Rim size vs tire size

Can I mount 165/70 R14 tires on 5.5" wide rim?

My car ('87 BMW 316) originally had 175/70 R14 tires. I now found 165/70 winter tires at a good price, but I do not know if the rim is to wide. Car manual lists 175/70 and 185/65 but I believe that winter tires performs better if narrower.

Google search tells me that 165/70 R14 can be mounted on 4.5"-6" rims and that on 5.5" rim you can fit 165-195 mm wide tires.

What do you think?

Reply to
Yvan
Loading thread data ...

Eh????

Reply to
Mike

It's mostly true, actually - narrower tyres will cut through standing water, snow, frost, etc. much better than a wider tyre would.

If you think back to the 70s and 80s - when most cars were running on

135 to 185 sized tyres on 13 and 14 inch rims, we had very few problems with traffic getting completely stuck in the snow.

Fast forward to today, where we have mid-range saloons running on 225 width 18 inch wheels... it's no wonder people get stuck at the first sign of snow.

Reply to
SteveH

they will be fine, stick them on.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

After watching Top Gear on Sunday I'd go for a half-track, but I'd hire a wounded serviceman to navigate for me instead of Hammond.

Reply to
Gordon H

It's how motorcycles work in snow. That's if you call a C15, CJ250T or a CB125S a motorcycle. Modern sports bikes with big fat tyres won't do very well. A ribbed 3.50 front and 4.10 rear with well rounded profile is about max.

Till you move across the lane to find some car has packed 2 tracks down to ice under it.

Back in the early 80's it was so bad one afternoon / early evening that the mile long 1 in 4 hill up to my home was totally jammed with cars that couldn't move. I made it up the middle to within 100m when I was blocked by 2 cars that were too close to the crown of road. So I had to take to the gutter. Didn't do so well in the gutter, back wheel slid down the camber to the kerb and progress was sort of in skips ) as it climbed up the camber and slid back to the kerb. So even though that bit was less steep I gave up about 50m short and parked it on the pavement. I'd done about 10 miles from college.

Reply to
Peter Hill

Depends where in UK he lives. In the Midlands, it's hardly cold enough to make it worthwhile. Maybe up t' north, east coast?

Stick them on some spare rims and put them in the shed till next year.

Reply to
Peter Hill

It's a bit colder where yvan is :-) & 165/70s will be fine

Reply to
Duncan Wood

If you do fit them and they will fit.

Grab a GPS and check the speedo against it, the rolling radius - will be different.

On the MGB it has (mine) 165x14 and I changed to 175/75 14 so I had much the same rolling radius. (the MG also were fitted with 155x14 steel rims)

Reply to
Rob

Nedavno Duncan Wood napisa:

Yes it is. My problem is only my street. They only put some salt on the snow, and at -10C or less it only makes the snow soft, so with RWD car I get stuck in front of my garage. Main road is only half a mile away, and it is regularly cleaned.

As I understand, winter tires do not make much difference on dry/wet winter conditions, but are recommended at temperatures below +7C.

Reply to
Yvan

I fitted 165/70 R14 winter tires yesterday on 5.5" rims. Visually, rim edge is almost flat with the tire sidewall, so it will be more easily damaged.

I went for a short drive, and noticed that steering was easier (as expected, I had 195/60 R14 summer tires). Also, it fells like the car drifts, or rolls when cornering. I do not know if it would be the same if I had chosen different brand of tire.

Reply to
Yvan

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.