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  View original topic: Tire sizes on stock rim
1969 Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:47 pm

Will a smart car tire fit a stock rim for a 69 beetle?
I think the size is 155-60-15???
I have dropped spindles on the car, so a smaller tire like this might prevent any rubbing if there will be any... I can also get a 145-55-15 size too from my local tire store...

What sizes are recommended for a stock rim?
I don't know much about this so any information is a great help!

Thanks

sactojesse Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:16 pm

Mounting either 155/60r15 or 145/55r15 shouldn't be a problem on a stock 15" x 4" rim.

1969 Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:24 pm

sactojesse wrote: Mounting either 155/60r15 or 145/55r15 shouldn't be a problem on a stock 15" x 4" rim.

is the 145/55r/15 a thinner wider tire? if that makes any sense? Its more low profile right?

1969 Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:28 pm

I haven't lowered the back, it is staying at stock height. Would it look stupid with a stock tire on the back as well? or should i get low profile all the way around?

Would i be able to fit a wider low profile tire on the back with stock rims? Or can i only as go as wide as the rim?

sactojesse Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:08 pm

1969 wrote: sactojesse wrote: Mounting either 155/60r15 or 145/55r15 shouldn't be a problem on a stock 15" x 4" rim.

is the 145/55r/15 a thinner wider tire? if that makes any sense? Its more low profile right?
No. 155/60r15 is wider, but the 145/55r15 is lower profile. The first number is the tread width in mm. The second number is the aspect ratio, the height of a sidewall as a percentage of the tread width. Thus, a lower profile tire has a lower aspect ratio. 145/55r15 has 145 mm (5.7 inches) of tread width and has a rolling diameter of 21.3 inches. 155/60r15 has 155 mm (6.1 inches) of tread width and a rolling diameter of 22.3 inches.

gcan Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:35 pm

with the first number normally being the tread width, why is a 165/80/15 listed as 3.7" tread width?

Scott H Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:59 pm

gcan wrote: with the first number normally being the tread width, why is a 165/80/15 listed as 3.7" tread width?
The first number is the section width, not the tread.


gcan Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:36 pm

why in the world would a person want to know the width from center to center?

It seems like they are trying to make it way to difficult....hell I just want to know the height, width, profile and radious... bulge to bulge means squat to me. Wouldn't it vary depending on wheel width?

sorry - had to vent

fabricator john Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:31 am

funny side bar , if according to the pic, you had the loaded radius of the tire than you could figure out your needed tire pressure. tread spread or squat is hard to attain with a right car /wrong tire combo so you end up spending forever trying to get the tire pressure dialed ,especially with a car so light in the front its easy to get wrong . and not have crap for a contact patch, im a early car guy but ya ever driven a super with 32 psi in the front scary...
fabricator john

wisdom Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:23 pm

Has anyone poser pictures of a similar setup? Just wondering.
Also drivability in rain any issues?



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