Yet another tire question, 195-55-15 Options

[GregAmy]

This weekend, I'll be headed to the tire dealer, and we'll be trying different combos to see what works. I will let you know what I discover

So...how'd your weekend go?

[Robnxious]

This weekend, I'll be headed to the tire dealer, and we'll be trying different combos to see what works. I will let you know what I discover

So...how'd your weekend go?

Well, they are going to bring in some 195-60-15 and 185-60-15 tires. They didn't have the ones in stock that I wanted, and I am out of town next week. I think it's going to be the 195-60-15's, but due to a possible clearance issue on the back we may need to go w/ the 185s

[GregAmy]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm leaning toward 195/60-15 for my '74 with Fuchs, simply because I'm thinking the 205s are a bit too wide for a 5-1/2" wheel. They can fit, but they'll "pooch" out a bit.

I should have no problems fitting a 195/60; it has 195/55 on it now and I can get an index finger in between the inner fender and the tire.

[Jamie]

I've been running Michelin Exalto 205/65x15 on my original 5.5" steelies for several years with only a minor inside rub when turning lock to lock. They are (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) very close to original diameter, but way better for traction in all weather!

[horizontally-opposed]

Used to run 205/55R15s. Liked the width and performance, but eventually looked wrong to me. Less so now, as period 914 race cars ran race tires of similar dimensions.

Even so, I like 195/65 and 205/60, and there are a couple of interesting choices in both categories. Remember that nearly any tire of today is a faaaaaar better tire than anything the 914 came equipped with.

The Pirelli is N-spec (Porsche approved) and is probably the only summer performance tire available in one of these sizes. Looks great on the cars, with nice sidewall bulge and it is sure to fit the wheel wells on most 914s. The Yokohama is a great autocross tire (there are almost certainly better ones) with a great, simple sidewall but a pretty alien tread pattern. The BFG Comp T/A has long had me wondering about how it works on a 914, as the look is period right on a 914 so long as the white letters are faced in to hide them. As seen on the recent super clean 914-6 GT tribute that sold on BaT for $55k....

[horizontally-opposed]

Used to run 205/55R15s. Liked the width and performance, but eventually looked wrong to me. Less so now, as period 914 race cars ran race tires of similar dimensions.

Even so, I like 195/65 and 205/60, and there are a couple of interesting choices in both categories. Remember that nearly any tire of today is a faaaaaar better tire than anything the 914 came equipped with.

The Pirelli is N-spec (Porsche approved) and is probably the only summer performance tire available in one of these sizes. Looks great on the cars, with nice sidewall bulge and it is sure to fit the wheel wells on most 914s. The Yokohama is a great autocross tire (there are almost certainly better ones) with a great, simple sidewall but a pretty alien tread pattern. The BFG Comp T/A has long had me wondering about how it works on a 914, as the look is period right on a 914 so long as the white letters are faced in to hide them. As seen on the recent super clean 914-6 GT tribute that sold on BaT for $55k....

[ThreeV8s]

I picked up a set of Firestone Firehawk AS tires today. These are one of a small group of "high performance all season" tires in 195/65 R15 and the reviews are pretty good. Most in this size are touring, grand touring, etc.

I'm bringing this up because they are already inexpensive at $68/tire at the local firestone, but there is a $60 rebate right now on a set of 4 and a $100 rebate if you use a firestone credit card by Nov 12th. Normally I get tires from tire rack, but it made more sense in this case to pick them up locally. I will post a review once they're on the car. I can't imagine that just about anything in this size (with a speed rating of h or better) wouldn't be a huge improvement over the 165/80 tires that came with the car.

[euro911]

Heck, at that a price, how could you go wrong? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Let us know how they work out for ya ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[GeorgeRud]

195/65-15 Michelin Exaltos on 6x15” Fuchs look right to me.

[ThreeV8s]

Heck, at that a price, how could you go wrong? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Let us know how they work out for ya ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Most tires in this size and category (yokohama, sumitomo, etc.) are in this price range, and the higher priced tires aren't necessarily better. It's ranked #3 out of 17 in the category on tire rack. Time will tell.

[Cairo94507]

George, your car looks terrific. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[GregAmy]

I picked up a set of Firestone Firehawk AS tires today. These are one of a small group of "high performance all season" tires in 195/65 R15 and the reviews are pretty good. Most in this size are touring, grand touring, etc.

Exactly what I did end of September, except I went with 195/60-15. Local Firestone dealer matched Tire Rack's price and had me in and out quickly for around $330. Posted the following review on Tire Rack:

"Softer-sidewall tires than the BFGs I replaced; I could immediately feel the increased flex and slower transition during steering input. However, once they take a set there's not a lot of squirm, they're pretty stable. On the plus side, the ride is noticeably smoother and less harsh, so for a spirited street car this is a good compromise. Let's see how well they work out after some serious miles!"

[ThreeV8s]

I picked up a set of Firestone Firehawk AS tires today. These are one of a small group of "high performance all season" tires in 195/65 R15 and the reviews are pretty good. Most in this size are touring, grand touring, etc.

Exactly what I did end of September, except I went with 195/60-15. Local Firestone dealer matched Tire Rack's price and had me in and out quickly for around $330. Posted the following review on Tire Rack:

"Softer-sidewall tires than the BFGs I replaced; I could immediately feel the increased flex and slower transition during steering input. However, once they take a set there's not a lot of squirm, they're pretty stable. On the plus side, the ride is noticeably smoother and less harsh, so for a spirited street car this is a good compromise. Let's see how well they work out after some serious miles!"

So that was you...I was hoping it was someone on the forum that might chime in.

Are you still happy with them?

I was truly hesitant to let them do the mounting and balancing for fear of them lifting the car incorrectly or screwing it up while behind the wheel, so I am taking them to a different shop. Glad it worked out for you.

[Guberif]

I used to run 195/50-15s. I liked them at the time. Eventually, I liked them less.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-121-1505109211.1.jpg)


I had originally used 195/60-15 in the same make and model, and found several differences when I went to 50-series tires:
- Lower gearing for better acceleration out of corners
- Stiffer sidewalls resulting in (slightly) more grip
- Better feedback from the tires

- Harder ride due to shorter sidewalls
- Freeway speeds required ~500 RPM more
- On a few autoX courses I had to shift up to 3rd and back, costing me some time

When I went to 50-series tires, I was finally able to feel the car well enough to catch a slide before it evolved into a spin. I had never done that on the 60-series tires.

Eventually, having to run higher RPMs on the freeway did get to me. The type of tires I wanted to run were also becoming harder to find in 195/50, so I wound up going with 205/60-15s.

--DD

Hey Darling Dave, I totally agree with you I love the 195/50ZR/15 (made by Yokohama - nla for the A-008 type)which I need to replace, can't even find any ZR rated tires anymore.

I've talked to you a couple of times on the phone years & years ago and you've always had Rock Solid advice.

So, here's my question.

I deffinately want to stay with the low pro's no debating that one - your dead right world of difference! But I would like to have more accurate speedo & I wouldnt mind having lower rpm's.

Where the 'Rub' is (forgive the pun) that my tires I have on my chrome rims are 185/65/15. the drivers rear clearance is super tight, can't even get my pinkie in between tire and well. do you know if these chrome rims are totally offset? or are they the same as the Fuch's? (I'll upload pic of the chrome ones)

I will be putting the new tires on my 2.0 L. OEM Fuch's .....so, If I were to go a little bigger with still a 50% would that work? Could you suggest any sizes to check out?

Sorry to ask this, there is no tire shop nearby so I will be having to order over the internet, so I cant just go down to a shop or anything of the sort, that and like I said - great advice before - thanks.

Bonnie

[GregAmy]

So that was you...I was hoping it was someone on the forum that might chime in.

Are you still happy with them?

I was hesitant to let them do the mounting and balancing for fear of them lifting the car incorrectly or screwing it up while behind the wheel, so I am taking them to a different shop. Glad it worked out for you.

I am still happy with the tires after 1500 miles or so. I tend to like a really "tight" car with quick response - I'm used to racing FWD cars with 1800#/in rear springs and big bars - and these Firestones are markedly less responsive than the BFGs. But I still think the compromise in ride quality is worth it.They ride better on the highway, are quieter, and even my wife noticed the improved smoothness, so it's all a plus.

I'll tell ya, I was worried about leaving a 43-yr-old car with Fuchs and walking away to go to work, mostly because I thought they might tear them or the center caps up. But I've gotten stuff from this Firestone shop in the past (couple sets of tires for the Excursion) and they did a good job. I did re-check the torque and it was slightly over-tight, but otherwise no marks on the wheels or caps. Underside looks fine.

[ThreeV8s]

So that was you...I was hoping it was someone on the forum that might chime in.

Are you still happy with them?

I was hesitant to let them do the mounting and balancing for fear of them lifting the car incorrectly or screwing it up while behind the wheel, so I am taking them to a different shop. Glad it worked out for you.

I am still happy with the tires after 1500 miles or so. I tend to like a really "tight" car with quick response - I'm used to racing FWD cars with 1800#/in rear springs and big bars - and these Firestones are markedly less responsive than the BFGs. But I still think the compromise in ride quality is worth it.They ride better on the highway, are quieter, and even my wife noticed the improved smoothness, so it's all a plus.

I'll tell ya, I was worried about leaving a 43-yr-old car with Fuchs and walking away to go to work, mostly because I thought they might tear them or the center caps up. But I've gotten stuff from this Firestone shop in the past (couple sets of tires for the Excursion) and they did a good job. I did re-check the torque and it was slightly over-tight, but otherwise no marks on the wheels or caps. Underside looks fine.

That's good to hear and I think these will work out well for their intended purpose. Thank you very much for the feedback. I'm generally the same way when it comes to sports cars...would take internal bleeding over mush normally, but this car has different purpose for me. I've never had so much fun going slow. We had bridgestone RE11s mounted on the 911 last fall and love them, but there is nothing even close in the 195/65 size.

It can be a crapshoot with those places and glad you have a good one. Like a car dealership's service department, there are varying levels of talent, and I'm just not that lucky.

[Dave_Darling]

.... I would like to have more accurate speedo & I wouldnt mind having lower rpm's.

Where the 'Rub' is (forgive the pun) that my tires I have on my chrome rims are 185/65/15. the drivers rear clearance is super tight, can't even get my pinkie in between tire and well. do you know if these chrome rims are totally offset? or are they the same as the Fuch's? (I'll upload pic of the chrome ones)

It is likely that your chrome wheels are not the same offset as the stock 914 wheels. Bug wheels, for instance, usually place the tires further out in the fenders.

It would be exceedingly unusual if you couldn't fit 195s on Fuchs under stock fenders. There's a pretty decent chance you could fit 205s--and you can be pretty certain if you're willing to flatten or trim the fender lip.

A set of 205/65-15 should be close to the original diameter. Also 205/60-15. Both are good choices for a 914.

--DD

[euro911]

Hey Darling Dave, I totally agree with you I love the 195/50ZR/15 (made by Yokohama - nla for the A-008 type)which I need to replace, can't even find any ZR rated tires anymore.

I've talked to you a couple of times on the phone years & years ago and you've always had Rock Solid advice.

So, here's my question.

I deffinately want to stay with the low pro's no debating that one - your dead right world of difference! But I would like to have more accurate speedo & I wouldnt mind having lower rpm's.

Where the 'Rub' is (forgive the pun) that my tires I have on my chrome rims are 185/65/15. the drivers rear clearance is super tight, can't even get my pinkie in between tire and well. do you know if these chrome rims are totally offset? or are they the same as the Fuch's? (I'll upload pic of the chrome ones)

I will be putting the new tires on my 2.0 L. OEM Fuch's .....so, If I were to go a little bigger with still a 50% would that work? Could you suggest any sizes to check out?

Sorry to ask this, there is no tire shop nearby so I will be having to order over the internet, so I cant just go down to a shop or anything of the sort, that and like I said - great advice before - thanks.

Bonnie

Bonnie, some 914s came out of the factory with non-symmetrical rear suspension too. The rear track is wider than the front to begin with, so fitting wider wheels is sort of iffy, especially if the offset/backspacing of the wheels isn't correct for the car.

I installed a nice set of 5.5" EMPI 8-spoke freshly powder-coated wheels with Falken 195/65-15 tires on the '71, but the left rear rubbed the fender lip (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ... The backspacing on those wheels was for VW Bugs/Ghias/Squrebacks, etc. - so I sold them. I stated this issue in my for sale ad, and they fit just fine on the gentleman's car who purchased them.

I doubt you'll have any issues with the (real) factory 4-lug Fuchs wheels though, they have the correct backspacing. Typically, 195/65's on those will present no issues, and a lot of folks do run with 205/60s with no issues either.

In any event, you can install your 'un-tired' wheels on the rear and measure the distance to the fender lip about 2~3" above the outer rim of the wheels (where the tire will be wider than the wheel itself) to see how much clearance you'll have. Caution, though, some manufacturer's tires are a tad wider, even if listed as the same size.

[ThreeV8s]

I had the Firehawks mounted today. From the ride home which was a mix of highway and back roads, it’s a significant change from the tires that were on there. The car feels much more composed over road imperfections and inspires much more confidence all around. It’s not an apples to apples comparison since it’s a completely different size and type of tire, but I can say that I am very happy with these so far.

Also, I kept the 165/80s in case anyone needs them and placed an ad for the free set of 4 in the classified section:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=320073

[Mike1981]

Hello
On my last car I ran
205-50-15 Potenza summer tires
Stuck like glue in the turns and really enhanced the dynamics of the car.

Currently I have all season 205-50-15 front and 225-50-15 rear

Not bad tires, just not as inspiring in the turns.

Lower profiles Pros:

Better feel
Better cornering
Better dynamic performance

Cons

Lower to the ground
Could scrape pavement
Harsher ride
Rear wheel well not filled in as much (this can be adjusted)

IMHO I like the sportier ride and the grip of the summer tires better than the softer ride of the taller aspect ratio tires.

Hope this helps