nsxinsac

I just got a 02 TL Type S and I need new tire asap and I am wondering what is the best size tire to go with for stock rims? I will be lowering it very soon and want to go with a larger than stock tire size without possible rubbing after a 1-2 inch drop? Can I get away with a 235/45/17 or a 225/50/17, what do you guys think?

Thanks

nsxinsac

These are the options I am thinking about going with:

235/45/17

225/50/17

SaNJoSeTLRydEr

i would go wid the oem sizefitment and that is 215-50-17 mang..good luck wid ur tires..as of right now....www.tires.com is having a free shipping so yeah u should browse around...they got some falken ziex for pretty koo price..

fsttyms1

225 or 235 work. many members have run both sizes. I run 225 on my Tl rims

dug-mac

Kris, what do you notice by going with slightly wider tires? I was thinking about this to perhaps get a little better cornering...

Lawaia

In the eyes of EVERY tire manufacturer, 235's will not fit on TL-S wheels as they are a bit too narrow. Take it for what it's worth.

trueweb

There is almost always a little give in sizing your tires. The manufacturer specs a size that is probably optimal for comfort and handling based on the vehicle.

Looking at an '02 TL-S which has 6.5 wide wheels, the 215 is a good size. Consider that the CL-S has 7" wide tires and is also shod in 215's.

Here is the difference, and I have experienced this first hand...

Wide tires may look cool, but if you put anything wider than the recommended 215's on your 6.5" wide TL-S wheels the ride is going to get mushy... The sidewalls will feel soft and the car will be difficult to set up in turns or feel soft during quick transitions.

If you go narrower there is also a point of diminishing returns. First, the car might look funky with wheels that are wider than the tires. Second, the ride will seem more harsh as the sidewalls will be pulled taught.

I would not recommend going narrower, rather I would get wider wheels (like the CL-S) wheels and then go with the stock size for your vehicle (215's) to get added handling. Once you have wider wheels you can increase the tire width without "losing" handling as well, 225's or even 235's.

If you want to go wider and looks are all that matter, by all means go for it. Remember though, the sidewall height is a percentage of the width, so if you do go significantly wider you will need to get a lower profile tire which you seem to have already considered.

If you want the car to handle, at least as well as originally intended by Acura, stay stock or go up a size in the wheel width to get the intended "wider tire" appearance and keep the handling.

Just my own thoughts and opinions.

nsxinsac

So are you saying a 215/50/17 is the best size for overall handling?

trueweb

Can't guaranty it, I don't have a tire/wheel size table in front of me, but I would lean toward 'yes' as the answer to that question...

Two reasons:
Most cars I've seen that run 7" wide wheels do not go wider than 225 when used for high performance, i.e. autocross or track. The TL has 6.5" wheels and wears 215's, a 10mm narrower tire. Since 6.5" is 1/2" smaller than 7" and 10mm is .4" that's a pretty close ratio.

Second, Acura had to carefully consider performance and handling when selecting a tire, best cornering and braking along with ride.

I would not go narrower unless you are trying to overcome some sort of bias, like understeer or oversteer. If you are primarily looking for appearance you could go wider. If you really want the car to handle the best and feel controllable at the limit I'd stick with the 215s for now.

If you really want the look of a wider tire consider getting into a wider wheel, especially if you want to retain the precise handling feel.

If you look at high performance tires like Kumho, Yokohama or Falken you will see they recommend 7" to 8.5" rims for their 215 and 225 series tires. This is what the manufacturer of the tire specifies for the best performance with their tires. This would tell me that 215's are near the upper end of the width spectrum for 6.5" wheels.

I hope that helps, I know I provided a lot of extra details, but this is sometimes difficult to comprehend... Less is Better... is often the opposite of what we "feel" should be the case.

ililillilillilil

i'm turning in my lease this month on my 03typeS with 45kmiles and i have 2 worn out tires & 2 with10k miles on em. Just wondering before i turn it in...
Should i get 2 new tires?
Will they charge me for new Michelin Pilots?
Can i get something cheaper, or ^those^ only?

dj5

I am currently running Michelin Pilot A/S 225/50/17 on my stock 2002 TL-S rims.

They fit great and seem to handle and corner better than the stock 215/50/17.
Most tire shops do not recommend going any wider than the 225/50 on the OEM rims.

Ryons02TLTypeS

I have Falkens Zeix ZE 512s 215/50 17 on the front and 225/50 17 on the back... I did this because that were the sizes that were on the car b4 i changed the tires..... But i do wish i woulld have gotten the same size tires... Because they sed when i get a rotation i will fishtail... Is this tru??? But i would have gotten 215/45 17s that would b the ideal size... for looks n performance...