Rims

I have an opportunity to buy 14x7 rims for my 1975 Bug, currently it has the
stock 15 inch rims. What should I be concerned about? I realize the speedo
would be off so what size and profile of tire would compensate for this?
Thanks Glenn

Take the stock example first:

The "stock" tire is a 165/80/15. This means that the width of the tire is
165 millimeters wide, and has a 15 inch inner diameter to fit the rim. If
there is no number stated (say you see just 165/15 on the tire) the
"default" is 80.

That second number is a percentage. And it is a percentage of the 1st
number. It is a "profile" of how tall the tire is.

So, in the case of the stock tire of 165 mm, the 80 means 80% of 165. This
is 132 millimeters. So if you took a tape measure, you would measure the
"height" of one side of the tire to be 132 mm. Although, to get the total
height from where the tire touches the ground to the top of the tire, you
have to add it all together.

You start off from the ground, add 132 mm, plus 15 inches which is 381
millimeters, add ANOTHER 132 mm for the top of the tire. You get a TOTAL of
645 millimeters. Or about 25.4 inches.

So, to get a "near" tire that wont make your speedometer be off much, you
need a tire that has a similar height of 645 mm.

A lot of people run 195/70/15 's which a

195 mm x .7 = 136.5 mm

Total height = 136.5 mm + 381 mm + 136.5 mm = 654 mm. Which is close to 645
mm.


If the tire companies made a 175/75/15 that would be great. (Tire height =
643.5 mm) But they apparently don't make this size tire.

Those 7 inch wide rims might give you problems when you turn sharply,
especially since you'll have to have a "fat" wide tire, at least a
195/70/14.

Lynn
1974 Superbeetle




"Glenn" > wrote in message
...
>I have an opportunity to buy 14x7 rims for my 1975 Bug, currently it has
>the
> stock 15 inch rims. What should I be concerned about? I realize the speedo
> would be off so what size and profile of tire would compensate for this?
> Thanks Glenn
>
>

????? Sounds confusing to me. Here's the easy way:
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

It looks like a 205/70-14 might be your best fit.


"Lynn Martin" > wrote in message
...
> Take the stock example first:
>
> The "stock" tire is a 165/80/15. This means that the width of the tire is
> 165 millimeters wide, and has a 15 inch inner diameter to fit the rim. If
> there is no number stated (say you see just 165/15 on the tire) the
> "default" is 80.
>
> That second number is a percentage. And it is a percentage of the 1st
> number. It is a "profile" of how tall the tire is.
>
> So, in the case of the stock tire of 165 mm, the 80 means 80% of 165.
> This is 132 millimeters. So if you took a tape measure, you would measure
> the "height" of one side of the tire to be 132 mm. Although, to get the
> total height from where the tire touches the ground to the top of the
> tire, you have to add it all together.
>
> You start off from the ground, add 132 mm, plus 15 inches which is 381
> millimeters, add ANOTHER 132 mm for the top of the tire. You get a TOTAL
> of 645 millimeters. Or about 25.4 inches.
>
> So, to get a "near" tire that wont make your speedometer be off much, you
> need a tire that has a similar height of 645 mm.
>
> A lot of people run 195/70/15 's which a
>
> 195 mm x .7 = 136.5 mm
>
> Total height = 136.5 mm + 381 mm + 136.5 mm = 654 mm. Which is close to
> 645 mm.
>
>
> If the tire companies made a 175/75/15 that would be great. (Tire height
> = 643.5 mm) But they apparently don't make this size tire.
>
> Those 7 inch wide rims might give you problems when you turn sharply,
> especially since you'll have to have a "fat" wide tire, at least a
> 195/70/14.
>
> Lynn
> 1974 Superbeetle
>
>
>
>
> "Glenn" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I have an opportunity to buy 14x7 rims for my 1975 Bug, currently it has
>>the
>> stock 15 inch rims. What should I be concerned about? I realize the
>> speedo
>> would be off so what size and profile of tire would compensate for this?
>> Thanks Glenn
>>
>>
>
>

Thanks for the info, a really neat converter. Do you think the 205's will
rub the car when I turn?
"Neil" > wrote in message
news:1115303264.aaf1460fb1e523838b745297b56ca833@t eranews...
> ????? Sounds confusing to me. Here's the easy way:
> http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
>
> It looks like a 205/70-14 might be your best fit.
>
>
> "Lynn Martin" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Take the stock example first:
> >
> > The "stock" tire is a 165/80/15. This means that the width of the tire
is
> > 165 millimeters wide, and has a 15 inch inner diameter to fit the rim.
If
> > there is no number stated (say you see just 165/15 on the tire) the
> > "default" is 80.
> >
> > That second number is a percentage. And it is a percentage of the 1st
> > number. It is a "profile" of how tall the tire is.
> >
> > So, in the case of the stock tire of 165 mm, the 80 means 80% of 165.
> > This is 132 millimeters. So if you took a tape measure, you would
measure
> > the "height" of one side of the tire to be 132 mm. Although, to get the
> > total height from where the tire touches the ground to the top of the
> > tire, you have to add it all together.
> >
> > You start off from the ground, add 132 mm, plus 15 inches which is 381
> > millimeters, add ANOTHER 132 mm for the top of the tire. You get a
TOTAL
> > of 645 millimeters. Or about 25.4 inches.
> >
> > So, to get a "near" tire that wont make your speedometer be off much,
you
> > need a tire that has a similar height of 645 mm.
> >
> > A lot of people run 195/70/15 's which a
> >
> > 195 mm x .7 = 136.5 mm
> >
> > Total height = 136.5 mm + 381 mm + 136.5 mm = 654 mm. Which is close to
> > 645 mm.
> >
> >
> > If the tire companies made a 175/75/15 that would be great. (Tire
height
> > = 643.5 mm) But they apparently don't make this size tire.
> >
> > Those 7 inch wide rims might give you problems when you turn sharply,
> > especially since you'll have to have a "fat" wide tire, at least a
> > 195/70/14.
> >
> > Lynn
> > 1974 Superbeetle
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Glenn" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>I have an opportunity to buy 14x7 rims for my 1975 Bug, currently it has
> >>the
> >> stock 15 inch rims. What should I be concerned about? I realize the
> >> speedo
> >> would be off so what size and profile of tire would compensate for
this?
> >> Thanks Glenn
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>