Tire and Rim Confusion

DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#1
#1
Greetings,

I am ashamed to say that I am having difficulty understanding the process of properly picking out rims and tires.

I understand the OEM tire size is P215/45/17.
P - means Passenger class tire
215 - Section width (tire sidewall to tire sidewall, tire width)
45 - (Don't know)
17 - Rim size

My second dilemma is that I am looking for some new 17" rims. I want to keep the tires for now(only 7K miles on them) but I want to make sure my rims will fit inside the tires I already have. If anyone has experience please let me know.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#2
#2
45 is the aspect ratio. That means that the height of the tire's sidewall is 45% of the width of the tire.

The tire width is in mm, so you would take the width, divide by 25.4, then subtract 1" to get the recommended wheel width ±0.5"

(215 / 25.4) - 1 ≈ 7.5"
 
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Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#3
#3
If you go with an 7" wide wheel, you'll need to run a lower pressure. 8" wheel at a higher pressure and it'll be a pain to get seated.
 
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Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#5
#5
With a 7" rim, you'd be close to the largest width that wheel will possibly take. Any chance they make it in a 7.5"? That would fit and look better.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#7
#7
Since you are sticking with the same size tire, try to get as close to OEM offset as possible. If you were going to say, a bigger rim, you'd want a slightly higher offset to keep tire centerline to bearing centerline (or you could use spacers if necessary but I do that as a last option, such as the wheels you want not being available in the proper offset).

Also, I was wrong, I need to edit my post.

A 7" should be fine, but I'd still check out a 7.5" anway.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#9
#9
The middle of the wheel bearing when looking from the top of the car. You want the middle of your wheels and tires to be as close as possible to the middle of your wheel bearing centerline.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#12
#12
Match the interior perfect. I'd pick up a set for myself if I had the cash, and probably up to a 225 width tire.

The centerline hub adapters is different. That keeps the wheel centered on the hub without damaging the wheels studs as you tighten them.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#15
#15
You can center an aftermarket wheel on a hub without the centerline hub adapter, but it puts wear on the wheel studs and can cause them to warp, so it is a good idea to use them if the wheel requires it (some do, some don't).

For the wheels spacers, this keeps the pressure from the tire and wheel on the center of the bearing, which gives them a long, easy life. I've seen wheel bearings catastrophically fail because people will stick the wheels way out of the car to make it "look cool". I've even seen it snap a spindle clean in half.

So when going for aftermarket wheels, these are important things to keep in mind. You can vary a few mm off center and be perfectly fine ... but if you push the centerline outside of the bearing ... I guarantee it will cause problems.
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#16
#16
I worked at American Rim Supply when I first moved down to California. The offset is basically dependent on how far down you cut the chamfer for the lug nuts on the center of the wheel. When we changed offsets, we simply added an offset to the chamfer tool. If we changed wheel patterns, we edited the program to do what we needed. So we could make the same wheel in 4 - 6 lug at any offset the customer specified.

They used to let us make our own wheels but they stopped that when someone designed a wheel that ended up breaking on them as they were driving.
 
Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#18
#18
DjAnnexAlpha said:
Greetings,

I am ashamed to say that I am having difficulty understanding the process of properly picking out rims and tires.

I understand the OEM tire size is P215/45/17.
P - means Passenger class tire
215 - Section width (tire sidewall to tire sidewall, tire width)
45 - (Don't know)
17 - Rim size

My second dilemma is that I am looking for some new 17" rims. I want to keep the tires for now(only 7K miles on them) but I want to make sure my rims will fit inside the tires I already have. If anyone has experience please let me know.
Click to expand...
The 45 is the aspect ratio, which means the tire's sidewall is 45% as tall as the tire is wide.

Using the original equipment 17" rim diameter makes this all very easy. :yes:This is one of those times when we don't have to make things harder than they really are.

http://www.TireRack.com has 210 different style wheels for your 2014 Corolla S. http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/resu...&sort=Brand&filterNew=All&filterSpecial=false

They even have an online image of your year/make/model vehicle and you can, "install", the wheels online to see what they will look like on your car! :thumbup1: Tire Rack blows Amazon out of the water! -

http://www.tirerack.com/upgrade_gar...ilterNew=All&filterWeight=All&filterBrand=All

For rim widths, if you stick with the original equipment rim width you wont go wrong. Use wider rims and it will increase the likelihood of expensive rim damage. Also, using wider wheels will increase the rate of wear on the shoulders of the tires.

The original equipment size of the rims is a 17"x7". Stick with that and you wont go wrong - http://www.wheel-size.com/size/toyota/corolla/2014/


I hope this helps you out. :thumbsup:

-- B.F.Goodrich T/A Certified Tire Specialist
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#19
#19
I miss living in Reno ... could pick up directly from Summit Racing (off Glendale Avenue) and Tire Rack (off Waltham Way in the boonies of Sparks, used to be across the street from Summit Racing).

I spent my high school years hanging out at Summit Racing figuring out ways to blow my paychecks on my '82 GT
 
DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#20
#20
thanks for the help everyone. With this new found knowledge I will be sure to pick the right parts...after of course confirming it with all of you lol
 
Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#22
#22
My pleasure DJ.

By the way, I'd like to add, when installing aftermarket wheels, this is an opportunity to improve the ride, handling and even the fuel economy of your Corolla by using wheels that are lighter in weight than the original wheels. When we can reduce the weight of the wheels, very good things happen. A good set of wheels can be much more than just the way they look, but is actually a modification that can noticeably improve your car in many ways. You will notice on Tire Rack that the lighter wheels tend to be higher in price than their heavier counterparts, but that's because you're getting all the above mentioned benefits. Also with lighter wheels, the tires will also tend to last longer as the tires aren't being pounded around so much by the heavier wheels. :thumbup1:

If you can, try to avoid the lower quality made in China wheels. Your very life is riding on your tires/wheels so get the best you can afford.

Of course, make sure you get a decent set of wheel locks too.
 
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Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#23
#23
I have no idea what the offset is, but with any of the 210 wheels that Tire Rack has for your Corolla, the offset, etc., will fit your Corolla just fine. You can call Tire Rack directly at their listed phone number and speak to one of their experts. They wont steer you wrong. :thumbsup:
 
DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#24
#24
Scott O'Kashan said:
My pleasure DJ.

By the way, I'd like to add, when installing aftermarket wheels, this is an opportunity to improve the ride, handling and even the fuel economy of your Corolla by using wheels that are lighter in weight than the original wheels. When we can reduce the weight of the wheels, very good things happen. A good set of wheels can be much more than just the way the look, but is actually a modification that can noticeably improve your car in many ways. You will notice on Tire Rack that the lighter wheels tend to be higher in price than their heavier counterparts, but that's because you're getting all the above mentioned benefits. Also with lighter wheels, the tires will also tend to last longer as the tires aren't being pounded around so much by the heavier wheels. :thumbup1:

If you can, try to avoid the lower quality made in China wheels. Your very life is riding on your tires/wheels so get the best you can afford.

Of course, make sure you get a decent set of wheel locks too.
Click to expand...

I love how you mentioned the weight of the rims. THAT right there was the entire reason I want to get different rims. The only problem? I paid insurance for the rims and tires(fully covered, punctures, road hazards, etc.) when I first bought the car lol. I do plan on changing the rims but will keep the tires until they run out. Hopefully new and better tires will be out by then.

I would also like to add for any future readers that until I started researching tires and the help of these guys that I was always under the hype that firestones and other "fancy" tires were best. Nope they are not lol I love how most of the amazing products are always italian made, i.e Brembo brakes, Pirelli tires, etc.
 
Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#25
#25
Well, Firestone does make some very good tires, but keep in mind that aside from high-end vehicles with high performance suspensions, original equipment tires don't tend to be too great, regardless of the brand of tire. Why? Because when it comes to vehicle manufacturers selecting an original equipment tire, their priorities are very few. They want the tire to be quiet and ride well so when the customer takes that vehicle on a test drive the noise or ride wont be objectionable and they will buy the vehicle. Traction in rain or snow, tread life, etc., are not a concern for the vehicle manufacturer. They just tend to install the least expensive tire they can that will ride well and be quiet. That's it. It doesn't mean the tire company that made the tires for your Corolla is a bad tire company or anything. This is why such massive improvements in tires can be had with a different model tire. It has been my experience that Pirelli's have a tendency to dry rot. I hope they've address that issue with their newer models.

For some of the best tires in the world, also consider Bridgestone and B.F.Goodrich, my two favorites out of all the tires available in the world.:thumbsup:
 
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DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#26
#26
I was thinking of the Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position tires BUT it is too soon for new tires. Unless I take my car to the dealer and they find that the tires were defective.
 
Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#27
#27
When B.F.Goodrich goes racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or off road racing at the Baja, etc., they use the very same design B.F.Goodrich tires that you can buy from Tire Rack, or wherever. B.F.Goodrich is the only tire company in the world that does this and I think that says just incredible things about the quality and performance of their tires. They have actually won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their street design tires vs. purpose built all out racing slicks of the competition!

When a tire is manufactured, some tire companies will hand inspect a random tire here and there coming off the production lines. Not Bridgestone! They use an electron microscope to inspect every single tire they manufacture! It actually looks inside the tire to make sure everything is good to go. The construction quality of Bridgestone tires is phenomenal. For many years I sold Bridgestone tires and I can honestly say I never had a single one come back defective in any way whatsoever. I can't say that of other tires I've sold, especially Goodyear. :thumbdown:

So that's why I rate B.F.Goodrich and Bridgestone so highly. :thumbsup:
 
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DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#28
#28
Scott O'Kashan said:
When B.F.Goodrich goes racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or off road racing at the Baja, etc., they use the very same design B.F.Goodrich tires that you can buy from Tire Rack, or wherever. B.F.Goodrich is the only tire company in the world that does this and I think that says just incredible things about the quality and performance of their tires. They have actually won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their street design tires vs. purpose built all out racing slicks of the competition!

When a tire is manufactured, some tire companies will hand inspect a random tire here and there coming off the production lines. Not Bridgestone! They use an electron microscope to inspect every single tire they manufacture! It actually looks inside the tire to make sure everything is good to go. The construction quality of Bridgestone tires is phenomenal. For many years I sold Bridgestone tires and I can honestly say I never had a single one come back defective in any way whatsoever. I can't say that of other tires I've sold, especially Goodyear. :thumbdown:

So that's why I rate B.F.Goodrich and Bridgestone so highly. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Nice, I will take your advice to heart and serious consideration when purchasing my next set of tires.
 
Scott O'Kashan

Scott O'Kashan

Super Moderator
#31
#31
Check out the pricing for B.F.Goodrich tires on http://www.TireRack.com and you'll find they have a lower price than many competing tires.:thumbsup: :)

When it comes to tires, there are so many things to evaluate to make a good choice for the drivers needs. Tires that perform very well in the rain are nice, but speaking for myself, regardless of what kind of wet performance a tire may deliver, when it rains I don't speed up, I slow down. Driving fast in the rain is asking to hydroplane and crash. No thank you. So when evaluating tires I look more for very good dry performance and good to better wet performance, instead of the other way around. I don't drive fast in the rain so outstanding wet weather performance is something I don't need. So if I don't need it, there's no need for me to pay for it. I'd rather have a tire that performs better in the dry, (which is most driving conditions), than the other way around.

Selecting a good tire is a matter of balancing what we want or need from a tire and that is different for every driver, which is why there are so many different tire selections, many times even from the same tire company.
 
DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#33
#33
Here are some of rims I am considering of buying. I am going for a size 17x7.5 or 17x8. I am not too sure of the offset but the prices do not differ when the offset is changed.




 
DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#37
#37
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#39
#39
I'd stick with a 7.5" width. If you up the width of the tire, I probably wouldn't do more than a 235 or you may start rubbing.

Offset with a 7.5 should be in the 35 mm to 45 mm range for maximum bearing life, assuming the stock 7.0 is at 35 mm (a 42 would be best for 7.5 IMO)
 
DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#41
#41
Donabed Kopoian said:
I'd stick with a 7.5" width. If you up the width of the tire, I probably wouldn't do more than a 235 or you may start rubbing.

Offset with a 7.5 should be in the 35 mm to 45 mm range for maximum bearing life, assuming the stock 7.0 is at 35 mm (a 42 would be best for 7.5 IMO)
Click to expand...
uh what?
 
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DjAnnexAlpha

DjAnnexAlpha

New Member
#46
#46
Ok so I found out that apparently Konig manufacture Maxxim rims.
I have boiled my choices down between two Maxxim rims.

Tirekingdom is having a sale on the Maxxim Allegro rims in which it is buy 3 get on free with each priced at $109. Their dimensions are 17x7.5 @ 38mm offset and 45 mm offset.

The second rim is the Maxxim Champion without the sale @ $103 a piece. Their dimensions are 17x7 @ 40mm offset.

I want to get wider tires so I can cover more ground thus the need for wider rims. Should I stick with the factory width @ 7 or go with a 7.5 width? At this point its just a matter of width.

Also keep in mind that I will be lowering the car using 10th gen eibach springs...
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#49
#49
Hmmmm ... like a bigger sidewall? If you drop it 1" and maybe do a 235/50r17 it may work ... may.

Chances are with all three of those things together, you'd rub on steering lock.
 
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