RichinMO

I'm ready to hit tire rack up for some GT500 wheels but really stressing about the tires. I know they recommend 255/45-18 but they look too skinny for the wheel to me. I found these Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position in 275/40-18. They are all season but look pretty tight in the close up pics and the recommended rim width is 9.5 so they should be perfect. Does anyone have any pics of a setup like this?? Thanks!
My car has all stock suspension.

Here's some pics, there's more at the end of this thread.

RichinMO

Has anyone done this combo or seen it done? I've seen some 9.5 inch wide Steeda wheels with 275/40's mounted but I don't know what that offset is. The GT500 wheels have 47mm offset so...

mikes rx

I've got those tires on my daily driver, which is a corolla. They are very good tires IMO.

But, are the ones you're looking at Z-rated, because mine are only H-rated. None the less, I think they did a marvelous job in terms of increasing handling and traction on my corolla.

06GT

FYI on my GT500 wheels, 255s are VERY close to the strut in the front.

RichinMO

The tires are Z rated, 275/40ZR18

YIKES...do you think your handling pack makes that clearance any tighter? Is the clearance less than...say...12mm?

mikes rx

I have 255's all around with the factory GT500 wheels (Ford racing's ARE the factory GT500 wheel), and I've never noticed this problem. Also, I haven't found the need for the "supposed" required steering stop.

BTW, no lowering springs here.

RobK

As long as they're not touching your good! If they're moving in relation to the strut then you've got problems!

RichinMO

Mike, since your suspension is stock, about how much clearance do you have between the tire and strut? Can you get a finger in between?

RichinMO

The tire shouldn't get any closer to the strut with suspension travel should it? The only thing would be sidewall deflection during cornering right?

mikes rx

I'm honestly not sure, and I won't see my car again for a few weeks to provide a good answer.

But, I can tell you that I never noticed it as being close, and can't imagine that it is. If anything, I would think it would be a little farther away, because the offset makes the wheel stick out a little farther (although, at the same time, the wheel is wider, therefore the wheel could also be in more as well as sticking out a little more).

Also, i would think that if it was close to the strut when the wheels are straight, it would probably hit the strut when you turned the wheels.

Maybe someone else could chime in on this whole thing.

mikes rx

Drew (06GT), are you running factory GT500's, or aftermarket??? That may make a difference, if the offsets are different.

delz05

I've been running 255x45x17 on 17x9's for almost a year with no problems. Just swapped rears to 285x40x17 to give the rear a real beefy look. Will be installing Chrome GT500 wheels 18x9 front with 255x45x18 and 18x10 with 295x40x18 in the summer. No clearance problems on any combo.
fyi...www.bigcustomwheels has a GREAT tire size chart. Gives a full picture of all dimensions between rim and tire combos. Agreat tool!

official_style

well its not what you wanted... but heres my 18x9 with a 285/40/18 on it fits perfectly, looks perfect IMO

bpmurr

I'm running 275/40/18 all the way around on my 18x9.5 Beyonds. I'll have to dig some pictures out of them.

mikes rx

EDIT: nevermind

RichinMO

bpmurr, according to discounttiredirect.com, the size of your wheels is: 18X9.5 5-114.3 45GRM, numbers in bold is the offset and finish. So if you have a +45mm offset and are running 275/40/18, I can't see another 2mm in offset (47mm) hurting. Just how close is the clearance between the tire and strut, that's what I'm really worried about.

RichinMO

bpmurr, does your aftermarket suspension give you more clearance than the stock struts? edit: guessing you have the stock struts, just added Steeda springs. nevermind

Mas35NYR

275/40/18's all around on Hot Wheel Sixty Eights w/ Eibach Pro Springs and no problems at all.

06GT

I've got the American Muscle GT500s w/ the 50mm offset

bpmurr

You should be fine.