jokerswld34

so guys, im in need of some new tires now as my currents are running low on tread. i am running BRABUS 19x9.5 Fr and 19x9.5 rear with 235 and 265 widths respectively. However, after many miles with that setup, i feel as if i should possibly drop the widths down to 225 and 255, or at least one of them. i did some calculation and with the current widths, my rolling diameter and revs/mile are a bit off from the stock setup, but reducing the widths one size down gets the numbers much closer to stock. what would you guys recommend?

I have always run 235s up front with 265/275s in the rear (275 rubbed). But, i find I have been tramlining alot with the current sizing, irrespective of tire manufacturers (ive run PS2s, PZero Rosso, and Nitto Invo). would i be safe to reduce tire width one size down for either front or rear, or both, or should i stick with the widths im currently using? (BRABUS recommends 235s front / 255s rear i believe). any help would be greatly appreciated as i am about to purchase a new set tonight or tomorrow. cheers!

e1000

You shouldn't have any problems reducing to 225/35 F and 255/30 R. As you mentioned, these sizes are closer to the actual factory overall diameters. The only question is, are you having problems with the 235/35 and 265/30 setup? It gives you a bit wider tire for a little bit more traction.

jokerswld34

thanks for the reply. i cant say for sure whether im having "problems" witht he current setup since ive run the rims that way since i bought them. however, i do notice alot more tracking issues with the wider setup than i did with my stocks. and since im in MA with crap roads, it is even more pronounced. i thought about reducing the fronts only (using the porsche staggered setup as example) but am worried about lip exposure....

hanknum

A couple questions first...

- Why are you running staggered tires on the same width rims?

- Have you checked with the tire manufactures min. rim size on 225/235 tires?

You will want to keep the overall dia as close to OEM as possible otherwise your speedo/miles will be off. Also, it the front and rear dia are too far off from one another, it can affect your ABS. Go to either www.tirerack.com or www.tires.com and do some research.

e1000

check his sig, it's a typo, plus, I'm fairly sure a 19x9.5 wheel won't fit too well on the front of a w203.

road tracking is dependant not only on tire width but also compound and tread pattern. Some tires will tend to track less than others even with the same widths.