Difficulty fitting 215/45/17

It's not the width, it's the height of the tire to the spring perch. 215/45-17 is taller than a 235/40-17 tire. Generally, 24.5" is about the maximum to fit under the front spring perch which 215/45 just surpasses. Some 215/45s do fit by a hair, but it's a crapshoot on that size. You might want to try a spacer.

RePete said:

It's not the width, it's the height of the tire to the spring perch. 215/45-17 is taller than a 235/40-17 tire. Generally, 24.5" is about the maximum to fit under the front spring perch which 215/45 just surpasses. Some 215/45s do fit by a hair, but it's a crapshoot on that size. You might want to try a spacer.

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I am using a 4mm spacer. Yes, the 45s is a bit taller.

16s make more sense on an SW20 IMO. Tires the right diameter and width are probably getting about as common as the 17s that fit.

mtang65 said:

I am using a 4mm spacer. Yes, the 45s is a bit taller.

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You might have to work for it. Maybe something w/ the spring perch, maybe a thicker spacer. Not long ago, I suggested to 1 guy desperate to keep the 215/45 to buy an 8" wheel to replace his front 7". (wheels were Chinese cheapies). Didn't think he'd do it but it worked. The calculated offset was about the same w/ the 8" front, but the additional tire stretch from the wider wheel pulled the tire down far enough to just barely clear the front perch.

Generally, I do not recommend 215/45-17 for the front unless you're willing to put some coin & effort into it.

What is the benefit? 215\40\17 fit perfectly. Doubt it would help with comfort.

It's a few factors. 215/45 has a huge selection of tire brands spanning A/S, winter, m&s, etc., more distributors carry them and they're usually cheaper than 215/40-17.

That makes sense. My two favorite summer tires are available in that size so never thought twice about it. Winter tires are obviously a bit more difficult to source.

02341360 said:

That makes sense. My two favorite summer tires are available in that size so never thought twice about it. Winter tires are obviously a bit more difficult to source.

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We don't do summer and winter tyres here do we?
I have seen it a lot people trying to fit 215/45R17 in the front on stock struts. Rubs on the spring perch like no ones business! People do use bigger tyres but generally they are on coilovers, which have a downside too.

GDII said:

We don't do summer and winter tyres here do we?
I have seen it a lot people trying to fit 215/45R17 in the front on stock struts. Rubs on the spring perch like no ones business! People do use bigger tyres but generally they are on coilovers, which have a downside too.

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Nope. RE003's for me. I am tempted to try some pilot sport 4 or 5 sometime also. 215/40/17 and 245/40/17 on 7/8 or 7.5/8.5 wide rims has got to be the easy combo upgrade for 90% of people.

Coilovers look like a nightmare forcing the wheel outwards.

For the front, I have 17X7.5 et42 w/ V701 215/40R17 and had to use a spacer or it hit the coilover.

I hate to offer a hack solution but if the tire is only hitting the spring perch but would clear the spring itself you could cut the perch and weld in a 90 degree piece to support the perch and provide more tire clearance. I put 225 40 18s with stock front struts. Its an 18x8.5 +38 offset no spacer. I think this is about the max you can go for fender clearance also, I had to roll them but no contact. The tire was just barely touching the perch so i took a sledge hammer and persuaded it up maybe a mill. I was considering the spring perch mod before I did that but it was just touching so little there was no need to go through all that.

BlueDragon said:

I hate to offer a hack solution but if the tire is only hitting the spring perch but would clear the spring itself you could cut the perch and weld in a 90 degree piece to support the perch and provide more tire clearance. I put 225 40 18s with stock front struts. Its an 18x8.5 +38 offset no spacer. I think this is about the max you can go for fender clearance also, I had to roll them but no contact. The tire was just barely touching the perch so i took a sledge hammer and persuaded it up maybe a mill. I was considering the spring perch mod before I did that but it was just touching so little there was no need to go through all that.

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Do you have fender liner?

yes

Risky stuff but good work, Blue. Concentrating on the perch like you did eventually paid off. So many autotechs have warned me of possible catastrophic failure altering the perch like that - but it worked for you. And you kept the fender liner too, good stuff.

I just took a small sledge to the perch and it worked perfectly.

I have been running 215/45/R17s on 17x7.5 wheels for over twenty years. When I first installed them, I did something similar to what BlueDragon is suggesting. I cut the weld for the spring perch at the strut body, bent the mounting point of the perch at the strut up around 1/4" or so and re-wlded it. You can do this without moving the spring perch out near the spring itself pretty easily. This gives the necessary clearance without effecting ride height. I have zero rubbing with this setup (using both H&R springs as well as Eibachs). Plus, it has held up with zero problems! If you do decide to go this route, be sure that you are using inserts in your strut assemblies so that you are not welding a pressurized strut body.

Luke

I didnt do the mod I just bent it a tiny bit with a hammer no big deal. lol Maybe an air hammer could clearance it enough if you have that option. Yes obviously you want to remove the actual shock insert if you need to weld something. I think lukes mod is a-lot simpler and if you can weld properly I don't see this being too risky.

smcbride said:

I put these on the a bone stock 91 MR2 just last month. No clearance issues at all. I don't need to roll the fenders, add spacers, or anything.

For the front, it is this one. It is a 40 series instead of a 45:
Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-215/40R17 215/40ZR17 215/40/17 215/40-17 87W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall

Amazon.com: Set of 2 (TWO) Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-215/40R17 215/40ZR17 215/40/17 215/40-17 87W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall : Automotive

Buy Set of 2 (TWO) Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-215/40R17 215/40ZR17 215/40/17 215/40-17 87W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall: Performance - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

For the rear, I put the same tire, wider rim, so wider tire, but still 40 series.
Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-245/40R17 245/40ZR17 245/40/17 245/40-17 95W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall

Amazon.com: Set of 2 (TWO) Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-245/40R17 245/40ZR17 245/40/17 245/40-17 95W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall : Automotive

Buy Set of 2 (TWO) Forceum Hena All-Season High Performance Radial Tires-245/40R17 245/40ZR17 245/40/17 245/40-17 95W Load Range XL 4-Ply BSW Black Side Wall: Performance - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

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Dang it! I’m going 215/40 front next time. 215/45 I need space and a little brute force on the spring/strut arch.
BTW I’m a fan boy of Fullway HP series tires.$70 each.