[Technical question] Wheel/Tire sizes

[Rob]

Will 205/75/15 fit on a 15x4 wheel and will it be safe?

I just hate to buy new tires when I have a brand new set on the wheels I currently own, but the wheels don't have the clearance for disk brakes.

*Yes, I have researched it, and even called the local tire shop, I get 1/2 yes and 1/2 no. What say OT?

:waiting:

[Datawiz]

PM Luke@tirerack

[simpleman68]

You may be able to "get away with it", but 205 is a lot of width (~8") for a 4" rim; even with a larger sidewall that will flex some.
Scott

[Torqaholic]

It'll probably fit but it will look and handle not so great. I've ran very wide tires on normal width rims without a major disaster happening. Didn't exceed the speed limit or subject them to a heavy load and they did ok.

[Nemesis]

You might be able to get away with it. A 195 might be a better choice on a 4 inch wheel. Are you running it on your little pickup?

[MrPeabody]

Will 205/75/15 fit on a 15x4 wheel and will it be safe?

I just hate to buy new tires when I have a brand new set on the wheels I currently own, but the wheels don't have the clearance for disk brakes.

*Yes, I have researched it, and even called the local tire shop, I get 1/2 yes and 1/2 no. What say OT?
:waiting:

Obviously it will work half of the time.:seasix:

[ZipZap]

I run 205/50's on a 7" rim. Even with 75's, 4"seems awfully narrow.

[Torqaholic]

The tire may have clearance issues. The tread is still 205, the sidewalls will exhibit a lot of curvature toward the rim.

[Y2Kvert4me]

That's a fairly tall tire on a 15" wheel, lots of sidewall forgiveness, it's big, but should be ok.

But it begs the obvious question...Your current 205s are now mounted on (15xwhat?) that don't clear the calipers, so you went to 15x4" wheels that DO clear?

Assuming this is for the Vdub, stock wheels generally ran in half-inch sizes...15x4.5", 15x5.5", yes. 15x4", 15x5", no.

Given your clearance problem, spacers may have been an easier solution rather than new, narrower wheels. :dunno:

[mrvette]

That's a fairly tall tire on a 15" wheel, lots of sidewall forgiveness, it's big, but should be ok.

But it begs the obvious question...Your current 205s are now mounted on (15xwhat?) that don't clear the calipers, so you went to 15x4" wheels that DO clear?

Assuming this is for the Vdub, stock wheels generally ran in half-inch sizes...15x4.5", 15x5.5", yes. 15x4", 15x5", no.

Given your clearance problem, spacers may have been an easier solution rather than new, narrower wheels. :dunno:

The spacers can NOT be those cheep MrGasket cast shit they sell in the junk shops....they have to be machined to fit snug over the studs, and the center hub....should have a center hub of it's own to fit the wheel....

I have run wheel adaptors on my '72 using '89 vette wheels.....2.5" thick and so it takes TEN lug nutx to get to the rotors....

[Rob]

You might be able to get away with it. A 195 might be a better choice on a 4 inch wheel. Are you running it on your little pickup?

Yes, for the '63

That's a fairly tall tire on a 15" wheel, lots of sidewall forgiveness, it's big, but should be ok.

But it begs the obvious question...Your current 205s are now mounted on (15xwhat?) that don't clear the calipers, so you went to 15x4" wheels that DO clear?

Assuming this is for the Vdub, stock wheels generally ran in half-inch sizes...15x4.5", 15x5.5", yes. 15x4", 15x5", no.

Given your clearance problem, spacers may have been an easier solution rather than new, narrower wheels. :dunno:

I am looking for what are called the "wide 5" style wheel, those come in 15 x <various numbers>. The guy that makes the rotors and calipers told me that if I move from the stock size (which I have now) and move to a set of "wide 5" 15x4 I would be fine. He said the stock wheels would only allow for 3/4" clearance above the caliper and they suggest 1 3/8" minimum.

I know it sounds stupid, but I honestly know nothing about whatever the hell the "wide 5" style difference is.

Given the width, maybe I should look more for a 15x6 instead of a 15x4 that way I can continue to use the tired I already have.

:confused5:

[Y2Kvert4me]

"Wide 5" only refers to the unusually large 5x205mm lug bolt circle used on '66-earlier VWs.

Whatever this 15x4 size was used on, apparently had a much lesser offset to offer the caliper clearance you need, and I am assuming you are wishing to stay with a stock-appearing wheel.

If you are a member of The Samba (http://www.thesamba.com) , as you should be...That will be your best resource, and maybe finding a wider (OE) style wheel that clears that specific setup might be possible, I don't know. You are definitely not the first guy to put discs on an early type2, and there are a shit-ton of different "stock" VW wheels out there, but concerning wide5 disc conversions, I imagine your options are quite limited and well-defined given a stock wheel appearance. (custom is obviously different)

I've been away from the VW scene far too long to have a specific answer. But for your OP question, the tires will probably be fine on those wheels. I'd not be afraid to run that setup.


:cert:

[Kerrmudgeon]

I got my 62 with 4in rims and 205's, and they lasted less than 5000 miles before they wore out in the middle, and handled like crap. The skinny rims pinch the tire and make the tread cup outwards in the middle.:seasix:

[Mirroredshades]

Not.

A.

Fkn.

Chance.

[JRD77VET]

Yes, for the '63



I am looking for what are called the "wide 5" style wheel, those come in 15 x <various numbers>. The guy that makes the rotors and calipers told me that if I move from the stock size (which I have now) and move to a set of "wide 5" 15x4 I would be fine. He said the stock wheels would only allow for 3/4" clearance above the caliper and they suggest 1 3/8" minimum.

I know it sounds stupid, but I honestly know nothing about whatever the hell the "wide 5" style difference is.

Given the width, maybe I should look more for a 15x6 instead of a 15x4 that way I can continue to use the tired I already have. :confused5:


15 x 6 would be a better choice. That would give the tire a footprint closer to what it was designed to driven on. :yesnod:

[Luke@tirerack]

205/75-15 Rim Width Range...... 5.00 to 7.00

while you could get them on the wheels the bead seal would be weak at best and the designed flex point of the sidewall would compromised causing undue stress to the carcass in an unintended area ... read that as "possible catastrophic sidewall failure"

do you care about the car or it's occupants?

I know I'm not asking for a lift

[ApexOversteer]

Let me know how you get them balanced. I'm lucky, the wide-5's on the Manx have small enough centerholes that any place that puts tires on big trucks can balance them. The actual VW wheels with the "flower"-shaped centerhole can't be done by most tires places these days.

I had to balance an old brake drum and then bolt the wheel to that so it could go on the balancer.