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Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:05 pm

ok i was told that i can run a 205/70 on them which would be better than a 195/60 that is on them wich makes the tires balloon out. so if i was to run 205/70 on the rear what size would be best to run on the front? im also getting a drop spindle kit if that helps decide what tire to put up front.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:42 pm

:shock: i guess everyones getting tired of the tire posts :lol: :lol:

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:43 pm

A 185/70 is about as wide as you should go with a 4.5" rim.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:47 pm

Glenn wrote: A 185/70 is about as wide as you should go with a 4.5" rim.

:( aww but i wanted a taller an wider tire for the rear... :( an actually its a 4.6inch wide rim :shock:
im trying to keep my rare wheels, there indy 500 magnums, a wheel made in the 70's :lol:

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:49 pm

Put some 5.5" rims on the rear. You can run a 215/70-15 on a 5.5" rim.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:51 pm

im trying to keep my rare wheels, there indy 500 magnums, a wheel made in the 70's :lol: an there 15x4.6in rims :? why did they have to be so narrow :evil:

Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:59 pm

Because stock rims are 4.5x15.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:05 pm

how much narrower is a 185/70 than a 195/60? also what should i run up front? i saw those 165/46's in the classifieds, are they wide or narrow?

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:07 pm

A 185/70 is 10mm narrower than a 195/60.

A 165/45 will fit s 4.5" rim.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:14 pm

how would the 185/70's an 165/45's look, i know i'll most likely have a huge gap but drop spindles will probably take care of that.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:51 pm

are 185/70's wider than 165/45's or are they the same with?

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:53 pm

When I was a youngster I would throw any size 15" tire on a VW rim just for grins.
My boss had a tire machine, and I had time on my hands, and access to lots of used tires.
I had a '67 Bug with tires off my Mom's full size Pontiac on those stock VW vented 5 bolt wheels.
So those wheels were 4Jx15, and the tires where 215-75-15".
To be honest I didn't know any better and big doughnuts on little wheels looked cool.
These days being a engineer, and a web junkie I can,
and have posted all the sites you can go to understand what is what for tire fitments.
I guess we need a stickie to get all this info in one place.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:57 pm

ehh im 22, but i am still a youngster i guess :lol: an yeah i like big tires in back but i want to keep my rims. Im trying to find the 185/70's on sites but having no luck :( do they still make them?

Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:38 pm

bugpower, where are you measuring your rim width? You should be measuring on the inside, like so:

(Picture from the JW-Bus site.)

Thought I'd check because some people measure on the outside and overestimate their rim width by about 1/2".

Also, TireRack has quite a few 185/65R15 tires.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:40 pm

i never measured it...but my rims sit nice under the fenders, just the tires make them seem as there sticking out.

Sat Sep 02, 2006 6:45 pm

ok so I've decided since I was told that my rims on my 72 are hard to find, i figured Id use them on my bug when i go to shows, an use the 8 spoke rims off my 74 parts bug for like "beater" rims to just run around town in, I'll just take the tires off the 15x4.5's an put them on the empi 8 spokes. There kind of rough some what, so I'll probably have them painted solid high gloss black an run the 195/60's on them an then buy drop spindles :D

Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:41 pm

anybody know if the 165/45's are wider or narrower than 195/60's? just curious

Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:17 pm

The following web site gives you all the info on the side of your tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=33

This site explains tire size designations on the sides of your tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=46
So a width of 165mm is 30mm (1 3/16”) SMALLER than 195mm

This site will tell you if a specific size of tire is available.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/SearchTires.jsp
Because if Tirerack doesn’t have it, than nobody else will at a price us VW guys are willing to pay.
A good example of the is 185-70-15, Tirerack doesn’t have it and the only place I
Could find it was Coker tire. But at $287 a tire I’m not interested,
I’m putting 175-65-15 and 195-65-15 matching Conti’s on my Super for the price of one tire from Coker.

Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:20 pm

ach60 wrote: The following web site gives you all the info on the side of your tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=33

This site explains tire size designations on the sides of your tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=46
So a width of 165mm is 30mm (1 3/16”) SMALLER than 195mm

This site will tell you if a specific size of tire is available.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/SearchTires.jsp
Because if Tirerack doesn’t have it, than nobody else will at a price us VW guys are willing to pay.
A good example of the is 185-70-15, Tirerack doesn’t have it and the only place I
Could find it was Coker tire. But at $287 a tire I’m not interested,
I’m putting 175-65-15 and 195-65-15 matching Conti’s on my Super for the price of one tire from Coker.

holy crap!!!! 287.00 a tire, wtf are they smoking!? Now i know im going with my 8 spoke rims now :lol: just wonder if 165/45's are wider or narower than 195/60's :-k

Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:29 pm

buggpower wrote: holy crap!!!! 287.00 a tire, wtf are they smoking!? Now i know im going with my 8 spoke rims now :lol: just wonder if 165/45's are wider or narower than 195/60's :-k

The answer is in the links.