Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Tuesday March 19, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
Click here to visit TireRack
Tire & Wheel Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack

Losing traction? Need new tires?
Click here to visit the NASIOC Upgrade Garage...
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Technical > Tire & Wheel

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-15-2004, 10:49 PM   #1
don_xtc
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 72378
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: up, UP AND AWAY.....
Vehicle:
3125 Impreza
Trying not to b0rk my car

Default Low Profiles = Wrecked Tranny?

I was talking to the people at Tiretrends.com about getting some Kumhos KW19s. Since they didn't have it in the recommended sizes of 185/65/15 or 195/60/15(for a '01 Impreza TS) I asked about the 185/55/15. The guy proceeded to preach to me about doom and gloom and how my tranny would go to hell in a hand basket if I put anything on my car but those two sizes . I have a fairly good idea about the recommended offsets on rims and such and by going outside those offset numbers you can and will do damage but for the life of me I cannot figure out how getting a lower profile tire would do any harm. I also do understand that it would be a smaller diameter tire too, but could that be the problem there? Anyways if anyone has the knowledge to answer this I would like to know. Plus if anyone is running a different size tire then is officially recommended then I would like to know too.

For anyone who wants to know I went with the Pirelli Winter Carvings at the recommended size of 185/65/15, but I want to get some good all seasons in the spring and really REALLY want some low pros.
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
don_xtc is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 12-15-2004, 11:06 PM   #2
Uncle Scotty
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 16200
Join Date: Mar 2002
Vehicle:
OK buy Nates beans
westcoastroasting.com

Default

....as long as all 4 tires are the same size....go for it......hell....a 205/55 might even fit if the rim is wide enough
Uncle Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2004, 11:58 PM   #3
uberbrighton
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 56676
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: wv-usa
Vehicle:
1996 Impreza
"Brighton" Hunter Green

Default

I've got 205/50/16's on my car, stock size was 185/70/14. Of course I am using 16" wheels, from a 2002 OBS. The only difference is the car handles tons better!!!

Ideally, I should have gotten 205/45/16 tokeep the stock tire diameter. It does throw the speedometer off a little, and the taller tire sucks up a little torque to get it rolling. I have a ej18 so it is noticeable, but the improvement in handeling and breaking is worth it, I have no regrets!
uberbrighton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 06:30 AM   #4
mav1c
Hoodbridge!
Moderator
 
Member#: 560
Join Date: Nov 1999
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Vehicle:
2006 STi, 16 Outback
Crystal Gray, Silver

Default

So I assume you were getting all 4 tires? IF you were getting just 2, I could understand the guy's point, but if all 4 are the same size, he doesn't know what he's talking about.
mav1c is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 08:36 AM   #5
don_xtc
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 72378
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: up, UP AND AWAY.....
Vehicle:
3125 Impreza
Trying not to b0rk my car

Default

Now I'm mildly piss off .... I'm sure the Pirelli's will do just fine but I would have like to have gotten something that doesn't look like big, thin tractor tires. But anyways in a few months when I start looking for all seasons for the summer some low pro 50's is what i'll be looking at....

BTW it was Morty at Tiretrends that ran me off of the tires I really wanted. Some people talk highly of him and others think he doesn't have a clue... I'm starting to lean to the latter...even though he is a nice guy and was very helpful.

Last edited by don_xtc; 12-16-2004 at 06:26 PM.
don_xtc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 08:58 AM   #6
LyveWRX
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 19057
Join Date: May 2002
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: The Lost Valley, Detroit, MI
Vehicle:
2002 WRX
& Blue Ford & '72 CB350

Default

Depending how much snow you see you may have made a good pick for all seasons (or snows, I dont know about the tire you mention.) The thinner profile produces a higher pressure squishing the snow out from under your tire.
LyveWRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 11:14 AM   #7
omahasubaru
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 1594
Join Date: Jun 2000
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Carson, IA
Vehicle:
1999 2.5 RS
2002 Legacy

Default

185/70-15 or 195/65-15 should be stock. You could go with a 205/60-15 no problem.

Your tranny will be fine with a smaller diameter, but you shouldn't need to settle on a smaller tire.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html - is your friend
omahasubaru is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 11:32 AM   #8
fliz
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 30342
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: #blp
Default

As was said, if you're replacing all four tires there are only two things you need to worry about when switching to smaller tires.

1. Your speedo/odo will be incorrect. No big deal, just know by how much
2. Load Rating. You need to make sure the smaller tires have a sufficient load rating to avoid overheating when you're carrying a full load.
fliz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 02:15 PM   #9
Luke@tirerack
Tire Rack Moderator
 
Member#: 1215
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: The Tire Rack
Vehicle:
800 -428-8355
ext. 4362

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by don_xtc
BTW it was Morty at Tiretrends that ran me off of the tires I really wanted. Some people talk highly of him and others think he doesn't have a clue... I'm starting to lean to the later...even though he is a nice guy and was very helpful.
apparently, the latter is correct


Quote:
Originally Posted by fliz
2. Load Rating. You need to make sure the smaller tires have a sufficient load rating to avoid overheating when you're carrying a full load..
Fliz has the correct info on why you don't get low profile tires on your standard wheels .... if you really want low profile tires buy larger diameter wheels
Luke@tirerack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2004, 06:25 PM   #10
don_xtc
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 72378
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: up, UP AND AWAY.....
Vehicle:
3125 Impreza
Trying not to b0rk my car

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke@tirerack
.... if you really want low profile tires buy larger diameter wheels

you mean wheels as in rims right? So go with 16" instead of 15"s?


And yes, I did buy 4 tires that are the same size.
don_xtc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2004, 08:39 AM   #11
Luke@tirerack
Tire Rack Moderator
 
Member#: 1215
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: The Tire Rack
Vehicle:
800 -428-8355
ext. 4362

Default

technically a rim is a part of a wheel
Luke@tirerack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2004, 02:40 PM   #12
don_xtc
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 72378
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: up, UP AND AWAY.....
Vehicle:
3125 Impreza
Trying not to b0rk my car

Default

yeah you're right Luke....
don_xtc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2004, 04:42 PM   #13
GuyLR
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 21811
Join Date: Jul 2002
Chapter/Region: International
Default

A 205/60-15 would have worked too. Back on the pre '02 model L and OBS wagons Subaru used the same 15 inch steelie for the 195/60 on the L and 205/60 on the OBS. Your gear ratio is the same as the current OBS which runs a 205/55-16 so It can easily handle the larger diameter tire.
GuyLR is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
FS: BRP low profile sedan wing Thug New England Impreza Club Forum -- NESIC 10 03-11-2005 02:25 PM
do low profile tires mess with my insurance? Otaku64 Brakes, Steering & Suspension 11 09-20-2001 12:26 PM
low profile wing jokerusn Interior & Exterior Modification 2 09-06-2001 09:00 PM
Low profile wing mhj Interior & Exterior Modification 8 07-31-2001 01:43 PM
low profile spoiler stolen from Specialty! be on the lookout! Orbiter Vancouver Impreza Club Forum -- VIC 1 04-02-2000 05:42 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.