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225/60R16 winter tires?


p4user
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  • 5 months later...
I am wondering the same, I have a 08' SEL with the 225\60 R17 and would like to drop to a R16 or even a R15 would be great for winter. Anyone have any input on what we can get away with?

 

Since the OEM tires on the S and SE were 205/60R16 you shouldn't have any trouble with that size - I don't think the brakes are different on the SELs so caliper clearance shouldn't be a problem. Can't say that about the 15's though since they don't make an OEM 15" wheel. I'd stick with the 205/60R16. Tirerack.com has plenty of winter wheel and tire packages in that size including Bridgestone Blizzacks for $580.

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Since the OEM tires on the S and SE were 205/60R16 you shouldn't have any trouble with that size - I don't think the brakes are different on the SELs so caliper clearance shouldn't be a problem. Can't say that about the 15's though since they don't make an OEM 15" wheel. I'd stick with the 205/60R16. Tirerack.com has plenty of winter wheel and tire packages in that size including Bridgestone Blizzacks for $580.

 

 

My Ford car dealer Sold me 16 inches rims and he told me to put 225 60r16 on it.

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Might be a little tall but it's probably acceptable. I prefer sticking with the OEM sizes just be safe and that's 205/60R16.

 

 

It depends, my oem size for my SEL AWD is 225 50 r 17 , so 225 60 r16 its quite the same size but 1 inch smaller for the diameter of the wheel. So it's cheaper.

 

I got 4 blizzak ws-60 for 708$ at tire country..... on the size of 225 60 r 16

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It depends, my oem size for my SEL AWD is 225 50 r 17 , so 225 60 r16 its quite the same size but 1 inch smaller for the diameter of the wheel. So it's cheaper.

 

I got 4 blizzak ws-60 for 708$ at tire country..... on the size of 225 60 r 16

I've had that tire on a c class Mercedes. You will like it. Good snow tire. Better on ice than any other tire I have driven. Personally I'd go with the 205 or 215, if the diameter is ok. For snow tires narrower is better.

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It depends, my oem size for my SEL AWD is 225 50 r 17 , so 225 60 r16 its quite the same size but 1 inch smaller for the diameter of the wheel. So it's cheaper.

 

Actually the 225/60R16 tire sidewall is almost an inch taller (0.89") than the 225/50R17 sidewall and since there are two of them (top and bottom) you get 1.78 inches extra height, minus the 1 inch smaller wheel.

 

overall height:

 

225/50R17 25.86"

225/60R16 26.63"

205/60R16 25.69"

 

As you can see the OEM 205/60R16 is almost exactly the same height as the 225/50R17. Your tires are a bit taller but the speedo error should be less than 2 mph at 70 mph.

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Actually the 225/60R16 tire sidewall is almost an inch taller (0.89") than the 225/50R17 sidewall and since there are two of them (top and bottom) you get 1.78 inches extra height, minus the 1 inch smaller wheel.

 

overall height:

 

225/50R17 25.86"

225/60R16 26.63"

205/60R16 25.69"

 

As you can see the OEM 205/60R16 is almost exactly the same height as the 225/50R17. Your tires are a bit taller but the speedo error should be less than 2 mph at 70 mph.

 

 

Here's a good website for tire size calculator, actually my winter tire will be a bit smaller than my summer one s.

 

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalcold.html

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actually my winter tire will be a bit smaller than my summer one s.

 

Must be new math you're using.

 

OEM 225/50R17 = 25.9" diameter (bottom of the tire to the top of the tire)

225/60R16 = 26.6" diameter

 

26.6" is larger (taller) than 25.9".

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Great responses everyone, appreciate the information. Going with the OEM size of 205/60 R16 and buying steel rims to mount them on. Too many bumps in the road in the winter time to ruin my good rims, and my wife drives the car half the time so you know how that might go...lol.

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Stock on my brothers car 225/50R17. He is going to be getting a second set of rims. I need to know what size is best between these three sizes.

 

225/55R16 - 0.42% too fast (same width) (0.11" smaller diameter) ($848)

 

225/50R17 - Stock Size ($964)

 

215/55R17 - 1.75% too slow (0.39" Narrower) (0.46" larger diameter) ($860)

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Stock on my brothers car 225/50R17. He is going to be getting a second set of rims. I need to know what size is best between these three sizes.

 

225/55R16 - 0.42% too fast (same width) (0.11" smaller diameter) ($848)

 

225/50R17 - Stock Size ($964)

 

215/55R17 - 1.75% too slow (0.39" Narrower) (0.46" larger diameter) ($860)

 

on mine, I bought 225 60 r16

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Stock on my brothers car 225/50R17. He is going to be getting a second set of rims. I need to know what size is best between these three sizes.

 

225/55R16 - 0.42% too fast (same width) (0.11" smaller diameter) ($848)

 

225/50R17 - Stock Size ($964)

 

215/55R17 - 1.75% too slow (0.39" Narrower) (0.46" larger diameter) ($860)

 

Hi p4user. :D The answer depends on several variables: Does he care about looks? How important is the price? What is he using them for (i.e. snow tires, summer tires, all season tires etc etc.). Yes, I know this thread started as a snow tire thread, but I do not want to make any assumptions.

 

If this is for snow tires I would go with the Stock size first, then the 215/55-17's. A narrower (215 versus 225) snow tire can give you better traction in the snow. But where do you live and how much of the winter is there actually snow on the ground where you are? The quality of the snow tire will matter more than the small width difference, so what brand/model of tire is on the wheels is more important than the size. So unless there is snow all winter, I would stick with the stock size.

 

Just wanted to mention something else. When you state "too fast" and "too slow", what are you referencing?

The 225/55/16's will make your actual speed slower than the speedometer reading (due to the smaller diameter).

The 215/55/17's will make your actual speed faster than your speedometer reading (due to the larger diameter). Maybe that is what you meant (i.e Speedometer will display 0.42% too fast and 1.75% too slow), but it was hard to tell by the statement. Just thought I would clarify that.

 

If it were me, I would go with the stock size. If money is an object for your brother, I would go with the 215/55R17's.

 

For the $12 savings, I can not see the 16's being worth it, unless they are a much better quality snow tire/wheel than the others.

 

Also, if this is for snow tires, he is replacing all four, correct? You should never install only two snow tires on a car. They need to be replaced on all four corners.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

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Hi p4user. :D The answer depends on several variables: Does he care about looks? How important is the price? What is he using them for (i.e. snow tires, summer tires, all season tires etc etc.). Yes, I know this thread started as a snow tire thread, but I do not want to make any assumptions.

 

If this is for snow tires I would go with the Stock size first, then the 215/55-17's. A narrower (215 versus 225) snow tire can give you better traction in the snow. But where do you live and how much of the winter is there actually snow on the ground where you are? The quality of the snow tire will matter more than the small width difference, so what brand/model of tire is on the wheels is more important than the size. So unless there is snow all winter, I would stick with the stock size.

 

Just wanted to mention something else. When you state "too fast" and "too slow", what are you referencing?

The 225/55/16's will make your actual speed slower than the speedometer reading (due to the smaller diameter)?

The 215/55/17's will make your actual speed faster than your speedometer reading (due to the larger diameter). Maybe that is what you meant (i.e Speedometer will display 0.42% too fast and 1.75% too slow), but it was hard to tell by the statement. Just thought I would clarify that.

 

If it were me, I would go with the stock size. If money is an object for your brother, I would go with the 215/55R17's.

 

For the $12 savings, I can not see the 16's being worth it, unless they are a much better quality snow tire/wheel than the others.

 

Also, if this is for snow tires, he is replacing all four, correct? You should never install only two snow tires on a car. They need to be replaced on all four corners.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

 

That's why i bought Blizzaks Ws-60 on 16'' instead of having cheaper tires on 17 for the same price :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Same issue here... I have still very good winter tires from my Taurus, now I've just switched to Fusion and don't want to buy new winter tires if I don't have to.

 

current Fusion tires: 225 r50 17

winter tires I'd like to use: 215 r60 16

 

Can I just mount the 16's on new rims and it will do on the Fusion?

I'm certainly not as knowledgeable of most of you here, any help would be appreciated.

 

If I truly can't use these tires with the Fusion, what specs would you ideally recommend?

 

Thanks in advance.

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winter tires I'd like to use: 215 r60 16

 

Can I just mount the 16's on new rims and it will do on the Fusion?

 

Sure - the OEM size is 225/60R16 so you're only 10mm narrower and 12mm shorter - not enough to worry about. They'll be fine if you get 16" wheels.

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  • 1 month later...

G77 -

 

I am in exactly the same boat...going from Tauruas to Fusion and not wanting to ditch the 215/60R/16 winter tires I already own.

I am installing them on the stock steel rims tomorrow and leaving them on there. I am then going to pick up some used OEM cast aluminum cast wheels (16 or 17 inch) and installing some new summers on them sometime over the winter.

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