Widest Front Tire?

Texotic · 01-23-2008, 02:53 PM

i've been looking around at rims because i need to replace mine. one of my rears s warped and they're discontinued, so i need a whole new set. anyway, i've been going back and forth between staggered and regular. right now i have staggered, but i think i might get the same width all the way around this time. that being said, i still want to widest possible and i know the front is the most limiting. i was thinking about the 18x9 GT4 rims from American Muscle. what's the widest tire i could put on those? they say they recommend 255, but that sounds a little narrow for 9" wide. would a 275 fit up front?

UrS4 · 01-23-2008, 02:58 PM

you could run a 275/40/18 on that rim, no problem, but your diameter would be smaller.

Or you could get a 18x10 rim on the front with a 285/40/18 tire. It will fit fine with no rubbing provided your offset is 45mm or less. 50mm might causing rubbing depending on the 285 tire as some are wider than others.

There are plenty of people on other forums that are lowered and have a 285/40/18 tire with no rubbing and the pics to prove it.

Texotic · 01-23-2008, 03:16 PM

wow, a 285 on the front? i never though i'd be able to get that big, i thought 275 would be the max, maybe even 265. thanks, i think i might go with that. that should improve my turn-in without making it understeer like a bitch...

UrS4 · 01-23-2008, 03:27 PM

275/40/18 are the stock tire size on the Roush 18x10 wheels that they put on their cars so don't worry they will fit.

Texotic · 01-23-2008, 07:03 PM

Roush uses 18x10's in the front??? as far as i know, we can fit 305/35/20's in the back without rubbing... but i've heard that putting a wider rear tire than front will promote understeer, which is a PITA. are you sure 285's fit on a 9" wide wheel?

UrS4 · 01-23-2008, 07:23 PM

I didn't say 285 will fit on a 9" rim but they will on a 10"

Roush uses 18x10 at all four corners and run 275/40/18 but they just recalibrate the speedo at the shop.

UrS4 · 01-23-2008, 07:24 PM

285 will fit on a 9.5" rim like on the rear of the GT500

Sleeper_08 · 01-23-2008, 08:03 PM

So that means you could run the GT500 18 x 9.5 wheels front and rear, which is what I understand the GT500s run,with 285/40/18 tires front and rear?

How about if the car was lowered an inch or so front and rear?

UrS4 · 01-23-2008, 08:49 PM

Well, it may depend on which GT500 wheels you get. Meaning the Ford OEM GT500 wheels have a 45mm offset. Tirerack.com sells GT500 replica wheels with a 47mm offset and I think american muscle and discount tire sella GT500 replica wheel with a 50mm offset.

Those 5mm could make a difference as well as which 285 tire you went with, as the section width for each size can be different from different tire companies. Just look at tirerack.com and put in a 285/40/18 tire, you will get varying section widths. Goodyear F1 supercars are 11.4" (tread width 9.1"), Yokohama Advan has a 11.6", Dunlop SP sport is 11.4" (tread width 9.6").

So you see if you get the GT500 wheels with the 50mm offset and run the widest 285 tire you may have a problem.

Sleeper_08 · 01-23-2008, 09:10 PM

Does changing the overall tire diameter from 27 in (255/45/18 or 285/40/18)to 26.7 in (275/40/18) have any effect on the ABS?