60's will fit the front with no rubbing on stock sized wheels.

 

[G NASTY]

I don't want a 28" tall tire. Is stock tire 26"?

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Stock tires are 26.6 inches tall if i remember correctly. NO tires with raised white lettering will give you what you want. raised white letter tires are for show ONLY, and they are always the makers bottom of the line tires.. I did a ton of research on that, because I too loved the white lettering, but wanted performance as well. I never did find a performance tire with white letters. Only like 4 tires, and they were all 400 grade rubber or harder, with a VERY low performance rating.

In 15 inch diameters, you're going to find either one or the other. Overall performance, or overall grip. Drag radials, or z rateds. There are some nice z rated tires in 15 inch, but they have a slightly lower profile, and don't look right on a muscle car. They will also go up in smoke if you mash the throttle. Trust me...

Everything about the turbo buicks is lost, if you use a rear tire with no significant grip. You mind as well be driving an 84 LeSabre if you use tires that don't give you awesome grip. If I were you, I'd go to a mickey thompson 275 drag radial. You may or may not need some spacers on your car. On my tires, I use a 5/16th spacer for them not to rub.
(by the way, don't get the bfg's. they suck)

 

[UNGN]

Stock Tire height is 26.1"

Tire selection depends on what you want to do with the car:

1) If you are talking non drag radials and you drive 20,000 miles on the the street in 3 season weather, go regular radials, 235/60 in front and 255/60 in back.

2) If you want to hook on the street, take it to the track occasionally and drive 10,000 miles in 3 season weather (as long as you realise you don't have rain tires in back), put regular 235/60's in front and 275/60 NITTOS DR's in back.

3) If you want to hook on the street, go to the track a lot and only drive 3,000 miles on warm, dry days, put 235/60's in the front and 275/60 MT DR's in back.

A taller tire will hook better than a shorter tire, which Is why I'd recommend 255's over 235 for regular radials in back.

 

[G NASTY]

They car will prob see zero track time for the first 2 years while I take car of the cosmetics and interior and do some mods. I want a stock hight tire with the raised white letters. Really not concerned with performance out if these just looks. I will buy DRs when I start hitting the track. So what is the widest width I can get on stock ttype wheels with no rubbing and not changing the diameter.

 

[G NASTY]

And thanks for all the help... I am taking baby steps with all this modding

 

[UNGN]

They car will prob see zero track time for the first 2 years while I take car of the cosmetics and interior and do some mods. I want a stock hight tire with the raised white letters. Really not concerned with performance out if these just looks. I will buy DRs when I start hitting the track. So what is the widest width I can get on stock ttype wheels with no rubbing and not changing the diameter.

The Widest tire with stock tire height an no rubbing is 235/60's.

I've run 245/60's all around on my T-type back in the 90's and it handled great, but that isn't a popular size any more and they rubbed slightly in front.

275/50's are stock tire height (except for nittos, which are 1/2" shorter than stock), but they will rub the frame when you go around corners fast.

255/60's are about an inch taller than stock, but our low revving, high torque engines could use a taller tire in back.

 

[turbojd]

I run the 255-60-15's on the street also, the 235-60-15's will only rub slightly up front when the wheel is fully turned one way, not a big deal.

 

[EatM up]

i know you have been saying alot of 255/60 but i have a set of 255/70/15 will they fit all the way around the buick?

 

[turbojd]

According to the tire chart, a 255-70-15 is 29" tall, thats a 3" jump in height from the stock tire height.

 

[UNGN]

i know you have been saying alot of 255/60 but i have a set of 255/70/15 will they fit all the way around the buick?

Not even close in front (255/50 is the tallest in front and they will rub). They'll fit in back (they might snag a WOM on a large bump, however), but that size would work better on a Pickup.

 

[EatM up]

yeah i just had them new on my old cop caprice car i took them off before i sold it now i have no use for them lol