275 too wide?

mustang1 · May 25, 2010

I just bought a nice used set of 99 cobra rims with tires and the tires are 245's all the way around. I know I could do a 255 tire but the question iscan

I fit a 275 45 17 tire on a 17x8 rim? I could just buy another set of rims but these were very cheap and i just needed some 17's to clear the future

13 inch brakes.

OnyxCobra · May 25, 2010

you can stuff them on but they are not the ideal size.

Win · May 25, 2010

mustang1 said:
I just bought a nice used set of 99 cobra rims with tires and the tires are 245's all the way around. I know I could do a 255 tire but the question iscan

I fit a 275 45 17 tire on a 17x8 rim? I could just buy another set of rims but these were very cheap and i just needed some 17's to clear the future

13 inch brakes.

255/45/17 i would say to go with i had them on my 01 polished Cobra's

Mustanger · May 26, 2010

Go for it! They work just fine...here they are on stock Mach 1 rims! Look great!

schacher94gt · May 26, 2010

go with 555s or 555Rs they run smaller

sixt9coug · May 26, 2010

I had some on my 69 Cougar that was running late some '02 Bullitts on it and they were fine. They did 'muffin' out a bit, but I didn't notice any weird handling or anything. I ran Nitto 555s on them. Both the regular and DRs and neither gave me any problems. In fact, I put them on my Mom's 02 Stang after I took them off of my car and went back to 15s.

SRT Handz · May 26, 2010

I think 245 is the best size on an 8 inch rim.

275 is the best size a 9 inch rim.

Win · May 26, 2010

SRT Handz said:
I think 245 is the best size on an 8 inch rim.

275 is the best size a 9 inch rim.

I agree to an Extent but the fact that ford offered a 255/45 on the cobra rim in 95 which was a 17x8. That is why i knew it was fine to go with. They spend tons of $$$ in R&D so i was sure it would be just fine.

mustang1 · May 26, 2010

Very good input everyone, Im sure my next purchase will be with nitto 275's regardless of the muffin top effect with the smallish width. Besides, right now the rear wheel wells look a little anorexic with 245's and the not so awesome look of 16inch rims. 15'' on the other hand is a different story and we all know why.

nicostang · Jun 1, 2010

9.5 inch rim is recommended for 275. You can also run on 9 inch and it will be ok.

8.5 and 8 would be a bad idea. It is unsafe and

I changed my rims from 17x8 to 17x9 just for this reason. I am running NT05R's in the back. They run wider than the older nittos. NT05R's run around 11 inches wide, and they look SWEET :tongue3:

Lee12609 · Jun 1, 2010

nicostang said:
9.5 inch rim is recommended for 275. You can also run on 9 inch and it will be ok.

8.5 and 8 would be a bad idea. It is unsafe and

I changed my rims from 17x8 to 17x9 just for this reason. I am running NT05R's in the back. They run wider than the older nittos. NT05R's run around 11 inches wide, and they look SWEET :tongue3:

what is unsafe about it???

i run 275s on a 8" wheel..... i have run 275/60/15 (s10) on a 7" wheel for 5yrs aswell with not the first problem.

the 275/40/17 michelin pilots on the back of my car (8" bullitts) are worn completely now which is 40k miles of wear at the least, and they are worn perfectly flat all the way across.

not arguing, i know there is a reason they recommend a certain width, just curious WHY its dangerous.

nicostang · Jun 1, 2010

The 275s bulge out of the 8inches rim, meaning that the tires sidewall doesnt rest against the rim's sidewall, and instead it sits at an angle. Previous owner had 275s in an 8 inch rim and they did bulge out quite a lot. One of the first things i did was replace them.

All of this makes turning unsafe, and riding at high speeds unsafe.

nicostang · Jun 1, 2010

just a lil more to add.

you can make them fit a 275. It is not safe because it will have a funny feeling when cornering hard. It will move to the outer side a bit more than u expect, and mustangs already have a loose ass. So i don't think u will really like that feeling.

When going fast in a straight line it will also move slightly from side to side. This could really mean trouble

The 275 tires will tend to wear unevenly in the 8 rim if you use around 30-32psi. They center will wear out faster.

What people do to make them wear evenly is lower the PSI on the wheel(to 20-25psi), and that makes matters even worse. The two things that i previously mentioned will be a lot more noticeable with lower pressure on the wheels.

You can always try but i would never play around with tires. Just think that tires are the MOST important part together with suspension. They are the only single thing that keeps your car in contact with the ground. With bad tires and/or bad suspension you can end up in a ditch.

Just my .02 cents

Lee12609 · Jun 1, 2010

the tire beads sit flush on mine if they didnt the tires wouldnt hold air. there is some buldge, but its in the middle of the sidewall.

like said i run 40psi in mine and they are worn completely out beyond the treadwear bars evenly across......