favorite tire size for stock rims?

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
toughtercel
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by toughtercel »

whoa that BIG tires with little wheel , My current 175/80R13 are great tires for Handling , they are the same since I visit you , Also same brand I have been buying since ohh almost 8 years . I was afraid they never make any more so I bought three set and store it .
While I was at Swap meet I also bought pair of emblems which it on my Sliver Streak at rear front fenders " Handling by LOTUS " .Maybe it lame but it funny driving beside the Porsche/Bimmer,etc .
EliRush
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by EliRush »

What about 15" ZX2 Escort wheels with 185/65 tires? Too big?
1986 T4WD SR5 in Beater Blue
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dlb
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by dlb »

according the tire size calculator i use, those tires should only be about 7.5% over stock tires--my 185/80R13 were 8.15% over. sounds like those would be fine, eli.
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Petros
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by Petros »

might try a 185/60 tire on the 15" wheels, should be about the right size. Off-set might cause it rub in a tight turn, depends on how much off set is on the wheels.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
EliRush
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by EliRush »

Cool, thanks! I will post pics when I get them on. They are 5.5" wide, which was another concern...but I think they will ride great. It has to be better than what is on there now.
1986 T4WD SR5 in Beater Blue
EliRush
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by EliRush »

I went with 14" star wheels and 185/65 tires. Seems to work really well. $100 from CL, and the tires are probably more than 70%.

I think they look pretty good, too!
wheels.jpg
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GLet71
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by GLet71 »

Petros wrote:stock steel is 5", factory alloy is 5.5". I have 14" x 6" alloy wheels, with 195/60 tires, no fit problems.
Do you have any kind of suspension lift to accommodate this tire size Peter, or would this fit on my stock T4 as well?

Love your new set up elirush, I am hoping to join you in your snazziness soon~
Currently:
Majorette France Tercel 4WD - Fini
Formerly:
'87 6spd SR5 4WD modified Wagon (Ron, the post-apocalyptic summer ride)
'87 6spd dlx 4wd Wagon (Pinkman Got Nuthin', aka Pinky)
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North of 64
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by North of 64 »

Your 86 looks great!
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Petros
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by Petros »

I have no lift, but I have the front springs for AC and I removed mine, so there is perhaps 90-100 lb less weight in the front.

RockAuto has Tercel replacement springs pretty cheap, get the 4wd with A/C springs, they are about 3/4" longer.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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GLet71
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by GLet71 »

Would half a mm (.51mm or .02") difference in overall diameter lead to disaster? If I have four 195/60/14's and a 185/70/13 for a spare, how long could I go with the spare in case of a flat? The difference in overall diameter is 23.21" and 23.19" respectively.

Tire 1 - 195/60R14 Tire 2 - 185/70R13
Section Width: 7.67 in 195 mm Section Width: 7.28 in 185 mm
Radius: 11.60 in 294.64 mm Radius: 11.59 in 294.38 mm
Circumference: 72.91 in 1851.9 mm Circumference: 72.85 in 1850.3 mm
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Currently:
Majorette France Tercel 4WD - Fini
Formerly:
'87 6spd SR5 4WD modified Wagon (Ron, the post-apocalyptic summer ride)
'87 6spd dlx 4wd Wagon (Pinkman Got Nuthin', aka Pinky)
'87 Auto dlx 4WD Wagon (Otto, temporary parts car)
'88 6spd SR5 4WD Wagon (Perry, the parts car)
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Interesting - when I installed the Mazda Daisy wheels, I went with a Kumho 185-60R14 size, to keep the speedo error virtually nil.
Being (occasionally) frugal, I did not want to pop for a 5th tire and steelie, so I kept the spare as the OE 175/70R13 Sumitomo I'd installed in 2005.
Since the diameter is virtually identical, I figgered it would make no difference at all.
It looks like your 14" size is only 0.2% larger than the 13", so...
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dlb
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by dlb »

ditto on what tom is saying. i think the size is close enough that as long you don't run it for too long, it would be fine. i've seen tercs driven with one really low tire and mismatched tires (same sizes, though) before and it hasn't been a problem or made a difference.
EliRush
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by EliRush »

The lighter wheels and just barely bigger overall diameter did make a heck of a difference.
1986 T4WD SR5 in Beater Blue
Acuna989
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by Acuna989 »

So what the largest tire size you can get away with on a 14" wheel with stock suspension ?

^Elirush those wheel look sick on your terc, are those VW ?
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Petros
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Re: favorite tire size for stock rims?

Post by Petros »

195/60x14 is about the limit, when I bottom the front suspention the tire just rubs on the screws that hold the plasitc fender liner to the fender lip.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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