Tall and narrow tires

[razordave]

I read no less than a dozen threads on minute details about skinnier tires. Found no clarity.

I ordered a pair of rear tires for my beetle. I didn't need them, but I have no spare tire. After a puncture yesterday that resulted in a new tire today, I decided that shall have a functioning spare albeit in the garage.

So, the car has 195/65r15 currently. Volkswagen has a large center bore which doesn't allow me to utilize the Subaru wheels I sourced.

Anywho, the vw wheels I found have smoked 195/60r15 on them. I ordered 165/80r15. They have an 87t rating so 1201 lbs and 118mph

These may migrate to the front if I ever find a space saver setup for the rear.

[razordave]

In keeping with the theme of buying things I don't need, I bought new calipers front and rear along with rear brackets and hardware all around.

214k miles, I'm sure it's due. Surely I should replace the hoses as well, maybe I'll order them tomorrow.

[Isaac Zachary]

I find skinny tires to work better in snow. I'm not sure how that affects rolling resistance.

Narrow tires should be more aerodynamic.

From what I understand there's a point of diminishing returns. You're probably best off getting the right tire size and putting on some eco tires of some sort. But by all means, try it if you have the time, money and means for testing.

[freebeard]

So, the car has 195/65r15 currently. Volkswagen has a large center bore which doesn't allow me to utilize the Subaru wheels I sourced.

Wheels either center on the bore or on the bolt circle. If it's the bolt circle, you could hog them out with a grinder. What do they look like?

[razordave]

I grabbed the space saver and replaced the shredded tire with a 2010 caliber rubber. Iirc that model had 225/50r17 so this is much larger diameter than what would have come with my car, therefore doesn't fit in my spare tire well.

I also grabbed a full size just because I could only find a couple models with 5x100 in my yard.

I could surely hog that center bore out in one way or another but that's about when I realized I'll need shorter wheel bolts because the steel wheels aren't a third as thick as the alloys.

I found a pair of 15" passat alloys that should be similar enough, not worried about looks because of my pizza pan wheel covers.

I may look for a 5x4.5 wheel with a similar offset because I have 1 wheel spacer/ adapter. It's hub centric for the car side but lug centric on the wheel side. Also has studs for lug nuts.

[Vekke]

With wobble nuts you can fit little bit different PDC (bolt patterns) with ease

Like these. can be nuts or bolts:
https://www.hpdwheels.com/products/t...ug-bolts-black

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by razordave

I read no less than a dozen threads on minute details about skinnier tires. Found no clarity.

I ordered a pair of rear tires for my beetle. I didn't need them, but I have no spare tire. After a puncture yesterday that resulted in a new tire today, I decided that shall have a functioning spare albeit in the garage.

So, the car has 195/65r15 currently. Volkswagen has a large center bore which doesn't allow me to utilize the Subaru wheels I sourced.

Anywho, the vw wheels I found have smoked 195/60r15 on them. I ordered 165/80r15. They have an 87t rating so 1201 lbs and 118mph

These may migrate to the front if I ever find a space saver setup for the rear.

Historically, all low-drag concept cars have employed 'narrow' tires.
In the past, GM's Pontiac Division, and Subaru both demonstrated a direct correlation between tire width and drag.
The 2014 Renault EOLAB had specially developed Groupe MICHELIN, 'tall and narrow' tires as part of it's low drag strategy.
So has Mercedes Group, with it's present, lowest-drag EQXX concept BEV.
Rolls-Royce is also using 'narrow' 205mm section tires for it's upcoming (huge ) Spectre, BEV fastback.

[freebeard]

Tall goes with narrow, to give an equivalent contact patch.

Too tall would impact the frontal area of the whole [presumed] fender, not just the tire. Thus the six-wheel Tyrrell P34.

[razordave]

Butt dyno says the car is faster with the skinny rears.

I ordered a pair for the front as well.

I added 3 ounces of counteract balance beads to the tires. I ordered stainless steel beads for the next set.

Freebeard, that f1 car is sweet. Well worth the rabbit hole.

I found a 15x4.5 5x114.3 Mercedes compact spare for keeping on board whenst I roam more than 50 miles from home. I'll keep it in the car with the adapter.

That will be convenient whilst dragging a trailer as my boat trailer shares that pcb. Also if you lose multiple tires, you can leave the trailer behind, maybe I need more adapters if I'm going to talk like that :0

[blownb310]

I saw a Bolt EV with a set of the same 165/80R15 Mach 1 Thunderer tires [and downsized 15" Sonic wheels], in place of the original 215/50R17. Guy was a hypermiler and said that he saw a nice increase in his miles per kilowatt.