My stock tires are about shot on my 03. I have heard to get 245/45/16 instead of the stock 225/50/16. Why is this? I searched and really only found very little on this. TIA

AZ

 

better handling... so it somewhat handle like an AP2?

 

The stock S02's are measured at a different size for some reason. 225/50/16 in So2 = 245/45/16 in any other brand. Not sure if those tire sizes are right thenumbers, but that is the reason you buy a bigger tire if going with a different brand.

 

EDIT: Thanks mang....

 

are you guys talking about in the rear? or the front?

 

rears. fronts are 205(ap1) 215(ap2), and are extremely narrow.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by revhi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The stock S02's are measured at a different size for some reason. 225/50/16 in So2 = 245/45/16 in any other brand. Not sure if those tire sizes are right thenumbers, but that is the reason you buy a bigger tire if going with a different brand.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sizes are sizes. They may vary a little but they dont chage across brands. Stick with the stock tire size(225/50/16). I had 245/45/16's on my ap1 stocks and couldn't wait till they wore out to change them! If you have 205's up front and 245's in the back you will have tons of understeer. Trust me ! Go with ap2 stocks if you want more meat in the back.

 

i was in the same situation a couple of weeks ago, and went with the stock S02s

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FR-MOB: Jerk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">better handling... so it somewhat handle like an AP2?</TD></TR></TABLE>

if you have no idea what your talking about, why bother posting?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prnstr40 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

if you have no idea what your talking about, why bother posting?</TD></TR></TABLE>

to give my opinion. regardless if its right or wrong, it was just my opinion...

so, why did you bother posting when you didnt even answer the OP's question? by telling him you went with SO2 route, that didnt answer his question "why most people went with 245/45/16 instead of the stock 225/50/16"...

you didnt see your flaw cuz you were too busy minding other peoples bussiness.. tryna be all up in my grill pffft!!! ROFL

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FR-MOB: Jerk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

to give my opinion. regardless if its right or wrong, it was just my opinion...

so, why did you bother posting when you didnt even answer the OP's question? by telling him you went with SO2 route, that didnt answer his question "why most people went with 245/45/16 instead of the stock 225/50/16"...

you didnt see your flaw cuz you were too busy minding other peoples bussiness.. tryna be all up in my grill pffft!!! ROFL</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL! Damn......

Thanks guys, I am most likely getting the Hankook rs2's. stock size, 225/50/16. I just DD my S. So no need for specialty tires. Thanks again for everyones input.

 

This is informative thread....I'm looking for replacement tire's, too. The S02's are a bit pricey and I'll be getting some new wheels soon anyway so I just want something in the interim. I'm noticing there isn't much of a selection in the 245/45/16 size for the street. Is this a correct observation?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 18psi sohc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Sizes are sizes. They may vary a little but they dont chage across brands. Stick with the stock tire size(225/50/16). I had 245/45/16's on my ap1 stocks and couldn't wait till they wore out to change them! If you have 205's up front and 245's in the back you will have tons of understeer. Trust me ! Go with ap2 stocks if you want more meat in the back.</TD></TR></TABLE>

INCORRECT... sizes do vary from brands... look at es100's and azenis.. take a 205x50x15
the es100 205x50 is more like a 195 and the 205 azenis is liek a 215...

i made a mistake a while back and needed to rock my AP1's for a min and the rears needed tires so i went and got 225's for it.. BIG MISTAKE... very very unstable i nthe *** end to the point i was scared to go faster the 40mph with them... the S02's have liek 3 different types a regular, a porshe, and the one that was on the S2K...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 18psi sohc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Sizes are sizes. They may vary a little but they dont chage across brands. </TD></TR></TABLE>
I don't believe this is true based on some of the testing that I've done. Unless you consider about half inch difference in contact patch either way insignificant.

To the OP: The Hankook RS2 does come in 245/45-16.

The fact that the oem 225s have a larger contact patch than non-oem 225s is well documented. I was a skeptic some 5 years ago too and decided to take contact patch prints of oem S02s and compared it to a non-oem 225/50-16 and a 245/45-16. The 225s total contact patch was significantly smaller. Even the 245s was slightly smaller, but not by enough to matter.

Here's the deal...the car is already oversteer happy and sensitive to tire/suspension changes. Why would you want to go with a tire that is smaller than the rear tire you already have. Even if it ends up that the car understeers as 18psi experienced, that is safer than the alternative given that you only DD your car.

 

if you think about it, sizes are sizes... if you put 2 different tires side by side, there sure is some or maybe good amount of thickness and width difference... but you also have to understand that you are comparing 2 different tires company with defferent wall and thread designs... just think if you put 225/50/16 tire to a 16x10 rim, it would not work.. but some take the tire's limit to put in wider rim, just like VW guys to work with der crazy wheel offset.. thats why you have to do some reserch what works for your application..

example...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prnstr40 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

if you have no idea what your talking about, why bother posting?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why do you bother posting 2 useles posts?

OP: Go 225 front and 245 rears of the same brand. End of story.

 

a brand new 225 s02 has a contact path of 8.5 inches, which is just under the average contact path of a 245. when i originally saw the topic i thought that was a question for the front tires lol. im currently running 225/50 up front and 245/45's in the rear. lovin' it.

 

I've been running the Hankook rs2's 245 45 R16s in the back on my AP1 for awhile now and the stock 205s in the front. Its a great setup.

If you would like more information about the rear tire size, read this post on s2ki http://www.s2ki.com/forums/ind...48572

liam

 

So we run 245/45/16's if not running the OEM tire....just to clarify, this is the S02 only? What if I stick with Bridgestone, but not with the S02's? Would I still get the 245/45/16 size?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by avallach &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What if I stick with Bridgestone, but not with the S02's? Would I still get the 245/45/16 size?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes. Bridgestone made 2 oem S02 tires and the S02 Pole Position. All three in 225...all three have different tread width. The oem made for the s2k is the widest and is still wider than other Bridgestone 225s.

 

Those tire ratings are all voodoo and innacurate by quite a considerable amount. certain 205 50 15s on my car (obviously not an ap1 or 2) rub and others don't. I'd say that the best way to find a correctly sized tire is goto a tire depot of sorts and actually look at the tires next to each other. Other then that you're just shootin in the dark.

edit: negcamber....AWESOME avatar.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by S@nt0s &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

INCORRECT... sizes do vary from brands... look at es100's and azenis.. take a 205x50x15
the es100 205x50 is more like a 195 and the 205 azenis is liek a 215...

i made a mistake a while back and needed to rock my AP1's for a min and the rears needed tires so i went and got 225's for it.. BIG MISTAKE... very very unstable i nthe *** end to the point i was scared to go faster the 40mph with them... the S02's have liek 3 different types a regular, a porshe, and the one that was on the S2K...

</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by negcamber &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I don't believe this is true based on some of the testing that I've done. Unless you consider about half inch difference in contact patch either way insignificant.

To the OP: The Hankook RS2 does come in 245/45-16.

The fact that the oem 225s have a larger contact patch than non-oem 225s is well documented. I was a skeptic some 5 years ago too and decided to take contact patch prints of oem S02s and compared it to a non-oem 225/50-16 and a 245/45-16. The 225s total contact patch was significantly smaller. Even the 245s was slightly smaller, but not by enough to matter.

Here's the deal...the car is already oversteer happy and sensitive to tire/suspension changes. Why would you want to go with a tire that is smaller than the rear tire you already have. Even if it ends up that the car understeers as 18psi experienced, that is safer than the alternative given that you only DD your car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

They vary in tread width but the overall diameter is usually about the same. I always compare tread widths before i purchase tires and i'd hope everyone does, not that they do. Point being if you put 245/45/16's on your car you increase overall diameter by almost an inch and that does affect your speedo readings. The contact patch might not be different but the car will look rediculous. I just try to make sure that i'm keeping the stock front to back ratio in tread width, and all is balanced ...

 

so how are you "keeping the BALANCE" when you go 9 all around??

contact tirerack by phone and they will tell you the S2K S02's are really 245's but listed as 225's

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 18psi sohc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

They vary in tread width but the overall diameter is usually about the same. I always compare tread widths before i purchase tires and i'd hope everyone does, not that they do. Point being if you put 245/45/16's on your car you increase overall diameter by almost an inch and that does affect your speedo readings. The contact patch might not be different but the car will look rediculous. I just try to make sure that i'm keeping the stock front to back ratio in tread width, and all is balanced ...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Offset affect suspension dynamics too, but no one cares about that either.

 

offset most definitely affects suspension geometry