Re: The VW Jetta GLX Mailing List Digest V4 #60

[Stewart MacLund <sundie@lunaticfringe.org>]

    <bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>  Sorry, wrong answer.  :)

    Yes, the contact patch is 10mm wider.  But the tyre will also be 10mm taller.

    205/50-15

    205=width of contact patch
    50=percentage of contact patch that the tyre is tall from the rim (eg 205*.50=102.5, which means your total tire height will be 15" (rims) plus 102.5*2 (top and bottom))
    15=size of rim.

    http://www.toyo.com/tire_basics/index.html is a good primer on how to size your tires.

    Getting back to the original question - will it rub.  I'm thinking not.  Usually, you're good for an inch (cause despite standardized tire markings, some tire of "the same size" are actually taller, or shortr, than
anothger tire "of the same size")  Also, i've got 195/55R15's (pirelli p210a) winters on mine, and they worked out to 3mm taller, with no problems.

    The best way is to put them on, and then to bounce the car with the wheels turned both ways, and see if there might be some danger of rubbing.

Sundie..


Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 08:31:26 -0800
From: Khan Klatt <khan@mediaaccess.com>
Subject: Re: 215-50-15 ???

At 10:38 AM -0500 03/06/2000, Naresh H. Singh wrote:
>Hey Gang,
>
>I picked up a set of rims this weekend and they have Continental Contact
>215-50-15s mounted on them with lots of thread left. Anyone tried this
>size on a non-lowered A3 Jetta? Any rubbing? The guy had them on his G60
>Corrado and said it was a tight fit but no rubbing.
>
>What do you think?

If I've got it right, the only difference between those tires and
stock tires is the width of the contact patch. Stock tires are 205mm
wide. Your tires are 215mm wide, or a whole 1cm wider. I can't
imagine that a tire 1cm wider would come close to rubbing. I'm no
expert, but you should have no problem.

- -Khan