Tyre sizes?

**Mk3 AAA** · 22-10-2011, 02:18 PM

Interested in peoples experience with 215/40/R17s on Mk3s?

I've had the back guards rolled, before that my 205/40/R17s used to scrub quite a lot in the back with 17"X7.5 at ET+35, new wheels are 17X7.5 ET+32, and wondering if 215 is not too wide if I want to be moderately low. It's just that 205 doesn't have much sidewall and might be a bit harsh with coilovers, also the stretch trend seems to have died off a bit...not that I really mind too much about fads.

**kideuro** · 27-10-2011, 09:15 PM

i had 17X7's on mine with stock setup and when the car was full it was rubbing pretty badly..
but it depends how low you go and then might and mostly need to roll the guards..

**dylan8** · 27-10-2011, 10:18 PM

so your coming out 3mm more with offset, but going a 10mm wider tyre (5mm each side...) so really the tyre will be 8mm close to the guard then before...
doesnt sound good if you were rubbing before.
215 or 205/40 on a 7.5 isnt stretching and would be perfectly legal.
205/40 should give you a decent side wall. maybe just find a 'softer' tyre?

**Mk3 AAA** · 27-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by dylan8

so your coming out 3mm more with offset, but going a 10mm wider tyre (5mm each side...) so really the tyre will be 8mm close to the guard then before...
doesnt sound good if you were rubbing before.
215 or 205/40 on a 7.5 isnt stretching and would be perfectly legal.
205/40 should give you a decent side wall. maybe just find a 'softer' tyre?

Was only scrubbing in the back, but I had them rolled (haven't driven the car since the rolling). But, a friend with 215s in 15s (I don't know the sidewall, and I'm guessing that's the key figure) gets scrubbing on the inner plastic guard (wheel arch I guess) when he turns. It might be a taller tyre, but I'm just not sure on what leeway there is. I assume 215 will be fine, but was just wondering what others had experienced with them. I found my last 205s exposed the face of the rim, which albeit looks nicer also leaves the rims at risk of curbing... I'm pretty careful on the curbs and only just touched one once in the Golf, but I tend to share my car key around a bit with family and friends, and although I trust them to drive safely people forget they're not 15"s with giant buggy balloons attached.

**dark** · 28-10-2011, 06:50 AM

205s won't stretch on a 7.5, especially if they're not falkens

**rayray086** · 28-10-2011, 07:41 AM

Joe's not asking about stretch!

The extra "tallness" of the sidewall on a 215/40 is only 4mm, which (I can't provide any proof but) wouldn't really make a massive difference. I ran 195/40R17 stretched over and it wasn't any less comfortable than 195/50R15. This was on the Hottunings.

**Mk3 AAA** · 28-10-2011, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by dark

205s won't stretch on a 7.5, especially if they're not falkens

5 years of them on my rep's says they do

OK, so I think I'll go something like Kumho KU31's in 215/40/R17, pretty budget, but I think they sound like a good performance/quality/longevity trade-off.