Hi everyone
I'm looking to upgrade my stock 195/55/16 runflats to a set of high performance summer tires. I really like the fact the the 215/50/16 size is almost identical in diameter and sidewall height to the stock tire. I am running the stock 16" wheel. My concern is that the new tire would not fit on my rim. If it did fit, my other concern would be that it might look to bulky and I would also loose responsiveness in the steering. Some guidance would be helpful. Thanks a lot

 

i have 16x7 but i run 215/50/16. i don't think the 1/2 of rim will matter. Next tires I get will be 225/50/16. I personally love it. I am really into the fatter meaty tires.

 

Thanks a lot. Does anyone else has experience or opinions on this tire and wheel setup?

 

I got Kumho Ecsta ASX 215/50/16s about 9K ago, and am fairly happy w/ them. I wish they had a stiffer sidewall, though. I do love the way they look.

 

Doesn't work here either

 

For 215 tires, many manufacturers suggest a wheel width of 7-8". I believe OEM 16"s are 6.5" (at least my S-Winders are).

 

205x50x16 is the right size for the rim. It also gives you a slightly reduced gear ratio (about 2% in practice), which makes the car slightly quicker.

 

when you check the tire specifications for a particuler tire on the TirRack site you will see the tire manufacturers recommended tire width...

i have Falken 215/50R16s on 7" rims - Konig Feathers I got from AltaMini...

i think you wlll find the recommended width for a 215 tire in a 50 series will be a minimum of 7'...

will your local tire guy stick some on your OE 6.5" wide wheels?

maybe, but then your contact patch will not be ideal (the tires will bulge out over the rim under hard cornering)...

so the best thing to do if you want 215's (or 225 but make sure they fit) is to get some aftermarket 7" wide rims...or stick with 205s

just my two cents...

tim

 

6-7.5
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...irePageLocQty=

and for the guy who wanted pics

 

Stock rims are 16x6.5". Using 16x7 you can mount
215/50-16 tires since they will fit rims that are 6 to 7.5" wide. Tire diameter is a little taller than stock at 24.5" but will work OK with stock suspension and close the wheel gap a little. Some tires in this size can be 24.4".

225/50-16 can also work and fits rims 6 to 8" wide. It's slightly taller at 24.7 to 24.9" tire diameter depending on which tire you get. It's about 1-2 lbs heavier.

The biggest downside to 215/50-16 is tire selection. Tirerack.com shows about 5 tires in that size. You'll be a much biggest selection in 205/50-16 or 205/55-16 which are more commonly used.

Most tire shops will try to help you mount a tire even if it is close to the right size if you know the mechanic or if you are using it for limited use such as autocross. We will mount wider tires on narrow rims or narrow tires on wider rims than would normally be used. Sometimes it is because there are limited sizes of tires or limited rim sizes to choose from.

For street use most general shops will want to use OEM rims and tire sizes and some are strict. Costco will match tire size and only budge a little. An aftermarket wheel shop will likely help you more if you have special needs and their equiptment might also be better.

 

BTW, you may have noticed a serious lack of choices in 215x50x16. The tire rack offers only two choices in the four top categories of summer tires.

Also, it's worth noting that a narrower tire on 6-1/2" rim will offer better "turn-in" = more immediate steering control, because the sidewall stays more vertical and transfers your turning to the tread more directly.

I personally used a 215x50 on another car a few ago, and was very annoyed when I needed one new one, only to find that Dunlop had dropped that size from their offerings. 215mm width is not a popular size, so expect few choices, higher prices by a few bucks, and possible lack of availability when you need one.