Tire questions (rare sizes) Options

[achman_73_2.0]

Hello everyone,

Looking for tires for my 914-v8 conversion.

Forged Fuchs, 14" front 15" rear.

Current sizes are:

rear-225/50/15

front- 205/60/14

Seems very hard to find performance tires (not autox, race, touring) in these sizes. The tires currently on the car are in "good" shape, but are at least 10 years old and I'm not going to drive on them.

I have found this one:

http://www.performanceplustire.com/product...ireDataID/13644

Which has good reviews, for the rear...

But the front is difficult. Any ideas?

[screenguy914]

Hello everyone,

Looking for tires for my 914-v8 conversion.

Forged Fuchs, 14" front 15" rear.

Current sizes are:

rear-225/50/15

front- 205/60/14

Seems very hard to find performance tires (not autox, race, touring) in these sizes. The tires currently on the car are in "good" shape, but are at least 10 years old and I'm not going to drive on them.

I have found this one:

http://www.performanceplustire.com/product...ireDataID/13644

Which has good reviews, for the rear...

But the front is difficult. Any ideas?

For your stated purpose, I think you can do better than a tire that claims superior performance in wet, dry and snow conditions and with a wear rating of 400+.

Try a search on Google for 225-50-15. Limited choices in 15" performance street tires. Use matching tire brand/model on the front.

Assume fitting under factory size wheel wells?

S

[mepstein]

Went looking for 225x50x15 tires last night. Yikes! Not much to choose from.
14" wheels on the front is an unusual choice.

[Big Len]

Here's a few.

http://www.eurotire.com/searchresults.htm?...25|h:50|d:15zz~

[mepstein]

Here's a few.

http://www.eurotire.com/searchresults.htm?...25|h:50|d:15zz~

Cool!

[Bulldog9]

Also try simple tire.com, big selection. You have to filter out a bunch of chinese, but the selection is pretty exhaustive. I used to shop exclusively from discount tire, but simple tire has become my go to.

[achman_73_2.0]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have done a ton of research, and have checked out all the usual suspects and also the places listed here. This was just a last ditch post.

For the rears, I've come up with Kumho Ecsta AST, a high-perf all season with 400UTQG in the correct size- 225/50/15

Of course, a 205/55/15 is the exact same diameter, and for all reasons will fit perfectly--it's just a little narrower, important when dealing with 350hp

However, the options are much better here:

Yokohama S-Drives

Dunlop Direzza

Nitto NT 450

All of these are sticky tires with 300UTQG and don't have to be stored inside during freezing temps, and can be driven when it is 40-50 degrees in the spring.

There is also a Nitto NT05 in 205/50/15, narrower but much stickier...

I am thinking the superior traction would compensate for a slightly narrower size?

For the fronts...it is difficult. I am only finding track tires with a 60UTQG and I just can't go that way, and there really isn't an equivalent...I'm looking at a slightly narrower Falken Azenis RT-615K in 195/60/14

I know this is too much info, but for anyone looking for these sizes in the future, this thread might save a lot of angst.

Thoughts on the above? Slightly narrower but stickier?

[anderssj]

I've a couple of "like new" Falken Ziex 912s in 225/50VR15s; I was just going to list them in the classifieds.

I'm going a different direction now (Pedrinis), and won't be using the Falkens. I can post a couple of pictures, UTQGs, other codes/data if you're interested.

Best regards,

Steve A-

[Chris914n6]

The Fuchs may give you the look you want, but it's doing the driving experience a disservice.
I'd pick up a set of Boxster era (cheap) 16s, 17s, or 18s and put modern sports car tires on it.

[achman_73_2.0]

The Fuchs may give you the look you want, but it's doing the driving experience a disservice.
I'd pick up a set of Boxster era (cheap) 16s, 17s, or 18s and put modern sports car tires on it.

Totally appreciate the reply but I like to keep the sleeper/period look of the car.
18's, if they even fit ( I sincerely doubt it without sever modification) are not the direction I want to go in.

Little tire choice, like with the 13" wheels on my 2002Tii, are the price I pay...

[Andyrew]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have done a ton of research, and have checked out all the usual suspects and also the places listed here. This was just a last ditch post.

For the rears, I've come up with Kumho Ecsta AST, a high-perf all season with 400UTQG in the correct size- 225/50/15

Of course, a 205/55/15 is the exact same diameter, and for all reasons will fit perfectly--it's just a little narrower, important when dealing with 350hp

However, the options are much better here:

Yokohama S-Drives

Dunlop Direzza

Nitto NT 450

All of these are sticky tires with 300UTQG and don't have to be stored inside during freezing temps, and can be driven when it is 40-50 degrees in the spring.

There is also a Nitto NT05 in 205/50/15, narrower but much stickier...

I am thinking the superior traction would compensate for a slightly narrower size?

For the fronts...it is difficult. I am only finding track tires with a 60UTQG and I just can't go that way, and there really isn't an equivalent...I'm looking at a slightly narrower Falken Azenis RT-615K in 195/60/14

I know this is too much info, but for anyone looking for these sizes in the future, this thread might save a lot of angst.

Thoughts on the above? Slightly narrower but stickier?

Tire compound is way more important than width when only talking about a small amount of size difference.

A Sticky street tire like the NT05, RT615, RE71R, RS3, DZII Star spec will perform way, way better than a typical street tire.

Consider going to 16" tire sizes. For example a 225/50/16 is a great square setup for this car and you should be able to get many of those high end autox street tires in that size.

Current super sticky tire is the Bridgestone RE71R.

Take a look at the sticky tire option at Tire rack and look at the sizes available. Then look at the tire diameter, for example on the Toyo Proxies the 225/45/15 has the same overall tire diameter as a 205/50/15. This will get you more overall tire at a small sacrifice in highway RPM's.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/types/perfCat.jsp?perf=EP

[Mark Henry]

The Fuchs may give you the look you want, but it's doing the driving experience a disservice.
I'd pick up a set of Boxster era (cheap) 16s, 17s, or 18s and put modern sports car tires on it.

Personally I don't like the big wheel look on a 914, to me it is just wrong, 16" would be my largest choice.
Not crazy about the different size wheels.

[Chris914n6]

Another thing to pay attention to is that a 205 isn't likely exactly 205. Check the specs for each tire choice for tread width and overall width. The sidewall bulge was an issue for me when fitting 225 on 7" in the inner rear. One of the features I like about TireRack.

[achman_73_2.0]

Another thing to pay attention to is that a 205 isn't likely exactly 205. Check the specs for each tire choice for tread width and overall width. The sidewall bulge was an issue for me when fitting 225 on 7" in the inner rear. One of the features I like about TireRack.

"A Sticky street tire like the NT05, RT615, RE71R, RS3, DZII Star spec will perform way, way better than a typical street tire."

Absolutely correct, however, since it freezes here in NJ, I don't want to have to take off the tires and bring them inside to store them correctly in the winter, unless I have another set of wheels/tires to put on at the time..

"Consider going to 16" tire sizes."

I would but I don't think 16" will fit under the front fenders, and I won't like the look. It is very much a period-correct looking car visually, and I like the sleeper-period look of it. I could find 16" Fuchs, I am sure, but I don't want to spare the $2K to go that route...

"The sidewall bulge was an issue for me when fitting 225 on 7" in the inner rear. One of the features I like about TireRack."

Absolutely. I have 6" Fuchs on the rear, and a 225 clears just fine. The fenders have been massaged so a 7" wheel would fit, but I have my doubts...

I've been on https://tiresize.com/calculator/ many times, and an equivalent size for a 225/50/15 is 205/55/15

Slightly smaller, but then again I could put on Yokohama S Drive which I had on another car and really liked, and leave them on all year around...but it doesn't solve the front 205/60/14 dilemma...there is a 215/60/14 BF Goodrich radial T/A but I don't think that would fit

I guess I could look for 15" 5.5 or 6" Fuchs that match the rears...would make things a lot easier.

I don't think most people can even tell it has a 14" on front and 15" on rear...

[Chris914n6]

I had base Boxster 16s on mine with 5/16" spacers and stock size tires. 225/50 and 205/55. Pulled the rear fenders a bit and lost some camber but the 7" fit. Plenty of room up front.
Later a trip to the pick-a-part got me 20 944 66mm studs and a pair of 21mm spacers. I put the 21mm spacers on the front to fill the gap. Bought 15mm spacers for the rear to get the camber back, along with a real fender rolling tool (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
The base 993 17" wheels fit also with stock size tires.

The benefit to stock size Porsche tires is huge selection. They're also a common size on many others like the 350z.

I went with Bridgestones. I forget which other brand I was looking at had but it spec'd like a 235 and had a sidewall bulge.

[Andyrew]

Another thing to pay attention to is that a 205 isn't likely exactly 205. Check the specs for each tire choice for tread width and overall width. The sidewall bulge was an issue for me when fitting 225 on 7" in the inner rear. One of the features I like about TireRack.

"A Sticky street tire like the NT05, RT615, RE71R, RS3, DZII Star spec will perform way, way better than a typical street tire."

Absolutely correct, however, since it freezes here in NJ, I don't want to have to take off the tires and bring them inside to store them correctly in the winter, unless I have another set of wheels/tires to put on at the time..

"Consider going to 16" tire sizes."

I would but I don't think 16" will fit under the front fenders, and I won't like the look. It is very much a period-correct looking car visually, and I like the sleeper-period look of it. I could find 16" Fuchs, I am sure, but I don't want to spare the $2K to go that route...

"The sidewall bulge was an issue for me when fitting 225 on 7" in the inner rear. One of the features I like about TireRack."

Absolutely. I have 6" Fuchs on the rear, and a 225 clears just fine. The fenders have been massaged so a 7" wheel would fit, but I have my doubts...

I've been on https://tiresize.com/calculator/ many times, and an equivalent size for a 225/50/15 is 205/55/15

Slightly smaller, but then again I could put on Yokohama S Drive which I had on another car and really liked, and leave them on all year around...but it doesn't solve the front 205/60/14 dilemma...there is a 215/60/14 BF Goodrich radial T/A but I don't think that would fit

I guess I could look for 15" 5.5 or 6" Fuchs that match the rears...would make things a lot easier.

I don't think most people can even tell it has a 14" on front and 15" on rear...

If your really going to drive when its under 40deg outside then grab some 15x7 cookie cutters and put some cheap all seasons on them. Swap wheels when you want some grip or just in the summer. There is no substitute for an extreme performance summer tire. The grip level difference is not just noticable, its extreme.. The tires I named have the grip of a R compound tire 20 years ago, but will last 10-20k miles depending on use.

[Andyrew]

See below.

[achman_73_2.0]

See below.

Genius, thanks.

I am also negotiating with a member on here for a set of cookie cutter wheels in 15", I had the same idea. I'll get some decent tires on them, so the S-Drives or something similar, so if I feel like driving it late into the fall or early spring, I won't slide off into a ditch.

Then, I'll get some sticky stuff (I like the RA1) for when I want to drive up to Bear Mountain on a perfect day.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll update this thread when I get the tires, for future knowledge base...