Hi guys, I have been reading up on run flat alternatives and have decided to ditch my OEM tires anf get new ones.

I have stok suspension, 205/45/17 Dunlop run flats from my new '07 MCS.
I'm looking to get the most comfort while maintaining the 17" dia. By the way, rims are the stock web spoke wheels.

Can I run 215/50/17 on these stock rims or should I stick with the 215/45/17 set up.

I'm looking at either the Yokohama Advan S.4 or Bridgestone RE960AS.

Cheers-
Andy

 

215/45/17 already looks pretty meaty on a 17x7 wheel so probably dont
want to do the 215/50/17 from a cosmetic point of view. you might
want to also consider 205/50/17 tires.

i was planning to get some RE960's myself down the road for my MCS
as my colder months set, but if i was to do it, i would wrap the 215/45/17
on a 17x7.5 wheel. imho, 17x7 is too narrow for a 215 width tire from
a cosmetic standpoint.

 

You are right, I could go with 205/50/17's.... will this make the ride even better from the 215/45/17's?

 

215/45 = 96.75mm profile
205/50 = 102.50 mm profile

so yes, given that the structure is very similar.

 

I also will be in the market for tires soon. I plan to stay with runflats. Kumho has a new model out , Ecsta SPT XRP which seems very comparable to the OEM Dunlops for a substantially lower price. I believe these are a new release though so maybe not many reviews. Has anyone else tried these yet?

 

I have the Goodyear GSD3 in 215/45-17 and they are much softer than the run-flats.

 

Check with Alex at the Tire Rack. I'm sure he could give you a lot of options
to choose from.

 

The difference in ride quality between the 45 series tire and the 50 series tire will be so miniscule in relation to the improvement that you'll see going to non-runflats, that it's really just a question of what you prefer in width and diameter. A 215/45 and a 205/50 are going to be really similar, one being a *little* wider and squatter, and the other being a *little* taller and narrower. They're BOTH gonna look meaty, though.

 

Just switching from the run flats will be the most dramatic change . As was said before going from 45 to 50 will be very tough to notice. The 215 /45 is a very popular size as wel land your tire options are much more wide open should you decide to look at some other options.

 

Thanks for the input, I thik I'm goinb to go with the RE960 AS in 215/45/17
Much appreciated

 

You made a good choice. 215/45-17 should be fine.

Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS is very good Ultra High Performance All Season tire.
Let us know how you like them.

The Yokohama Advan S.4. also a very solid tire so either way you will do well.