Yes, I did search... But I don't know ANYTHING about tires and this will be my first time EVER owning rims.

I'm going to look at some used 15" rota's today since they're cheap and I want to buy them now while I can afford them before I spend my money on other useless crap. They currently have 195/50's on them with about 50% left according to him.

What I want to know is what size I should get on my new tires later this year. I've searched a bit and it seems that the 3 favorite sizes are 195/50, 195/55, and 205/50. Different sizes for different applications. I have a 99 coupe lowered with eibach sportlines. My rears tuck about 1-2 fingers and about a finger gap in the front (stock steelies and 185/65 tires). So I'd say I'm probably lowered about 2.5 inches.

Now I understand that 195 = thinner, 205 = thicker? 50 = thinner, 55 = wider? I'd like a bit of sidewall meat on my tires to give a bit of extra protection just in case I were to ever hit a curb so 55 is probably the answer for that. But I'm not sure on 195 or 205. My car is a daily driver, stock y8, nothing fancy. It will always and forever be a DD. So I don't want any rubbing or anything like that, that would just be annoying to drive every day.

Any input is appreciated .

 

mmmmm your just a little backwards 195 means thinner width 205 means wider wider width
50 means thinner height 55 means thicker height


Ive always gone with 205/50/15's and never had a problem with rubbing and the wheel well gap closes up nicely with eibach springs with a 1.7-1.9" drop or coilovers with a 2.0"drop


Here are 185-60-15's On my 4 door with Eibach springs with 1.7-1.8" drop

 

Heres how you read a tire for reference


http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/how...9/article.html

 

Honestly 195/50/15 is the best over all size for a 15" rim on a Honda. IMO 195/55/15's have to much of a side wall and will rub more with a lowered car. If you want to slam it, go with the 195/50/15's. If you want a wider tire and are moderately lowered then I'd go with a 205/50/15.

The first two numbers in a tire size are actually a ratio between the height and width of a tire.. and the third number obviously being the rim diameter.

 

Go to tirerack.com and it will explain how the sizes work. I run 205/50-15s on my 97 Civic on stock suspension. I have to say this - the wider tires makes a HUGE difference in improving the handling of the car. The only rubbing I get is when the wheels are turned completely to the right or left and even then it's minor. So based on my experience I recommend going with the widest tire you can manage on your lowered suspension.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I knew I had something backwards in my explanation .

I don't want to "slam" my car. It's a dd. And I live in New York State. It's just not realistic. I already scrape my front lip on my current suspension. Roads suck here. Plus my driveway is steep and getting in and out is already a bitch! And I don't want to rub.

So I guess it's either 195/50 or 205/50 since 55 means thicker tire. Now I already mentioned I'm tucking my rear steelies (185/65) and my fronts have about a finger gap. I don't want my rears to tuck much more because I give rides for people and my car looks SLAMMED on a full car. Front's could use a bit more though. But I don't want to resort to different size tires because I want directional ones for the summer and rotating wouldn't work out too well.

Thanks for the input! Like I said, I guess I'm down to 195/50 or 205/50 since I don't to rub and I'm already lowered. Plus, I like the thinner looking tire. I don't like low profile but 185/65 looks like *** on stock steelies .

 

I have never had a tire rub unless i was riding dumped to car shows. I daily drive with a 2" drop in the front and like 1.6" in the back and make u turns and have never rubbed and i run 205/50/15's on my coupe with no rubbing.

No rubbing doing u turns and parallel parking with 205/50/15's

 

i run 215/45/15 on a 15x8 +35 wheel with no rubbing on a 2.5f 2.0r drop.

 

im also in the same boat. i would like to see some pics of 205/50/15 tires on lowered cars.

 

ek3 from jamaica on 205/40/16's