2004 hybrid civic - tire size for 16 inch rims - GreenHybrid

cenozoic · #1 (**permalink**) 04-30-2009, 10:58 PM

Hello,

I have a 2004 civic hybrid and purchased 16 inch rims 6.5" width +45mm offset. I'm noob at wheel / rim fits but saw a good deal on ebay and purchased the rims. Now I need to find tires that meet the following and I'm having trouble determining the best fit. I know there are some consequences to FE with this but I mod-ing this car for my teenager.

1 priority - would like to fill tire well to max without rubbing issues
2 priority - would like to align wheel with the side of the car instead of the sunken tire look
3 priority - would like as much width as possible due to wet conditions

Car is not lowered.

Tire mechanic told me 205/50/16 would be my best bet and that I might need to think on tire spaces(?) for aligning the tires with the side of the car. But he said that will make my tire near stock diameter which is one thing I hate about my current tires... I asked him if 205/55/16 would fill the well better and he said I'd most likely have rubbing issues but he didn't seem to confident on that; so now I'm unsure which way to go.

Can anyone help with advice?

Thanks

gumby · #2 (**permalink**) 05-01-2009, 09:06 PM

I don't know anything about specifics on the Civic, but...

Spacers is what the tire mechanic was speaking about. These are shims. They move the rims OUT a little bit. These could be necessary to clear brake components (to keep them from rubbing, scraping). They are often a pain to live with, especially if they are very thick. If they are not necessary, I'd steer clear of them. Some people say they're fine, other curse them. Not sure, but I suspect poor brand choices and/or thick spacers are the cause for their unhappiness with them. I've never used them myself.

Make sure you at the very least turn the front wheels from lock-to-lock with the trial set-up AT the tire shop (with the car on the lift), to ensure no scraping of the fenderwells. Then consider that you could be turning and hit a bump or dip, causing the front end to immediately come down some, further reducing your clearances. Also, consider that there's no weight on or in the car when doing this test.
205/50/16 doesn't sound too wide or too tall to me, but please check them out carefully.

My old Benz uses 15 inch standard tires/rims. I put 17 inch ones on with 235/45/17 tires (which is considered the perfect +2 size) and I have occasional issues.
Check out tirerack.com or discounttire.com. I believe they have some +1 and +2 size suggestion options on their sites. They also show different tires sizes and their heights.

cenozoic · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 07:00 AM

Thank you Steve. This is very helpful.

On the tire sizes, if I chose any of the + sizes on discounttire (after selecting my vehicle), the site is telling me that they should work. Some examples are:

205/50-16
205/55-16
215/50-16

So does this mean I most likely won't have rubbing issues? I'm thinking of going for the 205/55-16 if that is the case.

gumby · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 02:59 PM

Glad I was of some help.

I don't think you'll know for sure until you actually try them out. Like I said, the 235/45-17 is supposed to be the perfect +2 size for my Benz, but it would be better for the fronts if they were slightly narrower.

You need to know for sure about the properness of your rims, too. If that offset isn't just like it should be for this size and width rim, then you will likely need spacers (if it is set in too far). Or if they are already too wide (doubtful) you could already be s*** outta luck. Having the right-sized tire means nothing if the rim placement is not right.

cenozoic · #5 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 08:08 AM

I did 205/55/16 yesterday. I really like how it turned out.

Here's a picture:

gumby · #6 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 07:58 PM

Looks nice!