Going From 195/65r15 to 215/70r15 - Will They Fit?

[fl59bug]

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

[Brian_e]

Is the car lowered at all?

Brian
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[bedlamite]

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

[ps2375]

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).

[Chip]

[b-man]

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.
_________________
1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[petrol punk]

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.

_________________
36hp '56 European DeLuxe oval
'70 bug 1835cc

[Schepp]

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

[fl59bug]

[fl59bug]

[fl59bug]

[stealth67vw]

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

_________________
John Bates
JB Machining Services
1967 street Bug 2276 w/ 48 IDAs, 2050lbs with driver
7.76 @ 89.55mph 1/8 mile
12.27 @ 109.56 mph 1/4 mile

[Dusty1]

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.

[fl59bug]

[stealth67vw]

[b-man]

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.
_________________
1956 Dove Blue Panel
1966 Velvet Green Single Cab
1957 L41 Black Oval Window Beetle

[Chip]

[fl59bug]

[fl59bug]

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

[txoval]

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