I have been thinking and still can't make up my mind. I already ordered 205/45 on Flik Wasps 17". They don't have them in stock so I still have time to think about the tires to get and change my order.

I'm thinking more toward 215/40. I'm also installing M7 springs to lower the car a bit.

If anyone have 215/40 with lower springs, please post some pictures. I just want to see how much gap between the body and tires. I have seen 205/45 with M7 springs and they are pefectly fited, but I think 215/40 would leave a bit more room for the gap.

thanks in advance!!! :smile:

 

I can tell you that 215/45/17 on my koseis k1 ts rub when I hit a dip at freeway speeds with passengers in the car. I believe the koseis are the same offset as the flik wheels. They do fill gap better then the 215/40/17 tires.

 

That's why I just can't make up my mind. I want the look, but I dont want the rub.

 

It might not rub if you have stiff springs or performance struts.

 

Is there some issue with the 40s vs. 45s with load ratings/issues? I thought I had read that somewhere

 

215/40/17s have a lower rated weight/load capacity than the 215/45/17s. This could potentially be an issue.

One of our club members ran 215/40s on lighweight 17s and he bent the wheels on more than one occasion. He went back to a 205/45.

 

It's an issue if you run too low a tire pressure with 40s. I wouldn't run 40's for a normal street car, especially commuting. A better compromise would be 205/45. I think very few tires are available in 215/45, which sucks. Many more are made in 215/40 - many more choices.

I run 215/40x17 K MX tires on K1s, H&R springs and NO rubbing. However, I never (and never will) haul people in the back. I run pretty hi pressures.

 

I've seen some 215/40s advertised as XL (87 load rating vs the std. of 83). How is this extra capacity acheived, and can it be considered genuine?

 

I think the selection of tires at 215/45 is better then 205/45 but not as good as 215/40.

 

So am I to understand that the 215/40 would be a bad tire for daily driver, occasionally loaded with the kids and wife?

 

There is no issue with running 215/40-17- I checked with Randy Webb a year ago when i had same question and when tire rack was saying not to run these. i've had Bridgestone SO 3 in this size on centerline PRM rims for a year for my only tires- Done many track days, autocross and put about 15,000 miles with no issue- they handled wonderfully on track and street. I'm on my 2nd set now- Ride is definitely harsh compared with /45 or 16" but its much better than the stock runflats. Go for 215/40 if you want lowest sidewall for performance and slightly smaller diameter for better gearing. If you want a bit less harsh ride go for the /45.

 

I went to a 215-40-17 and just love it! The extra responsiveness is wonderful. Not as harsh as the original runflats, but close. I'm still on the real heavy 8 spoke wheels that came with the car, so denting the rims hasn't been a problem. Something to think about though.
On a side note, I'm trying Toyo Proxes T1-Ss, and I wish I hadn't switched from the goodyear F1 GS3G. No comparison.

 

There is no 215/40-17 that has too low a load rating for the MINI, so let's get that myth out of the way.

The 215/40-17 is definitely the performance choice, as well as the non-rubbing choice. Get the 215/45-17 if you want to increase the squish of your ride and raise your car a few tenths.

 

MCS with M7 springs? I'd say you'd be OK with 215/40-17 tires or 215/45-17 tires with rounded shoulders to minimize chance of rubbing.

Just for looking at tire size vs load consider-
For the Yokohama AVS ES100 tire in:
205/45-17 88W load rated, 1235 lbs Max load.
215/45-17 87W load rated, 1201 lbs Max load.
215/40-17 83W load rated, 1074 lbs Max load.

Stock tire for MCS
205/45-17 Pirelli eufori@ 84V load rated, 1102 lbs Max load.

MCS weight about 2580 pounds
Four adults about 600-800 pounds

Just avoid the potholes, drive on smooth roads and keep your tire pressures about 37-38 psi when loaded with four people.

 

If rubbing just add more camber to the wheels...yes you will nedd to rotate tires more often.

 

I disagree. 215/40 meets the gross axel weight requirment, but it gives up the additinal load bearing capacity the OE 205/45 achived @ 33 psi. (1130 by VOLUME) Hence the lack of 55 lbs per tire.

I know what the Pirelli says on the sidewall, but every other 205/45/17 bears a max of 1235 - driven off the interior volume @ 36 psi.

You'll find that any given size can very on anufacture's specified maximum load.

Bennet Garfield's tire guide is an industry staple used to decifer the manufacture's "claims". Calucated by volume.

Alex

 

I doubt you'd have a result other than damaging your wheels easier.

Alex

 

Additonal reinforcment in the sidewall allowing a higher maximum inflation pressure. Hence higher max PSI on most XL tires.

Alex

 

Alex, You're the man!

thanks!

 

1130 what? 55 lbs...per square inch? for what?

Can you provide a specific example of a 215/40-17 that you disagree on?

 

http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=EZ3&...num=14YR7S03PP

See 215/40

1130 - 1074 = 56 lbs

1130 is 205/45 @ 33 psi = via Bennet Garfields' tire gide, not the tires' sidewall. The calulation is by internal volume.

This meets your gross axel weight, and exceeds it. your 100% safe with 215/40 is your vehilce stays parked FOREVER. You loose the addional reserve mini built into its OE setup, to protect your wheels, and for addional transitional cornering and braking forces, expeirenced when not at rest.

Alex

 

The lowest load rating "factory" tire is the Dunlop SP Sport 01 DSST in 205/40-18, for the 18" JCW wheels. It has a load rating of 82. The rest of the tires range from load ratings of 84 (the 15" Conti, Euforia, and RS-A), to 88 (the Dunlop 9000)

Based on these findings, using a 215/40-17 with a load rating of 83 is near the lower end of an acceptable load rating.

 

We're back to claims vs volume - 215/40 meets gross axel weight, I agree and will sell it, but its not ideal, nor my preferance. I will not turn away sales on the size, I advise against it.

Alex

 

So "claimed load rating" is not an accurate way to measure real-world load rating?

Is there an equation you're using to determine claimed load rating vs. air pressure vs. tire internal volume equals real load rating that you can share with us?

 

Its called Bennet Garfields's tire guide. The bible comes out yearly for vehicles in the last 10 years. It also features inflation pressure indexs, lug torques, and tons of other help[ful shuff for the tire retailer.

Un fortunatly only available to RMA member companies.

(rubber manufacture's association)

Alex