pingpop wrote: I would also if I was trying to sell you tires!

Don't expect a post of MY TIRES for sale, because they are not.
The Tanabe lowering springs will be though!

I promise to post pics of my summer shoes when snow is definitly gone.

 

A while back I recall an interview with Spoon about their Fit. They were asked why so small on the tires? (195/50 15s) Their response: "If you add more tire, that adds more load, which stresses the suspension more. We don't want any of that."

All I'm saying is wider is not always better, and you may need to change things in other places to compensate for your wide tires. I'm sure you were aware of that.

I was just curious if your getting rid of the Tanabes what are you replacing them with?

 

I search and found that only the Eibach spring offerd a mild drop less than 1.5 in. But even a drop of 1in could be too much for those huge 225X50.

So I will re-install the OEM springs and ride with confort. BTW, my Yokohama are mounted on Momo rims, Italian made, apparently unknown of on this forum. I bought them used and I don't know what is the offset.

But then again, no rubbing at the rear and an easily cured rubbing at the front while I rode with the OEM springs.,

 

[quote=tricolor; BTW, my Yokohama are mounted on Momo rims, Italian made, apparently unknown of on this forum. [/quote]

How do people not know of Momo???

 

We test drove a Fit Sport yesterday and thought it was great. My friend is going to buy one, but we want to find out which wheel size is the most comfortable? 14"? 15"? 16"?

She is down-sizing from a sedan, and though the seats fit her much better and she loves the car, definitely the Fit Sport was a little bit bumpier on the road than what she's used to. It was only a 15 minute test drive but she has a 40 min commute and 1.5 hour drive on the weekends. So I think the bumps will add up...

So the Fit Sport had 15" wheels. But actually she wants the base model as she has no desire for paddle shifters, never uses cruise control (I'd pay $1300 more for CC alone!) and doesn't care about the upgraded stereo. Fog lights would be great, but she also wants the Lunar Mist color and that only comes in the Base model anyway.

But the base model also comes standard with 14" wheels. So will 14" wheels be even bumpier? Or are the outside diameter of the wheels the same? It seems if they are the same the 14" wold have more air volume and be more comfortable. Whereas the 16" upgrade would has less tire volume... Or do I have this reversed ?

She just want the base model with nothing but the cargo cover. Though I may talk her into the fog lights too. Let me know your thoughts. Tks

 

you're right. more tire thickness equals cushier.

 

A while back I recall an interview with Spoon about their Fit. They were asked why so small on the tires? (195/50 15s) Their response: "If you add more tire, that adds more load, which stresses the suspension more. We don't want any of that."

pingpop, my fit is a city car that will never go on tracks. I drive it with respect and well within the limits of its built. There is no need for me to upgrade this little hamster other than looks and a little boost in whp.

The tread is about widening tires on stock sport rims: so, the previous replies from me were just my observations and impressions after I tried what I chanced to be the limit of what the rims and the wells could accomodate. I am confident nothing wrong will happen, specially that the fit wear these shoes only 6 months/year. Future may proove that I went over the limit, in wich case I will share my new observations.

 

So your information is useless in this thread, since we are trying to discover if wider tires fit on STOCK wheels, and yours are aftermarket.

I know we can fit 215/50R15 tires on aftermarket wheels; I want to find out if I can go to a 205 or 215 on STOCK wheels. The only dimension that makes me wonder about fitment is the offset making the wheel sit in so far.

milano sol, your response was the kind of answer I was looking for. Thanks.

I may go to my friendly neighborhood tire store (they install several sets for me every year) and have them install a set of thrown-away 205/50 tires for fitment purposes.

Surely someone on this site has tried a common size like 205/50 . . .

Mike

 

I'm interested in this as well. If I decide to race my Fit in H Stock (SCCA Solo class) then I wanted to go with a 205/50 R comp on my stock Sport wheels to stay legal for the class. As far as I know there are no other wheels that fall within the legal size of 15x6 55mm offset rules.

BUMP for answers. Surely someone here has tried this.

 

[quote=tricolor;123375]I did test... Yokohama Avid T4 ... 225X50R15 on my OEM sport mags.


Well, it may be pointless now to remind those who wonder about "how wide" you may go that I did ride on the the OEM sports rims. That was from last May untill last July, so a little more than 2 months without any noticable problems.
I then installed the tires on the Momo rims for another 3 months with the original springs without again any noticable problems. Finally I tried with Tanabe GF210 lowerind springs, and that was not a success.

I am not suggesting anyone to go that wide. I am only implying that if I did not run into any annoyance or problems, then a narrower tire such as a 215 or 205 should be safe.

Surely someone else who feels welcome with posting his experience and observations can comfirm

 

For those of you wondering - I got a base model AT. Used 1999 Si wheels and installed P195/60r15 Goodyear Regatta2 tires. Rides SO much more comfortable. I now drive 45miles a day (that's a lot in Hawaii believe it or not) and needed something more cushiony... No, the car is not lowered.

It fits great - no rubbing For those of you who need comfort! Here it is!

 

how does it look? any pics?

 

195-60-15 ...!!!!unbelievable....ours in greece have
175-65-14 wheels.....

 

I had the choice of 16's or 17's on my MINI. I went with 16 to keep weight down. Factory S-lights (17") were a misnomer, they were the heaviest wheel you could get from the factory. Tires were a 195/55R16 and I was going to go 205/50R16....

I just dont care for the color of the Honda HFP rims. I actually prefer the Sport rims over the HFP 16" rims. So I may have to check out the Falken wheel Hanabi as seen on Edge Racing or the 15" Enkei Rpf1 at only 9.5 pounds per wheel with some Toy Proxies T1r...

 

195/50 15s on every Crx Si, Civic Si, Miata, and soon on a Fit for me.

People who are rubbing with 15s must be have other than ideal offset. I've owned many spring/shock/coilover setups and never had issues rubbing with 15s.

I personally wouldn't run a 195/55 15. Too much sidewall. If your pushing your car hard you will feel the sidewall flex and I don't like that.

 

Exactly the combo I have now on my Civic with a 215/45 tire. Love it for the street.

 

There are two things at play here: looks and performance. For looks, a wider tire would have a more aggressive appeal and seem better-looking. For performance, a good tread compound is more important. For example, if I were to pick an all-season touring tire in a 215/50R15 size, it would look much more aggressive than stock, but the performance would be lacking for sporting purposes. However, if I chose a 195/55R15 tire in a max-performance summer tire, I would have a combo that did not look as mean but delivered much better performance.

It all comes down to one simple thing: be realistic about what you'll be using the car for and choose tires accordingly.

Mike

 

You gotta have low profile 16s for the track bite, and 15s and thicker for a comfortable street ride.

and 16s definitly rub less than 15s....imo/e I think your better off with 16s cause if you already lowered it running 55s over 45 profile is not going to make a difference in bumpiness. I tracked on 16s and you have a lot less play and more response in the tire with lower profile tires and rubs less if it is a low profile/more aggressive tire tread.

 

Track bite? Many track cars run 15s! Bumpiness no, but sidwall flex absolutely. If you have a tight suspension you will absolutely feel a tall 55 series tire flex. If your going to run 15s, for performance run a 50 sidewall. Plus you will have less rotational mass with a 15 tire than a 16. I had faster 60ft times on 15s than on 16s all day long.

I still don't know why everyone thinks 15s rub more? I wouldn't track/autocross/drag on anything but 15s. IMHO.

 

15s rub more if you use a more all season tire, if you have 16s you probably are running a 45, which will have a more aggressive tire tread that won't rub. Most people I heard that are getting rub on 15s are people using tires with a blockier tread series.

If your running 15s and thicker tires at the drag strip, thats what you want and it will definitly improve 60ft times. For the track, 15s and 16s work well with lower profile tires for handling advantages, I just have noticed that the 45 series tires I raced with last year had a hell of a lot more turn in response than the 50s im running currently.