I need help/advice if someone could share some light! I'm looking to buy Falken FK-542 tires for my stock SLite 17X7 but they do not come in the standard 205. Does anyone have these specific tires on 215/45/17 with stock everything that can give me some feedback on rubbing/touching in ride/turning I know they will fit, but will they rub? I saw them and they look wider than most other I have seen. Thank you & Happy Holidays.

 

There are many threads already on this subject just search for the tire size that you want to use.

In your case the two sizes that make the most sense and should be OK are-

Stock 205/45-17
and
Taller than stock 215/45-17, this gives a good selection of tires and should be OK if you have stock suspension with no plans to lower. If you do lower then you have to expect very close clearance and maybe some rubbing in the rear along the plastic wheel arches- just trim them with a dremmel tool and you will have enough space not to rub all the time- mostly with people in the back seat and with uneven roads/dips.

You are in Miami so you have a choice between Summer tires and All Season tires.

For 205/45-17:

If you want to keep runflats then
Kumho Ecsta SPT XRP $134 each 340 treadwear

In Ultra High Performance Summer tires
Kumho Ecsta SPT $99 each 320 treadwear (closeout)
Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 $124 each 240 treadwear (special price)
BF Goodrich g-Force Sport $109 each 340 treadwear
Dunlop Direzza DZ101 $108 each 300 treadwear

In same size but UHP All Season tires
Avon Tech M550 A/S $99 each 360 treadwear
Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season $122 each 420 treadwear (comfortable for street use, good handling, longer wear and stock sized)
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....+F1+All+Season

In 215/45-17 you have many more options
in UHP All season tires -
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...ireSearch=true

Search for yourself in the summer tires- lots of choices.

For Falken tires for street use the new
Falken Ziex Ze-912 (UHP All Season) is possible
205/45-17 $82 each 360 treadwear
215/45-17 $68 each

Falken Fk 452 (Ultra High Performance Summer tire) 300 treadwear
215/45-17 $86 each

In 205/45-17 for Max Performance is
Toyo Proxes T1R $116 each 280 treadwear

 

Thank you for your response. I'm actually more of a reader than a writer so I have done my share of reading and even printed most of all your threads in the subject, "I'm a FAN" . Just though I would get some feedback from owners that specifically have used that tire, cause it seems very wide, but I do own a dremel tool if worse comes to worse. About the run flats, I don't want to mess with them or their over inflated prices-over them completly! Happy Holidays to all.

:All seasons in Miami burn to quickly, plus their has not been any snow in the last 50 years. Summer tires seem to be my best solution. Will consider you recommendations and keep on reading, I'm sorry motoring.

 

All Season tires suit different needs- certainly they will help with some snow and not require changing to snow tires in places that don't require it but it doesn't mean they can't be very good for places like Florida, California or Hawaii. In fact the majority of passenger cars in Hawaii use all season tires and there is no snow, just lots of rain and wet now and then.

If you are out for sheer performance then Summer tires would be the first place to look. You get good handling in wet or dry but you might pay a bit more and your tires will wear out faster. Usually replace them about once each year or two.

Runflats are good for some owners and the one I listed the Kumho Ecsta SPT XRP is quite well priced- it's been out of stock but is now available.

If you want owner's comments then you might want to search for specific tires and go to the threads where people have mentioned they did buy a tire, then PM them to see how they like it.

Otherwise an owner of a specific tire may not see your thread and know to respond.

If you want the best fitment then first look at tires in 205/45-17. If you want the best tire selection then look at 215/45-17. It should be OK with stock suspension.

 

Understand, thank you. Those Kumho run flats do look very interesting for the price. Will now research them through NAM. Best,

 

Lowered about 1.2 inches under heavy turns at high speed i'd get a bit of rubbing in the back, nothing too serious though, just a scrape or two. On stock suspension there's NO way you'd rub. FYI 215/40/R17 will provide a gearing advantage, whereas the 45 profile tires will actually make your gearing taller (Slower acceleration).

I don't have any specific experiance with those tires (I was running Toyo Proxies 4's) but you can easily compare the tread width of the proxies 4's with the tread with on the FK-542's and get your answer. I've run 225/50 R16's without much issue on a lowered car, you're going to have a HELL of a time rubbing anything with 215/45's.

 

We had a Mini at our place of business and the 215/45R17 rubbed in the rear with a wheel that had a 40mm offset. We have found that you can get away from rubbing in the rear by going with a wheel that has an offset higher than 42. That was with the Falken FK452.

Leo Barrios
leo@edgeracing.com
800-489-5353 x211
http://www.edgeracing.com