Tire choice at stock height...

[safariobsession]

Well this topic has been covered pretty well on the other site but not yet covered here...and I'm a little impatient waiting for the AS.com site to be fixed to search there. So here it goes...

My 91 is sitting at stock height on its P215/75-15's. I want wider and a bit taller maybe. There aren't many tire options with the sport sized P245/60-15s. <--- would be wider but with a smaller diameter. I WAS looking into P235/75-15s (have run dad's worn michelins without "much" rubbing) but don't want to have to trim too much. My work's 2002 Astro passenger van has Michelin P235/75-15s and rubs quite a bit at full lock. Not like I make many maneuvers at full lock anyways but #-o

Question... Can a worn inner tie-rod end cause the inner thread of the tire (driver's side) to wear fast? The inner side of my tire is bald now.

Should I go with 235/70-15s, or maybe 225/75-15s? I think I remember Yokoma tires being mentioned on the other site.

[dean89]

I have had all of those sizes except the 235/70-15's, I like the 245's because they look wide and have good street performance, I think they look too small without lowering though (I had them for a few months while I had the coil spacers still in on the front). The 235/75-15's with 1" coil spacers made the van look awd and filled the fenders up nicely, they didn't look that wide though. I have the 225's as snow tires, they barely look any wider but definitely a bit more sidewall, mine are kind of floaty feeling since they are a passenger tire with a lot of sidewall. If you don't intend to lower it I would look for a 235/70 and split the difference between wide and tall, otherwise the 245's are nice.
Here are some pics for reference, I don't have them all from the same angle but here you go.

215's

225's with coil spacers

235/75 with coil spacers

245's with coil spacers

245's with 2/3 drop

[BLAZER]

Mt 95 had 235/70/15's on stock spoke wheels when i got it, looked pretty good, i couldn't see going much wider or taller without rubbin'.

[ihatemybike]

My spring through fall wheels are 235/70R15 BF Goodrich Radial T/As mounted on American Racing Outlaw Rims. Great handling, taken several corners faster than I should to test them. While most the time I have no rubbing, if the wheels are turned just so while pulling into an uphill driveway a nice brrrrrrrrrrrrrk can be heard.

[WVKayaker]

Great pics dean89,
Between my two vans I have had all but the 235/70/15's, but this is my vote if you are doing no modifications. They look good on stock vans and handle way better then 205's or 215's. The 245's I had on my '90 shorty handled awesome but for me weren't tall enough.

[ihatemybike]

Oh yeah, before the 235/70R15 I had a set of 245/60R15. They lowered mile actual gas mileage, big no-no for an interstate warrior like me. They got moved onto the stock rims and sold with my '94.

Some fuzzy math tire diameters
215/75R15 = 27.7" (normal stock '99)
215/70R16 = 27.85" (stock '04)
225/75R15 = 28.29"
235/65R15 = 27.03" (optional stock '99)
235/70R15 = 27.95"
245/60R15 = 26.57"

I try my best to keep the diameter between 27.5" and 28".

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I like the looks of the 235/70's. They are on the 95 I had that skippy has now.

[safariobsession]

Thanks for the pictures dean and blazer! I think I'm sold on the 235/70-15s. I found some Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's in this size at a local firestone dealer, go figure...firestone tires at a firestone shop, haha. Quoted for tires and mounting for under $400. Here's basically what they look like... I'm kinda excited, haha.

[st4s]

I like the idea running 235/75-15 on my stock 94 AWD.
Would I avoid the rubbing at full lock described earlier in this thread by increasing the backspace by say 1/2" ?

-Frank-

[ihatemybike]

I like the idea running 235/75-15 on my stock 94 AWD.
Would I avoid the rubbing at full lock described earlier in this thread by increasing the backspace by say 1/2" ?

-Frank-

I test fitted Firestone Wilderness ATs in that size on my '94 2WD. At stock height it would have requires fender well trimming.

[rlsllc]

I've got P225/70R15's on the AWD and the 4x4, on stock rims. They look OK and drive good. The V8 has P235/60R15's, a little short, but OK if you like that look. It has 15"x7" chromies.

[safariobsession]

Well i finally made a decision on the tires! I got the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's! (P235/70-15) They look beefy compared to the Lemans 215/75-15s I had, and the new tires are only 0.3 inchs bigger in diameter. Don't worry, pictures are on their way!

[WVKayaker]

Yeah pics!

[safariobsession]

Well....I braved the rain and took some pictures before it got dark!...enough of my rambling...













Had to add some captions in there! haha.

[WVKayaker]

cool....captions!
Nice pics!