best tire size for a 16x7 rota
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Seaford, DE, USA
best tire size for a 16x7 rota
i have a set of 16x7 rota torque wheels im going to put on an EG does anyone have any suggestions for tire size or good tires in general? its going to be daily driven but also SCCA. thanks
H-T Order of Merit
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 23,478
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
Re: best tire size for a 16x7 rota (dc2leftovers)
The best size for those wheels on your '92-95 Civic is 205/40-16. You can also use 195/45-16.
As far as what tire, it depends on a lot of things:
The Falken Azenis RT-615 is available in 205/40-16 ($82/tire at Vulcan Tire) and is best for SCCA events. It offers supersticky traction on dry pavement. Downsides include rapid treadwear (you might get 10-12K miles on them) and they're only so-so in rain.
The Kumho SPT is available in 205/40-16 ($79/tire at the Tire Rack) and is a great choice for daily driving. Traction on dry pavement is quite good, although not like the Azenis. It's outstanding in rain and lasts a long time (25-40K miles).
If you want to spend a little more than the SPT for better performance, the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 is available in 195/45-16 ($96/tire) and is also great for daily driving as well as the occasional SCCA event. Excellent dry traction (almost as good as the Azenis), outstanding in rain, and lasts a long time (25-40K miles).
All of these tires are summer tires, and none of them should be used in snow or frigid cold in the winter. If you have to use these tires occasionally in snow and cold, you are better off getting all-season tires, but they won't perform as well as summer tires outside of winter. (Another option would be to get a second set of wheels, one with winter tires or all-season tires for winter, the other with summer tires for the rest of the year or superstickies for your SCCA events.) If you need to get all-season tires for these wheels, a good choice is the Kumho ASX, $76/tire in 205/40-16.
As far as what tire, it depends on a lot of things:
The Falken Azenis RT-615 is available in 205/40-16 ($82/tire at Vulcan Tire) and is best for SCCA events. It offers supersticky traction on dry pavement. Downsides include rapid treadwear (you might get 10-12K miles on them) and they're only so-so in rain.
The Kumho SPT is available in 205/40-16 ($79/tire at the Tire Rack) and is a great choice for daily driving. Traction on dry pavement is quite good, although not like the Azenis. It's outstanding in rain and lasts a long time (25-40K miles).
If you want to spend a little more than the SPT for better performance, the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 is available in 195/45-16 ($96/tire) and is also great for daily driving as well as the occasional SCCA event. Excellent dry traction (almost as good as the Azenis), outstanding in rain, and lasts a long time (25-40K miles).
All of these tires are summer tires, and none of them should be used in snow or frigid cold in the winter. If you have to use these tires occasionally in snow and cold, you are better off getting all-season tires, but they won't perform as well as summer tires outside of winter. (Another option would be to get a second set of wheels, one with winter tires or all-season tires for winter, the other with summer tires for the rest of the year or superstickies for your SCCA events.) If you need to get all-season tires for these wheels, a good choice is the Kumho ASX, $76/tire in 205/40-16.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,641
Likes: 2
From: ottawa,, top of the map
Re: best tire size for a 16x7 rota (dc2leftovers)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dc2leftovers »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why have a 7 inch rim if only going to use 205 tires? why not wider ones?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Because that is the best size for your car. If you read the FAQ it might explain things better.
cheers
Because that is the best size for your car. If you read the FAQ it might explain things better.
cheers
H-T Order of Merit
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 23,478
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
Re: best tire size for a 16x7 rota (dc2leftovers)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dc2leftovers »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why have a 7 inch rim if only going to use 205 tires? why not wider ones?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the width of a rim should be the same as the tread width of the tire, and I assume that's why you're asking.
Wheel width is measured at the bead, where the tire seats inside the wheel. This part of the tire is usually narrower than the tread width itself. So you don't just get wheels the same width as the tread on the tire.
Tire manufacturers provide specifications for what width of wheel is approved for each size and model of tire they produce. You can safely mount them on any rim width within that range. As a general rule, they will look "stretched" at the top end of the range, and "bulging" at the bottom end.
The 205/40-16 tires mentioned above are approved for rims 7.0-8.0 inches wide, and the 195/45-16 tire is approved for rims 6.0-7.5 inches wide. You can use 16x7 or 16x7.5 for either of these tire sizes.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the width of a rim should be the same as the tread width of the tire, and I assume that's why you're asking.
Wheel width is measured at the bead, where the tire seats inside the wheel. This part of the tire is usually narrower than the tread width itself. So you don't just get wheels the same width as the tread on the tire.
Tire manufacturers provide specifications for what width of wheel is approved for each size and model of tire they produce. You can safely mount them on any rim width within that range. As a general rule, they will look "stretched" at the top end of the range, and "bulging" at the bottom end.
The 205/40-16 tires mentioned above are approved for rims 7.0-8.0 inches wide, and the 195/45-16 tire is approved for rims 6.0-7.5 inches wide. You can use 16x7 or 16x7.5 for either of these tire sizes.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Farmington, UT, USA
I just put 215/40/16's on my 16x7 SSK TE37 copies. The width looks good. I have the Sumitomo HTR+. They're getting put on the car as I type. The car is not lowered yet. If I get real ambitious later and roll the fenders I want to try 225/40 or 225/45/16's on the fronts for some big traction when I put a K20 in or something. I wish!
Chris
Chris
H-T Order of Merit
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 23,478
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
Re: (jackiechan78)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jackiechan78 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just put 215/40/16's on my 16x7 SSK TE37 copies. The width looks good.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Remember, the objective of tire sizing is to get tires whose outer diameter is about the same as the stock size. That usually works best, for all kinds of reasons (wheel well clearance, gauge accuracy, etc). Don't buy a size just for looks.
Also remember that your Civic is a '98, which came with bigger stock tires than his '92-95 Civic. In fact, 215/40-16 is a bit small for your car (although it's too big for his). You should be getting 205/45-16 or 215/45-16.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jackiechan78 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have the Sumitomo HTR+. They're getting put on the car as I type. The car is not lowered yet. If I get real ambitious later and roll the fenders I want to try 225/40 or 225/45/16's on the fronts for some big traction when I put a K20 in or something. I wish!</TD></TR></TABLE>
Keep in mind that the big factor in performance is the tire model, NOT treadwidth. A tire that is stickier but narrower will almost always give better performance than a tire that's not as sticky but is wider. So if you want better performance, you should concentrate on getting better, stickier tires, rather than wider tires.
For example, the HTR+ is a pretty good all-season tire. All-seasons are designed to provide greater flexibility of operating temperatures, so you can use them in snow and frigid cold as well as in warm weather. In exchange for that greater flexibility, they don't perform as well in moderate to warm temperatures as summer tires (and they don't do as well in snow as winter tires). So a decent summer tire in 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 is going to give you better performance than an all-season tire, even one in a 225 treadwidth.
If you are really interested in better performance for your car, get a set of good summer tires. (If you have to drive in snow and frigid cold in winter, keep a set of all-seasons or winter tires on a separate set of wheels.) You can get "bang for the buck" inexpensive, long-lasting summer tires like the Kumho SPT in 205/45-16, or the more expensive but excellent and long-lasting Goodyear F1 GS-D3 in 205/45-16. If you want the absolute best performance possible on dry pavement with street tires on your car, like if you use your car for an occasional autocross or track event, you can even get one of the supersticky (but fast-wearing) tires like the Falken Azenis RT-615 in 215/45-16, or the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R in 205/45-16.
Remember, the objective of tire sizing is to get tires whose outer diameter is about the same as the stock size. That usually works best, for all kinds of reasons (wheel well clearance, gauge accuracy, etc). Don't buy a size just for looks.
Also remember that your Civic is a '98, which came with bigger stock tires than his '92-95 Civic. In fact, 215/40-16 is a bit small for your car (although it's too big for his). You should be getting 205/45-16 or 215/45-16.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jackiechan78 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have the Sumitomo HTR+. They're getting put on the car as I type. The car is not lowered yet. If I get real ambitious later and roll the fenders I want to try 225/40 or 225/45/16's on the fronts for some big traction when I put a K20 in or something. I wish!</TD></TR></TABLE>
Keep in mind that the big factor in performance is the tire model, NOT treadwidth. A tire that is stickier but narrower will almost always give better performance than a tire that's not as sticky but is wider. So if you want better performance, you should concentrate on getting better, stickier tires, rather than wider tires.
For example, the HTR+ is a pretty good all-season tire. All-seasons are designed to provide greater flexibility of operating temperatures, so you can use them in snow and frigid cold as well as in warm weather. In exchange for that greater flexibility, they don't perform as well in moderate to warm temperatures as summer tires (and they don't do as well in snow as winter tires). So a decent summer tire in 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 is going to give you better performance than an all-season tire, even one in a 225 treadwidth.
If you are really interested in better performance for your car, get a set of good summer tires. (If you have to drive in snow and frigid cold in winter, keep a set of all-seasons or winter tires on a separate set of wheels.) You can get "bang for the buck" inexpensive, long-lasting summer tires like the Kumho SPT in 205/45-16, or the more expensive but excellent and long-lasting Goodyear F1 GS-D3 in 205/45-16. If you want the absolute best performance possible on dry pavement with street tires on your car, like if you use your car for an occasional autocross or track event, you can even get one of the supersticky (but fast-wearing) tires like the Falken Azenis RT-615 in 215/45-16, or the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R in 205/45-16.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Matneedshelp
Wheel and Tire
11
Jun 29, 2019 01:55 PM
bemathew
Road Racing / Autocross & Time Attack
21
Jun 27, 2004 04:36 PM
