15s to 17s tire size dilemma

[JoshIms]

Have a 69 superbee with suspension upgrades. Upgrades are more aimed at handling than drag. Full hotchkis TVS plus a bunch of other goodies.
Right now I run
15x7 4.25bs 235/60R15 front
15x8 4.5bs 275/60R15 rear
Looking to get into a better handling tire but don’t want to go to 18s. I do like the classic look but 15” tire options suck.
The wheels I have chose come in 17x8 with 4.5 bs or 17x9.5 with 5.5 bs.
My top available size for the rear is 285/40r17 on the 17x9.5 rim. I was thinking the front would be 245/45r17 on the 17x8 wheel
But now I’m wondering if I could do a 275/40r17 on front with the 17x9.5?
I would love to hear your guys opinions and thoughts as well as pictures of your set ups with tire sizes. No 18”s!! 17” only.

 

[slepr1]

I tried 40s on the 17s on the front of my cuda. I went back to 60's because I didn't like the ride. I could feel every crack in the road.

 

[davek]

just wondering why you would want such a wide tire on the front. I have the same size 15 on my Bee and heard 17 would make the ride better any truth to that?

 

[JoshIms]

just wondering why you would want such a wide tire on the front. I have the same size 15 on my Bee and heard 17 would make the ride better any truth to that?

Honestly just trying to get the right overall diameter and trying to avoid the side wall being too low profile. The type of tires you can get in 17”sizes are far superior to the 15” options.

 

[JoshIms]

I tried 40s on the 17s on the front of my cuda. I went back to 60's because I didn't like the ride. I could feel every crack in the road.

What I really wanted was 275/50/17 for the back but there is only one tire that comes in that size and it’s on perpetual backorder.

 

[417guy]

Have a 69 superbee with suspension upgrades. Upgrades are more aimed at handling than drag. Full hotchkis TVS plus a bunch of other goodies.
Right now I run
15x7 4.25bs 235/60R15 front
15x8 4.5bs 275/60R15 rear
Looking to get into a better handling tire but don’t want to go to 18s. I do like the classic look but 15” tire options suck.
The wheels I have chose come in 17x8 with 4.5 bs or 17x9.5 with 5.5 bs.
My top available size for the rear is 285/40r17 on the 17x9.5 rim. I was thinking the front would be 245/45r17 on the 17x8 wheel
But now I’m wondering if I could do a 275/40r17 on front with the 17x9.5?
I would love to hear your guys opinions and thoughts as well as pictures of your set ups with tire sizes. No 18”s!! 17” only.

View attachment 1228308 View attachment 1228309 View attachment 1228310 View attachment 1228311 View attachment 1228312 View attachment 1228314

I really like that wheel, a little pricey in a 17 last I looked. I have the same 15” set up you have currently with redline tires . When I change I want to go 17” and a wheel like this .

 

[417guy]

your car looks great in the photos above!

Short sidewalls are part of the 17” experience, and ruin the looks of these old cars IMO.

My opinion only is the 17s with a 50 or 45 series is not too bad, still has some sidewall, but handing will be better. I just put on Bilstein shocks, and the ride is much better than the old KYB’s !

 

[JoshIms]

My opinion only is the 17s with a 50 or 45 series is not too bad, still has some sidewall, but handing will be better. I just put on Bilstein shocks, and the ride is much better than the old KYB’s !

I did really want to use a 45 or 50 but the options just are not there for tires. My car has fox shocks .

 

[#41]

Well, you have captured the dilemma. Sidewalls and overall tire diameter options shrink when you jump up from 15" to 16-17-18 inch wheels, and the larger Mopars like this need a tall tire with sidewall in the rear to look "right". The tallest tires you'll find in 17" will be around 26" tall, while the commonly used 275-60-15 rear tire is 28". To gain some of the performance you are looking for you will have to sacrifice the old-school muscle look a bit. You can compensate by lowering the car which disguises the shorter tires a somewhat. That will also tend to help the handling performance you want.

I have serious doubts that you will be able to put 275/40r17 on front with the 17x9.5 without rub.

I'm using 16x8 255/50/16 all around on one of my cars which is a 26" tire. It has decent sidewall exposed but handles much better as a max-summer-perf, soft tread tire.

 

[JoshIms]

Well, you have captured the dilemma. Sidewalls and overall tire diameter options shrink when you jump up from 15" to 16-17-18 inch wheels, and the larger Mopars like this need a tall tire with sidewall in the rear to look "right". The tallest tires you'll find in 17" will be around 26" tall, while the commonly used 275-60-15 rear tire is 28". To gain some of the performance you are looking for you will have to sacrifice the old-school muscle look a bit. You can compensate by lowering the car which disguises the shorter tires a somewhat. That will also tend to help the handling performance you want.

I have serious doubts that you will be able to put 275/40r17 on front with the 17x9.5 without rub.

I'm using 16x8 255/50/16 all around on one of my cars which is a 26" tire. It has decent sidewall exposed but handles much better as a max-summer-perf, soft tread tire.

Yea you got it. Have been on tire calculators and searching tires online for a week now and feel like what I really want just isn’t going to happen. The car is lowered already.( believe hotchkis leafs drop it an inch or two) I’m pushing width trying to get more diameter out of 40 or 45 series tires. I did also find a 305/45/17 but it is a 555rii Nitto drag radial. They say it does have more of a street tire sidewall but I don’t know if it will end up handling like the 15s and I don’t even know if they will fit width wise.

 

[33 IMP]

I've got Nitto 245/50x17 555 g2, on the back of my 57 Chevy (widest that fits stone stock wheelwell) 27"tall. Got them off a clearance rack at wally world. Were supposed to have been the drag radial version. Summit shows several brands and qualities in that size
Nitto makes a 255/50x17 too. 555 G2

 

[417guy]

Well, you have captured the dilemma. Sidewalls and overall tire diameter options shrink when you jump up from 15" to 16-17-18 inch wheels, and the larger Mopars like this need a tall tire with sidewall in the rear to look "right". The tallest tires you'll find in 17" will be around 26" tall, while the commonly used 275-60-15 rear tire is 28". To gain some of the performance you are looking for you will have to sacrifice the old-school muscle look a bit. You can compensate by lowering the car which disguises the shorter tires a somewhat. That will also tend to help the handling performance you want.

I have serious doubts that you will be able to put 275/40r17 on front with the 17x9.5 without rub.

I'm using 16x8 255/50/16 all around on one of my cars which is a 26" tire. It has decent sidewall exposed but handles much better as a max-summer-perf, soft tread tire.

Just curious, what wheels are the 16x8 ? Like to see a pic . Thanks

 

[#41]

Just curious, what wheels are the 16x8 ? Like to see a pic . Thanks

They are just D-window (stock car/truck style) black steel from US Wheel. Not much tire selection anymore in 16" though .... I got them 20 years ago. You can still get speed-rated max traction 255/50/16 tires because they were a stock Corvette size for a while.

 

[JoshIms]

Hallelujah!! Found what I needed after scouring the internet for them finally connected!
2x275/50/17 Nitto 555g2
2x255/50/17 Nitto 554g2
Appreciate the responses!

 

[33 IMP]

You're welcome.

 

[Virg464]

just wondering why you would want such a wide tire on the front. I have the same size 15 on my Bee and heard 17 would make the ride better any truth to that?

Going from 15 to 17 an maintaining the same overall tire diameter you lose sidewall height which in turn will make the ride more harsh (you'll feel more). However you'll get a stiffer sidewall (better cornering) but in a B-Body? Not sure how effective that would be. IMHO.

 

[furious70]

I went 15's to 17's for my 70 fury and have used on my charger as well, they make a big difference in handling.
I have a wide body hellcat, the 305's up front definitely catch the road, if you're not autocrossing or something I wouldn't go too wide up front

 

[JoshIms]

Just curious, what wheels are the 16x8 ? Like to see a pic . Thanks

I went 15's to 17's for my 70 fury and have used on my charger as well, they make a big difference in handling.
I have a wide body hellcat, the 305's up front definitely catch the road, if you're not autocrossing or something I wouldn't go too wide up front

what size tires do you have on those 17s. Thought I was good on this but company that sold me the rears I want just called to tell me they screwed up and don’t have them

 

[33 IMP]

what size tires do you have on those 17s. Thought I was good on this but company that sold me the rears I want just called to tell me they screwed up and don’t have them

Give Walmart a try. They say they can get anything.......... eventually.

 

[furious70]

what size tires do you have on those 17s. Thought I was good on this but company that sold me the rears I want just called to tell me they screwed up and don’t have them

I went with these:
https://atturo.com/tire/az800/6771

275/55R17
235/60R17

Those were to be really close to 235/70/15 and 275/60/15. They are a little taller - worked ok on my Fury, a little tight on the Charger. The fronts aren't as wide as the Firestone Indy500's I had in 235/70/15 even though they should have been on paper. The wider ones are too tall however. These are performance SUV tires but on a C body that's just fine.