Mixing different tyre sizes...

[hogweed]

No, really. I have BBS with the usual 205 x 55 x 15s, and the front two are nearly worn out. Yes, I agree, I MUST do a lot of braking.

Anyway, ages ago I saw someobody (Paul325i RIP I think) had 205 x 50s on his, which looked good, and of course lowered it a bit. So I wondered, until the back ones wear out, would I manage if i fitted 50's to the front, keeping the 55's on the back? Or would it look realy stupid?

Mine has Sport suspension and lowering BTW. Depends on how you look at it, but it seems to sit a little higher at the back already... is this deliberate, an optical illusion, or... what if I fitted the 50's to the back and the 55's to the front?

Humour me please, no laughing at the back.

[hoshy]

I can't see why not dude. a drop of 5 on the profile isn't all that either.

* usual disclaimers apply

[Brianmoooore]

Tyres on the same axle have to be the same, but different axles can have different sizes.

[hogweed]

Thanks gentlemen...

Tyres on the same axle have to be the same, but different axles can have different sizes.

I think I was meaning more aesthetically Brian... do you think it would look properly naff?

[Wilson]

do you think it would look properly naff?

I think it would look fine, probably not even notice mate!

[Brianmoooore]

but it seems to sit a little higher at the back already... is this deliberate, an optical illusion, .

Most people reckon E30s look higher at the front. Mine certainly does, so I run 205/55-15 at the rear and 196/65-14 at the front.

[jmc330i]

and the front two are nearly worn out. Yes, I agree, I MUST do a lot of braking.

I had 205/50/15s on the back of mine with 205/55s on the front. It looked fine, although if you look closely enough you will notice the rears dont fill out the arches as well as 205/55s.

I agree with the back looking a little higher, its the reason I put the 205/50s on the back - made the car look that bit more level.

[hogweed]

Thanks gentlemen...

Most people reckon E30s look higher at the front. Mine certainly does, so I run 205/55-15 at the rear and 196/65-14 at the front.

Don't know about most people Brian - I've never noticed that one! Then again, I am very old. But mine DEFINITELY looks LOWER at the front! Agai, whether that coudl be anythgin to do with the Sport suspension pack I don't know - not well up on these things

PS my typing's as good as my braking...

Where are you in Somerset JMC? I do pop down to see my cousin near Mark from time to time, that sounds like an interesting beast you're putting together...

[dazleeds]

ive got 205x45x16s on mine and its lowered but no idea by how much but springs look mted standard shockers but again the front is def lower than the rear but still not low enough would benefit from an inch more drop imo

[koos]

just be carefull with diff size tyre's, can bring up ABS fault, diff sizes, diff rolling circumfrance, diff wheel speeds. Just a thought.

[Brianmoooore]

Running different size wheels (even one new tyre and one worn tyre), on the rear can cook the diff a bit, and different rolling radius front and back,will if great enough, trigger an ABS fault.
I've run 195/65-14 on the rear of an E30, and 195/60-14 on the front without upsetting the ABS.

[320Touring]

Ive got 205/65/r15 on the rear and 195/50/r15 at the front.

gives it a nice slightly nose down stance

as brian says as long as they're the same diameter on the same axle then there is no problem

[Jhonno]

can you run different sized wheels on a car ie 16's on the front and 15's on the rear? ie all legal n pass an MOT?

[320Touring]

can you run different sized wheels on a car ie 16's on the front and 15's on the rear? ie all legal n pass an MOT?

should be ok! i mean ferrari's etc usually have the rears an inch or so bigger than the fronts-again i think if its matched to the axle then there's no problem