TheSamba.com :: View topic - Going From 195/65r15 to 215/70r15

Tue May 20, 2025 4:38 pm

I just bolted up a set of 195/65-15 tires with 5.5 x 15" 8 spokes to the rear of my '59 bug. There is a huge gap between the top of the tire and the fender.

I don't want to buy them and then not have them fit and be stuck with them, but would a set of 215/70r15s fit and close up the big gap?

Just doing the math, there is almost a 1 inch difference in width between 195mm and 215mm tires, but with 70 series there is about a 2 inch difference in height. The gap between the top of the tire and the rear fender right now with the 195s is easily 3 inches.

There are also 215/65r15 tires, which are 1 inch taller. I almost think they would still leave a nasty gap, so that is why I have my eye on the 215/70r15s.

Any suggestions?

Ted

Tue May 20, 2025 4:47 pm

Is the car lowered at all?

Brian

Tue May 20, 2025 4:51 pm

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

Tue May 20, 2025 4:58 pm

You're still going to have the gap no matter what tire you put on as you are not addressing the the gap, and changing tire only effects the height of the rear of the car, doesn't lower the car towards the wheel (which would narrow the gap).

Tue May 20, 2025 5:05 pm

fl59bug wrote: I just bolted up a set of 195/65-15 tires with 5.5 x 15" 8 spokes to the rear of my '59 bug. There is a huge gap between the top of the tire and the fender.

I don't want to buy them and then not have them fit and be stuck with them, but would a set of 215/70r15s fit and close up the big gap?

Just doing the math, there is almost a 1 inch difference in width between 195mm and 215mm tires, but with 70 series there is about a 2 inch difference in height. The gap between the top of the tire and the rear fender right now with the 195s is easily 3 inches.

There are also 215/65r15 tires, which are 1 inch taller. I almost think they would still leave a nasty gap, so that is why I have my eye on the 215/70r15s.

Any suggestions?

Tedf
Sounds like you have a stance issue. Fix the stance. I have 215/65r15s on my lowered short axle bug. They are a tight fit.
I don't want anything taller on mine.

Tue May 20, 2025 5:06 pm

The larger diameter tire will fill the gap between the tire and fender opening. It will also increase the ground clearance at the rear by the same amount it reduces the gap.

Think about it.

At the same time that much larger diameter tire is going to drastically affect the gearing, almost like changing the ring and pinion from 4.12 to 3.88.

You might not want that taller gearing, especially if you have a less powerful engine.

I would opt for the 205/70-15 that’s 26.4” tall instead of the 215/70-15 at 26.85” tall.

Wed May 21, 2025 6:23 am

I have 205/70R15's all around on my stock ride height '70 bug. The only rubbing is the front tires at full lock scraping the pan. On the passenger side I think it could fit 215's just fine. Driver side maybe not, but the fender is tweaked from the wheel falling off in the past.

Wed May 21, 2025 6:27 am

I've got 225/75-r15 on my car. Though mine is lifted 3"! :D

Wed May 21, 2025 6:57 am

Brian_e wrote: Is the car lowered at all?

Brian

Hi Brian, no its not lowered.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 6:59 am

Chip wrote: fl59bug wrote: I just bolted up a set of 195/65-15 tires with 5.5 x 15" 8 spokes to the rear of my '59 bug. There is a huge gap between the top of the tire and the fender.

I don't want to buy them and then not have them fit and be stuck with them, but would a set of 215/70r15s fit and close up the big gap?

Just doing the math, there is almost a 1 inch difference in width between 195mm and 215mm tires, but with 70 series there is about a 2 inch difference in height. The gap between the top of the tire and the rear fender right now with the 195s is easily 3 inches.

There are also 215/65r15 tires, which are 1 inch taller. I almost think they would still leave a nasty gap, so that is why I have my eye on the 215/70r15s.

Any suggestions?

Tedf
Sounds like you have a stance issue. Fix the stance. I have 215/65r15s on my lowered short axle bug. They are a tight fit.
I want anything taller on mine.

...

Chip what wheels are those on your car? What is the offset in the rear, and what size tire,wheel and offset do you run in the front?

Your car looks sweet with that combo.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 7:01 am

b-man wrote: The larger diameter tire will fill the gap between the tire and fender opening. It will also increase the ground clearance at the rear by the same amount it reduces the gap.

Think about it.

At the same time that much larger diameter tire is going to drastically affect the gearing, almost like changing the ring and pinion from 4.12 to 3.88.

You might not want that taller gearing, especially if you have a less powerful engine.

I would opt for the 205/70-15 that’s 26.4” tall instead of the 215/70-15 at 26.85” tall.

Good advice. I currently run a big bore 40hp that has plenty of zip with the 165/15 tire and wheel combo. You're right, the taller the tire the more power it will rob to turn it.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 7:10 am

I run M&H 215/65 DOTs on my short axle 67 bug. I also have CB Performance race strength brakes. It is a tight fit. I have 19mm wheels spacers to get the tire off the stock spring plate.
t

Wed May 21, 2025 7:17 am

Typical Anti- Pragmatic League, more concerned about appearance than killing your gearing with oversized tires. Who knows. Maybe you'll like bein' able to hang on to first gear a little longer.

No kidding, someone put free take- off tires out on my street yesterday. Sizes included 195/65-15 (usable), 215/70-15 (usable on the 2WD Tacoma if nothing else) and 215/55-16 for the Honda.

Point is the entire planet is covered with free tires. I can get almost any size I want rootin' around in various tire service take- off piles. I have friends at Tiers Warehouse, VIP and a couple others. Even better, I've been using VIP's air hose for over a year. VIP's spokesmodel came out and engaged me in conversation. She was wondering if I was ever going to get my slow leak fixed. :D

stealth67vw wrote: I run M&H 215/65 DOTs on my short axle 67 bug. I also have CB Performance race strength brakes. It is a tight fit. I have 19mm wheels spacers to get the tire off the stock spring plate.

I got my '65 with 235/75-15s on it for roll- arounds. Didn't seem to have clearance issues although if I get a chance to re- visit that combination I'll check.

.
.

Wed May 21, 2025 7:46 am

stealth67vw wrote: I run M&H 215/65 DOTs on my short axle 67 bug. I also have CB Performance race strength brakes. It is a tight fit. I have 19mm wheels spacers to get the tire off the stock spring plate.
t

Off-topic, but arent you running CB Super Pro heads? What vents and jetting are in your IDAs?

I have an engine still on the stand that has the Super Pros,Mahle 94s, an FK-46 and 48s with 44 vents, 180 main and 200 airs. 3.0 needle, but stock float bowls and no 3rd progression hole. I also have a set of 51.5s with 3.0 needle, enlarged float bowls, 3rd progression hole, 44 vents, 190 main and 210 airs, and a set of Street Fighter heads Wiseco pistons and honed AA cylinders for those carbs.

Who built the transaxle that putting all that torque to the pavement for you if I might inquire?

I still need a MSD CDI, a coil and the rest of my fuel system figured out, but I always like to keep up with others running a similar combo so I can bench race my car until I have it running, lol.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 10:15 am

fl59bug wrote:

Off-topic, but arent you running CB Super Pro heads? What vents and jetting are in your IDAs?

I have an engine still on the stand that has the Super Pros,Mahle 94s, an FK-46 and 48s with 44 vents, 180 main and 200 airs. 3.0 needle, but stock float bowls and no 3rd progression hole. I also have a set of 51.5s with 3.0 needle, enlarged float bowls, 3rd progression hole, 44 vents, 190 main and 210 airs, and a set of Street Fighter heads Wiseco pistons and honed AA cylinders for those carbs.

Who built the transaxle that putting all that torque to the pavement for you if I might inquire?

I still need a MSD CDI, a coil and the rest of my fuel system figured out, but I always like to keep up with others running a similar combo so I can bench race my car until I have it running, lol.

Ted

Yes, I run the Super Pros on my 2276 with a Web 86C. I run the Berg 42 x 46 grooved venturis. Current jetting is 170 main, 210 air, F11s and 60 idles with 110 idle air holders. My elevation is 1400 feet static altitude.

Mark at Strictly Foreign built this gearbox for me. He started with a aluminum Rhino gusseted case, super diff, dual billet side covers, Berg axles, German 4.12 r&p, 3.78 first gear with 091 idler, 2.06 2nd, 1.48 3rd and a 1.14 4th.

Wed May 21, 2025 12:55 pm

In my opinion when you’re putting aftermarket wheels on a street bug it’s pretty much a requirement to do at least a moderate lowering job.

This reduces the ugly gap above the tire and it simply makes the wheels look ‘right’ on the car. Stock wheels look right on both stock height and lowered cars, aftermarket wheels are ugly on stock height cars. Again my opinion.

A 215/65-15 is plenty of tire and slightly larger in diameter (26”) compared to a 165/80-15 (25.4”). Even that .6” in additional height can be felt in the way the car accelerates and drives. The 215/65 will fill up the fender pretty well and will fit without much room to spare width-wise, if you’re lucky the backspacing on your wheels is correct and you might not need any wheel spacers.

A combination of moderate lowering and a slightly taller tire should get you what you’re looking for. Don’t put big balloon tires on the rear in an attempt to accomplish that, big tall tires are for off-road cars with trimmed fenders and perhaps a body lift and gearing that matches the taller tires.

I had a friend once as a teenager who built a Baja bug out of a 1970 beetle. The roughly 30” tall rear tires made it a real turd with the stock 1600. He was slipping the clutch to get moving in first and 4th gear was all but useless, most of the time using third gear around town was all he could do. Annoying to say the least.

Wed May 21, 2025 1:56 pm

fl59bug wrote: Chip wrote: fl59bug wrote: I just bolted up a set of 195/65-15 tires with 5.5 x 15" 8 spokes to the rear of my '59 bug. There is a huge gap between the top of the tire and the fender.

I don't want to buy them and then not have them fit and be stuck with them, but would a set of 215/70r15s fit and close up the big gap?

Just doing the math, there is almost a 1 inch difference in width between 195mm and 215mm tires, but with 70 series there is about a 2 inch difference in height. The gap between the top of the tire and the rear fender right now with the 195s is easily 3 inches.

There are also 215/65r15 tires, which are 1 inch taller. I almost think they would still leave a nasty gap, so that is why I have my eye on the 215/70r15s.

Any suggestions?

Tedf
Sounds like you have a stance issue. Fix the stance. I have 215/65r15s on my lowered short axle bug. They are a tight fit.
I don't want anything taller on mine.

...

Chip what wheels are those on your car? What is the offset in the rear, and what size tire,wheel and offset do you run in the front?

Your car looks sweet with that combo.

Ted
I'm honestly not sure on the offset, but I think pretty centered in the rear on a 6" wheel, maybe 3.5" bs. The fronts are 0 offset 3.5"s with 145/65r15s. 3"narrowed beam, lowered spindles, Airkewld BAD series brakes front and rear. The wheels are ERCO Star Cutouts.
My car was re-geared for the drag strip many years ago, so it actually really likes/needs the tall tire. It has a mostly stock 1600 in it. Your 40hp may struggle with a big tire. Build that big engine! Is your pan IRS?

Wed May 21, 2025 4:44 pm

b-man wrote: In my opinion when you’re putting aftermarket wheels on a street bug it’s pretty much a requirement to do at least a moderate lowering job.

...

I agree. I have a ready to go 2" drop front end with 2" drop spindles. I'll need some 145s, probably, for the front. I need to lower the rear torsion arms a click or two.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 4:46 pm

Chip my car still has its swing axle plan and axles. I just swapped drums in the rear to some 4 x 130 bolt pattern drums. For the front I have CB 4 x 130 disc brakes.

Ted

Wed May 21, 2025 8:18 pm

205/65’s in rear and 185/60 in front.

6” wide rims front and rear…not sure 215’s will fit 5.5” rims