Staggered wheel sizes?

[Shortstuff]

Hi all

I am due some new front tyres in a couple of months so starting my research early.

I currently have 215 45 17 bridgestone RE002s all around. They seem like good mid range tyres.
Not aa grippy as my 235 45 17 RE050s though. Unsure if thats partially down to size?

I cannot decide if it will be a good idea to get some 225 45 17 RE070s up front next? The backs on mine have loads of life yet so they won't be changed.

Staggered size and potr potentially staggered levels of grip. Doesnt sound like a great combination?

I have goodyear eagle asm2s on the front once with falkens on the rear and it felt a bit tail happy?

Although unsure if ill get the issue with the RE002s as they are pretty good and the back does not do much work on FWD?

 

[TyperItr]

there are no problems with running 225 up front and 215 on the back. I am sure a lot of people on here do it. Especially if your 215 tyres have loads of thread left no point changing them, but go for the 225 up front as the Re070 as you will have read are a great tyre

 

[maxvr6]

It will induce a little more oversteer which depending on your driving style might not be a bad thing, seems plenty of people on here do it. I've just received 2x AD08R's in 225/45/17 for the front and leaving my normal AD08's on the rear in 215/45/17, they're being installed today for the MOT, I'll let you know how they feel.

 

[C&S Evo7]

personally i dont think you will notice any more difference than just fitting new tyres, if just changing one up one size,

 

[Shortstuff]

Thanks all

 

[maxvr6]

Ive always had 215/45 fitted and this is the first time ive gone up to 225/45, im sure I can feel slightly more compliance in the tire but I believe the R version is a slightly softer compound so it could just be that, no way to know for sure without testing the two sizes of the exact same tire new back to back. Grip and handling wise I couldn't comment yet as all ive done is drive it down the motorway and home from getting the MOT done.

 

[Shortstuff]

How does it look? Does it look odd having 2 different tyre sizes? Or is it not noticeable?

 

[maxvr6]

I don't think its really noticeable, what do you think? Sorry for the dark picture.

 

[Erm]

Fronts look a fair bit bigger IMO

 

[Shortstuff]

I disagree? I can barely see a size different without proper looking

Fronts just look like they have more tred?

 

[maxvr6]

Exactly and my rears have probably done 10k with some track work so no wonder you cant see as much tread, if they were new all round i dont think i would notice anything


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[maxvr6]

Just to add to this, today was the first day I have done any real driving since having these fitted as I've just been pootling around town and to work 10 minutes away. Others may not notice the difference, however I have to say these wider front tyres have improved the drivability no end. Around town all I can notice is the extra compliance in the front and a little more grip, however my car has been a bit twitchy for some time now during high speed cruising in a straight line.

The reason for this is probably my geometry as I run just over 2 degrees negative camber all round with a smidge more in the back, a touch of toe out at the front and a touch of toe in at the rear, this is great in the twisties and on track but in a straight line on motorways and dual carriageways once I reach 70mph I can feel a bit of twitchiness, now if I then have to increase speed to overtake that twitchiness starts to rapidly increase. Of course this doesn't inspire confidence or drivability at all and makes the car a little uncomfortable, not a relaxing cruise down the motorway at all.

Today that twitchiness has disappeared, and I cannot tell you how much this pleases me. Yes I still have more bump steer than I'd like due to the ride height and the damping could be better but oh my days am I so much happier with it now. Now before anybody says "yes but your last set of tyres were probably fudged" I have been through 2 sets of AD08 tyres with these geometry settings and neither time did it make a difference to the high speed cruising stability. The only other variable i can think of is tyre pressure, BUT aha! I checked already and they are on 32psi, exactly the setting I always put them on.

Now I don't know what element of these tyres has made the difference, the wider overall track, the wider tyre, or the increased compliance but I thought I would share my experience as I think its still somewhat relevant to this thread.

Last but not least, is there a noticeable difference in handling, as in does it go round corners faster? I still cant say as I still haven't done any spirited driving or been on track since changing them but there is definitely a small increase in grip so why wouldn't it?

Over excited rant over lol

 

[Shortstuff]

Excellent stuff Max, glad to hear this.

I ran 235/45/17s front and back and one point and it made a massive difference to the handiling and I sawa reduction when swapping from 215/45/17s.
Hoever 235s are way too big and I just cut them up on rear arch.

Looks like im getting some 225s on the front next

 

[maxvr6]

Wow going from 235 to 215 is quite a drop, I think 225 is just perfect