55 tyres?

[Sean Jones]

I've been looking at winter tyres for next year already seeing as it makes up about 9 months of the year these days! Has anyone put on 55 tyres instead of the recommended 45's? Not only are they cheaper in the 55 size but they will also give better traction in the snow and also a bit more ground clearance for the deep stuff. I would prefer to put on 55's for winter tyres but not if they're going to scuff/rub on the arches.

 

[Trophy 299]

I've found Clio's are very easily ruined buy changing the tyres may I suggest a set of 15's and some 195/50/15's as long as the offset is as close to ET45 it should work fine.

Even if you go for winter tyres surely 15's are gonna be cheaper too?

 

[Sean Jones]

Yeah they would be cheaper, but then I have to factor in the cost of a whole new set of wheels too. I'd be better just paying that bit extra for the 45's

 

[Carbon Chaos]

Another thing to remember with winter tyres on 15's is that your saving those nice turinis from the snow,salt and grit.

 

[j333evo]

I run the aforementioned 15" wheels withn195/50/15 winter tyres & the car has been faultless. It's not so much the better traction that resets your parameters of what is possible on a 2wd car, but the stopping and turning abilities have to be experienced to be believed.

I still haven't removed mine yet as it has been so cold and had snow on Sat morning going to work.

Just a word of caution on the ET (off-set) mentioned above. ET is a direct component of the overall width of a wheel, so if going slightly narrower for example 6.5" then to get the outside face of the wheel to sit exactly as standard the ET will be a lower value. But you can't go wrong if your within a few mm either side.

 

[Sean Jones]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll just stick a set of the 45's on my standard wheels as they're wrecked anyways. And I'll buy a nice new set of turinis for the summer months.