Tire size... need advice...
 

The car will be stored for the winter soon but I am planning to buy new tires for spring. I have searched the form and read through many topics and posts but I am still undecided on which size to get.

My currently setup:

18x9.5 +38 rota MXR
265 35 18 Bridgestone S01
lowered about 1.5 rear (1 finger gap) & 1.7 front (1/2 finger gap)
rear camber = - 2.6 ; -2.5

Tires are a bit large. Fronts seems to be fine but I'm not feeling the rears at all; I rub the rear bumper tabs on hard bumps, hard turn or dips, which I don't like. If I put any additional weight in the rear, it rubs even more. I love the meaty look and feel but the rubbing is too much.

I would like to run 255's but according to some, it still rubs depending on how low I go. I just added a front lip and my goal is to be low enough to have no gap in the fronts and about 1/2 or 1 finger gap in the rears... at the same time maintain my front lip clearance. I know this is asking a lot as the two go hand and hand...

my choices in tires:

255 35 18
Pros: love the look, sit flush with the rim and should maintain front lip clearance
Cons: taller tire (around 3/8 taller); rears may still rub as the tires are wide, especially if I want to maintain the look I'm after.

245 35 18
Pros: close to stock rolling diameter (ideal); give me the look I want (lower wise) without rubbing
Cons: I will need to lower the car an additional 1/4 - 1/2 inch to zero out the gap and give me the look I want but this will also impact the front lip clearence. limited availability in this size as well.

245 40 18
Pros: taller tire that will fill the gaps easily and maintain the front lip clearance.
Cons: may be too tall, almost an inch taller over the stock rolling diameter. could rub due to the tire height.

here is the car looks today

any help or advice would be great, sorry for the long post.

You could always throw some more camber at it. I'd be curious if you went ahead and lowered it to where you want, if the added camber in the rear would make them fit with the tires you have now. Maybe it won't but it's worth a shot.


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Roll your fenders/tabs if it's only rubbing on hard bumps and turns. Might be just enough.

thanks. I plan to throw on some SPC lca next spring and bring the camber to around -1 to -1.5. I'm not looking for mroe camber in the rear.

no plans to roll fenders or mod the tabs... tabs are almost gone...

How about some 205/50R17 of quality winter rubber and drive through all winter?
Sorry, couldn't resist :), but that really would be my advise. Even though for that you need to put narrower stock wheels back.

I have 245/35/18 all around. I would choose this because of the speedo. That's just me though...

how low are you and do you have any issues with front clearance or rubbing at all?