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Thread: Tallest fitting tires?

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    Tallest fitting tires?

    In an effort to heighten the ride by a bit, and to increase the drive gear ratios, I was wondering what the tallest tires are that fit the 15" rims?

    I've taken a look at the picture, and it seems I can make gear ratio about 10% taller (deducted from the pictures), by increasing the tires from the stock 175 55 R15 size.

    While it will lower MPG, it's also possible to increase traction a bit by making them a bit wider.
    It will also soften the ride a bit...

    Doing this, one can use 5mm wheel spacers (cheap) online, to take care of the offset.
    5mm = 0.2", which means our tires can have a max width increase of 0.4".
    Which means a 185 will be the widest setting.
    To get 10% on 185, it'll be 65.
    So a 185 65 R15 should fit (with 5mm (0.2")spacers below the rims); will get you an 8.5% increase in speed vs RPM.

    Going a size down,
    180 70 R15 should be the best possible tire swap. It gets a 10.2% increase in speed per RPM, and is 0.2" wider. Tire width shouldn't affect MPG by much (1-2MPG at most)
    One could use a 0.1" (2mm) spacer, or probably even run it without spacer.
    With spacer looks cooler though!

    My question is, if anyone has ever tried it, and if any larger sizes were viable to equip the car with?



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    Quote Originally Posted by ProDigit View Post
    . Going a size down,
    180 70 R15 should be the best possible tire swap. It gets a 10.2% increase in speed per RPM, and is 0.2" wider. Tire width shouldn't affect MPG by much (1-2MPG at most)
    One could use a 0.1" (2mm) spacer, or probably even run it without spacer.
    With spacer looks cooler though!

    My question is, if anyone has ever tried it, and if any larger sizes were viable to equip the car with?
    Most good tire shops would recommend staying within 3% variance on tire diameter. Many members seem quite happy with 185/55r15 tires, which are 1.8% larger diameter than factory 175/55r15 tires. 185/55r15 will fit on factory 15" rims & should work fine without any issues.

    https://tiresize.com/comparison/

    I am not sure a 180/70r15 tire exist? Likewise, if you meant 185/70r15 that is also a dead end on the Walmart site at least. You will find some 185/70r15 tires, but that is not a popular size tire. Tirerack.com sells a 185/70R15 89W N3(Porsche) Pirelli P6000 for approximately $304/tire.

    185/65r15 is a popular tire size in general, but it's quite a jump in size for a Mirage (8.4% diameter variance).

    As far as tire width & traction goes, increased width does not increase tractions in all conditions. Adding a wider tire to my Mirage during the winter months would really hinder its hill climbing ability. In snow conditions, I will take a narrow tire over an wider tire, especially on small lightweight FWD cars.
    Last edited by Mark; 05-17-2020 at 07:38 PM.

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    Yeah, the meaning is to get a taller gear ratio, so the tires you recommend with 1% variable, aren't going to cut it.
    However, if there was a cheap tire out there that's been tested to work, with taller diameter than the 8%, would be awesome!

    I live in FL, we don't have snow to worry about.
    And wider tires would increase grip during rain, but especially on the dry tarmac, (85% of our driving is under these conditions, where the little extra tire allow one to faster exit/enter the highway ramps.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ProDigit View Post
    Yeah, the meaning is to get a taller gear ratio, so the tires you recommend with 1% variable, aren't going to cut it.
    However, if there was a cheap tire out there that's been tested to work, with taller diameter than the 8%, would be awesome!

    I live in FL, we don't have snow to worry about.
    And wider tires would increase grip during rain, but especially on the dry tarmac, (85% of our driving is under these conditions, where the little extra tire allow one to faster exit/enter the highway ramps.
    A large heavy tire is not going to help your Mirage accelerate faster. It will take more power to get a heavy tire up to speed. I suspect your acceleration will be less. Likewise, stopping will be harder (larger rotating tires will have more inertia) & may wear out your brakes faster. Mass & inertia go together. Increased mass increases inertia, & it will require more force to get an object moving. That's why I can blow away a school bus at the stop lights with a motorcycle or my Mirage. Likewise, it takes more force to stop more mass once it's moving.

    I just googled "do wider tires give more traction in the rain" & this is the first quote that comes up -

    "In the wet, a narrower tire cuts through standing water more easily, giving it the edge over something wider. ... And, you have to take tire types into consideration as well. A wide all-season might not give you as much grip as a narrower summer tire, with a performance-focused tread design and compound." Jun 22, 2018

    I already answered your question for you, however. You gave the size 180/70r15, which I don't think even exists, & I countered that with a 185/65r15 tire that is + 8.4% in diameter (compared to a 175/55r15). As far as cheap tires goes, Walmart lists 252 different types of 185/65r15 tires. I gave you a popular size. I'm sure you can find a cheap, crappy tire or a top-of-the-line tire in that size.

    Will a 185/65r15 tire work without rubbing? Someone else will have to answer that for you. At 60 mph you would be going approximately 65 mph with that size tire. I would suspect a tire that size would void any future warranty claims, but that may not be important to you?

    Top Fuel has been using 185/55r15 tires for years. I believe he's considered trying a 185/65r15, but I don't think he's done that yet. He would be a good person to ask (send him a personal email via the forum).

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    Quote Originally Posted by ProDigit View Post
    In an effort to heighten the ride by a bit, and to increase the drive gear ratios, I was wondering what the tallest tires are that fit the 15" rims?
    It's not if the tire fits on the wheel...it's will the tire fit on the car without rubbing. As far as I have been able to determine, a 185-60-15 will fit on a Mirage (with the correct wheel) without rubbing anything. It's close...especially up front. But it will work. If someone is reading this and they have lowering springs, then all bets are off on what will fit without rubbing.

    Here's a forum member (kerk) with 185-60-15 tires on 15x5.5" wheels...

    Name:  mirage_with_185-60s.jpg
Views: 3882
Size:  94.1 KB

    FYI... I have been running 185-55-15 tires for almost 90,000 miles on my car and have had zero clearance issues with them.

    My next set of tires will be 185-60-15. I decided to go with this size (instead of 185-55) for a couple of reasons:

    1. 185-60-15 is a common tire size in the US. Tire Rack carries 43 tires in this size (Discount Tire carries 47), including low rolling resistance, snow tires, name brand, off brand, etc. These tires are often less expensive than 185-55-15s which are much less common.

    2. 185-60-15s are 1.3" taller than 165-65-14 or 175-55-15s. Running these tires will drop my freeway RPMS at 60mph by about 200 RPMS. Not exactly a 6th gear...but close to a 5.5 gear. My speedometer will probably be off by about 3 MPH at 60mph (edit: it's off by almost 5mph @ 60mph)...but that's not a big concern to me. I just want something to drop my RPMs on the freeway.

    Here's a quick chart comparing these tires:

    Name:  185-60-15.jpg
Views: 6154
Size:  87.2 KB

    If you are concerned at all about fuel mileage, I would certainly not just slap any 185-60-15 on the car without considering Low Rolling Resistance options. Lowering your RPMS slightly won't save you any fuel mileage if you buy non-LRR tires.

    My preference is the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus, which is the OEM tire used on the Prius and Nissan Leaf. These tires combine high fuel mileage and long tread life. Check my fuel log...I've been running the same set of 15" Ecopias for almost 90,000 miles (yes...they need to be replaced) .


    EDIT - I switched to 185-60-15 tires and have zero rubbing issues on a stock-suspension car. These tires cut my freeway RPMS by about 200. I can now run 65mph at 3,000 RPMs.
    Last edited by Top_Fuel; 09-20-2021 at 03:05 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Top_Fuel View Post
    It's not if the tire fits on the wheel...it's will the tire fit on the car without rubbing. As far as I have been able to determine, a 185-60-15 will fit on a Mirage (with the correct wheel) without rubbing anything. It's close...especially up front. But it will work. If someone is reading this and they have lowering springs, then all bets are off on what will fit without rubbing.

    Here's a forum member (kerk) with 185-60-15 tires on 15x5.5" wheels...

    Name:  mirage_with_185-60s.jpg
Views: 3882
Size:  94.1 KB

    FYI... I have been running 185-55-15 tires for almost 90,000 miles on my car and have had zero clearance issues with them.

    My next set of tires will be 185-60-15. I decided to go with this size (instead of 185-55) for a couple of reasons:

    1. 185-60-15 is a common tire size in the US. Tire Rack carries 43 tires in this size (Discount Tire carries 47), including low rolling resistance, snow tires, name brand, off brand, etc. These tires are often less expensive than 185-55-15s which are much less common.

    2. 185-60-15s are 1.3" taller than 165-65-14 or 175-55-15s. Running these tires will drop my freeway RPMS at 60mph by about 200 RPMS. Not exactly a 6th gear...but close to a 5.5 gear. My speedometer will probably be off by about 3 MPH at 60mph...but that's not a big concern to me. I just want something to drop my RPMs on the freeway.

    Here's a quick chart comparing these tires:

    Name:  185-60-15.jpg
Views: 6154
Size:  87.2 KB

    If you are concerned at all about fuel mileage, I would certainly not just slap any 185-60-15 on the car without considering Low Rolling Resistance options. Lowering your RPMS slightly won't save you any fuel mileage if you buy non-LRR tires.

    My preference is the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus, which is the OEM tire used on the Prius and Nissan Leaf. These tires combine high fuel mileage and long tread life. Check my fuel log...I've been running the same set of 15" Ecopias for almost 90,000 miles (yes...they need to be replaced) .
    I figured you would have a good suggestion for him. 185/60r15 would be a better fit than the 185/65r15. I knew you were considering a size up (just didn't remember it quite right), & your suggestion is a good one. Anything wider/taller may have issues with rubbing.

    14-15" rims fall within a range of tires that work well with a Mirage. You can also put a huge tire on a 15" rim, but that's just not going to work on a Mirage. My cousin's 2007 Chevy Colorado has 235/75r15 tires on 15" rims. They look like all rubber & very little rim. He even bought new tires/rims a couple years ago, but I don't think he knew enough about wheels to realize that he could have upgraded to 16-17" rims quite easily. A bit silly on his part, they are shiny & new looking. I guess that was what he was going for. 15" rims are standard size for a 2007 Colorado pickup.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    I figured you would have a good suggestion for him. 185/60r15 would be a better fit than the 185/65r15. I knew you were considering a size up (just didn't remember it quite right), & your suggestion is a good one. Anything wider/taller may have issues with rubbing.

    14-15" rims fall within a range of tires that work well with a Mirage. You can also put a huge tire on a 15" rim, but that's just not going to work on a Mirage. My cousin's 2007 Chevy Colorado has 235/75r15 tires on 15" rims. They look like all rubber & very little rim. He even bought new tires/rims a couple years ago, but I don't think he knew enough about wheels to realize that he could have upgraded to 16-17" rims quite easily. A bit silly on his part, they are shiny & new looking. I guess that was what he was going for. 15" rims are standard size for a 2007 Colorado pickup.
    The rubbing should not be an issue with spacers
    The first thing tires usually do, is rub against some bushings, mounting points or suspension points.
    The fairing should have space for 3 or 3,5 inch taller tires.
    I personally like fat tires. It makes it look more like drag tires, than a thin sheet of rubber on a rim.

    I've seen some videos about people putting taller, stiffer suspension on the mirage. It might give the car a tad more clearance for even taller tires.
    What I really want to achieve, is a 20% taller final gear ratio. But that would be pretty impossible by just adjusting the tires.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ProDigit View Post
    The rubbing should not be an issue with spacers
    The first thing tires usually do, is rub against some bushings, mounting points or suspension points.
    The fairing should have space for 3 or 3,5 inch taller tires.
    I personally like fat tires. It makes it look more like drag tires, than a thin sheet of rubber on a rim.

    I've seen some videos about people putting taller, stiffer suspension on the mirage. It might give the car a tad more clearance for even taller tires.
    What I really want to achieve, is a 20% taller final gear ratio. But that would be pretty impossible by just adjusting the tires.
    From what I have read on the forum in the past, some members have had issues with 195 wide tires rubbing the outside fenders, and spacer will not help that issue. You may need different offset rims. Otherwise, spacers will just make the fender rubbing issue worst. 185/55r15 & 185/60r15 are options that have worked well for others, but go nuts! It's your car!

    Just remember that you're not adding wider tires to a 300+ hp pickup truck. Instead, you bought a wimpy 78 hp economy car.

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    Something to think about:
    Increasing width greatly increases rolling resistance. A 185 wide tyre will cause maybe about 5 to 10% less mpg than a 165 for example.
    Increasing diameter will reduce rpm, increase mpg and also reduce rolling resistance, and it will go over potholes better than a small diameter tyre.

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    Quote Originally Posted by foama View Post
    Something to think about:
    Increasing width greatly increases rolling resistance.
    A 185 wide tyre will cause maybe about 5 to 10% less mpg than a 165 for example.
    In general terms, I would not disagree with that. But if you choose a high quality Low Rolling Resistance 185 tire, my experience has been that you will not see a loss of fuel mileage compared to something like a 165 Dunlop Enasave.

    The tires I run (Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus) are 185s...but their footprint is almost identical to a 165. Bridgestone improved these tires a few years ago, and one of the things they did was to reduce the contact patch. Here's what a Dunlop Enasave 165 looks like next to an Ecopia EP422 Plus 185...

    Name:  185_Ecopia.jpg
Views: 4676
Size:  76.6 KB


    Quote Originally Posted by ProDigit View Post
    The rubbing should not be an issue with spacers...
    Here's a quote from a guy on the fuelly website. This guy has 185-60-15s on 15x5.5 Mini Cooper wheels (just like the photo in post 5)...

    ...At certain points in turning the front wheels the outer edge of the tread is so close to the fender liners that I can't stick my finger between them.

    ...Never heard them rub, another half inch anywhere and they would rub...

    Link: http://www.fuelly.com/forums/f10/201...tml#post194862
    So you might be able to go up to a 185-65-15 tire and be right on the edge of rubbing the fender liners...but even those tires won't get you a 20% RPM reduction.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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