Ramrodthrusterpuppy

I know this forum doesn't need another "Will this fit?" thread but I've searched and searched and as far as I know the only member who has installed 265/35s is Spiritman on his 8" A-specs. He claims that they work fine although I haven't seen any follow up posts lately so I wonder how the tires have worked out in the long run. Also, in his pix the tire sidewalls do look pulled...but that's IMO.
In particular I'm looking to see if anyone has installed 265/35/18s on 8.5" wheels (A-Specs or others) and what their feedback on wear and handling over the long term is?
Now I know that 9.0" is the minmum required width for 265/35s but judging from Inaccurate's 255/40 thread, I think my proposed combo will work. The 245/40s look good but they just seem a tad narrow and leave the rim bead way open to damage. 255/40/18s are an option but they are a fair bit taller than OEM, the 265/35 is extremely close to stock diameter.

Anyone done it yet? Am I crazy for even considering this?(wait, don't answer that! )

Thanks in advance!

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

don't see why it couldn't be done but expect your usual flame here and there

Bearcat94

rrthrustpuppy, I've thought the same thing.

If you can get 255 on an 8", no reason you can't get 265 on an 8.5". 265/35 is virtually identical to stock diameter.

I think the biggest concern is if the tire sidewall "overhang" will rub, especially if you've got a drop. I am pretty sure 265 has been done on the rear a few times, but not sure about the front (other than the poster you mentioned).

I'd LOVE to know for sure that 265/35/18 on 8.5" rims work.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Yeah, good point Bearcat because I do want a slight drop....similar to your set up. I seem to recall a member stating that he slammed his with the 255/40/17s and they didn't rub even with the car loaded as well....or am I dreaming this??

Bearcat94

Can't remember having read that, but *somebody* in that big ass "Why you should run 255/40" thread *has* to be dropped.

emracer

It's time for new tires on my A-Spec TL. The originals lasted about 34000 miles so far but they are in serious need of replacement. I decided it would be a good time for new wheels too. I just received my new Ron Jon Inspires, which are 8.5 x 18". I had originally planned on 255/40R18s but I would rather get 265/35R18s if they fit. I want Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics. Using the tire and wheel calculator at : http://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp it says the tire will be 0.5" closer to the suspension/brake components and will stick out 0.7" further towards the fender. Based on those demensions and just eye-balling the clearances, it looks like it will work (but don't go by what I say and see, use your own judgement).

Goodyear (the company) states the min wheel width for the tire is 9" but Goodyear (the local store) says the tire will fit on an 8.5" wheel just fine and they will be happy to mount it for me. I still need to talk to them regarding their return policy if there is rubbing. And I'm still shopping local prices. I should decide within the next couple of weeks.

FYI: Stock tires: 235/45R17
Stock wheels (not A-Spec): 17 x 8" 45mm offset

New tires: 265/35R18
Ron Jon Inspires: 18 x 8.5" 42 mm offset

My car only has the A-Spec suspension. I don't know what the offset is on either the 8" or the 8.5" A-Spec wheels.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

X2

Yes, I have been asking this question too many times. I have the 8.5" rims too. My gut says it will work great. Want to see a picture badly......maybe it hasn't been done yet. Who wants to be the guinea pig?

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

I would think that someone has tried it w/ 8.5" A-Specs!

emracer....I'm pretty sure that the A-specs have a 45 offset as well....same as the other OEM wheels.

I'm ready to pull the trigger on tires, but the shop that I deal with is a small outfit (best prices though) and they indicated that I wouldn't be able to return the tires if they rub.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Looking at the Yokohama Avid W4s as another UHP A/S choice. Rated and tested very well on Tire Rack. Little bit cheaper than the GY F1A/S....but the best part is that the W4s 245/40/18 tread width is almost as wide as many 255s and 265/35s...9.2"!
And still within the manufacturers rim width recomendations! Serious contender....

Bearcat94

^^

Read an article somewhere (either here or linked from here). Basically it said everybody measures Section Width pretty much the same (235 at GY = 235 at BS = 235 at Yoko, etc). BUT everybody measures Tread Width differently - some measure out on to the shoulder and some don't.

IOW - if a tire seems to have an unusually wide tread width compared to others with the same section width, Tread Lightly.



( I kill myself sometimes. )

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Understood, but I think the wider tread may be more due to the tire having a more square shoulder profile than other tires with a rounder shoulder profile. Hence, the closer measurements from section width to tread width....kinda like the Yoko AVS ES100.

All I know is that I gotta pull the tirgger on something soon....dying to get those A-specs on my car!!!

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166997

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Thanks for posting those pix stillhere...ya see, to me the sidewall looks a little too "pulled" on the 8"s but that may just be me. Perhaps the sidewall would be more flush on an 8.5" A-spec.
However, the GS-D3s pictured have a 9"/10.6" tread/section width whereas the tires that I'm looking at have a 9.3"/10.7" ratio. But knowing how dimensions differ between manufacturers, it's hard to tell. Plus I don't want them to rub with a moderate drop....

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

wish I had closeups of my 245/40 but here is a close up of 245/35 on a 8.5" wheel (all 18")


just keep in mind that a 265/35-18 = mushy sidewall on corners...
i would do 265/35-18 on an 18x9 or 9.5 wheel only

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Looks like you went off-roading!

I'd still like to hear some follow up from Spiritman os someone else who has the 265s....

emracer

Today I ordered my 265/35-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics. Since they had to be special ordered, the tire shop agreed with me that we should test fit a tire of the same size to my Ron Jon wheel and see what it looks like and check clearances. I wish I had taken better pics but what you see is what you get (if I attached them correctly). The clearances on the inside, suspension side, look good and they look like they will be fine under load, compressed and extended. The clearance to the fender is a bit tighter. With the car sitting unloaded and level, the clearances lock to lock are fine, but if the suspension was loaded and compressed it looks like it may be a bit tight or may even rub, but there is no way to tell for sure until I can load the suspension.

To me the sidewalls looked fairly straight and normal, not "pulled".

The Ron Jons have a 42 mm offset. Someone said the A-Spec 8.5" wheel has a 45 mm offset, which should help the fender clearance by 3mm (wooppeee) and get 3mm closer to the suspension, which to me looks OK.

If You want more pics, you'll have to wait til I get my tires installed, probably late next week at the earliest.

emracer

The tire that was used was a Dunlop 265/35-18. Don't know which one.

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

looks plenty of inner clearance....

emracer

The inner clearance did not look like a problem at all. The fender clearance looks like the only potential problem area.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

emracer....great pix, thanks! Which Dunlops were these? It'd be interesting to know the dimensions.

emracer

I don't know. I wasn't really prepared when the tire store said they wanted to do a test fit. I was lucky I remembered my camera was in my bag. If I had thought about it I would have gotten a lot more info and taken better pics. Sorry.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

That's cool....no worries. I suppose I could cross reference the tread pattern on Tire Rack if I get really ambitious. Are you dropped or will you be dropping?

emracer

I have the A-Spec suspension on it and that will be as low as she goes.

rondog

iTrader: (1)

actually, a 42mm offset is further away from the suspenion, and closer to the fender than a 45mm offset.

emracer

Hi RonDog...you are right and I think that is what I said. With the 42 mm offset the tire and wheel are closer to the fender and farther from the suspension. The 45 mm offset places the tire and wheel closer to the suspension and further from the fender. Given the clearances I saw I think the 45 mm offset is better with the 265/35-18 than the 42 mm offset, but the difference is really minimal and both will be close to the fender, maybe too close for comfort.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Well...in the end, I pussied out and got a set of 245/40/18 Yokohama Avid W4s....they're an UHP A/S similar to the Advan S4s, F1 A/S, Pilot Sport A/S etc...

I just don't feel confident enough about the 265/35s that they would work on the A-Specs and drop and I don't want to make an expensive mistake as the shop that I'm dealing with only has returns on defective tires....but they have great prices! Also, the W4S does measure 9.2" tread width which is only 1/3" less than the 265s. This is because they have a square shoulder profile....moreso than most tires so the section width doesn't taper off as much to the tread width.

Plus they've tested well and have good reviews so we'll see once I get them mounted next Friday.

I'm still interested to see others try this though, so post up some pix emracer when you get the 265s mounted!

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

emracer....got'em installed yet?

emracer

Unfortunately, the tires won't be here 'til Friday at the earliest. Depending on when they get here, I will get them installed on Friday or, if the timing is off, it will have to wait 'til the next Friday. Sorry about the timing but it is what it is.

emracer

The tires and wheels are finally on the TL and they look great. This is the way they should look from the factory! The sidewall bulge looks normal, like the sidewall on my M Roadster. So far I haven't had any rubbing. The inside clearance looks fine, the fender clearance is tight. It may rub in a tight corner with hard braking, but I don't think so. Don't know when I'll get to try that out. The photos were take with 38 psi front and 35 psi rear. I have since raised the pressure to 41 psi front, 38 rear, I like the response and feel much better. OK, here are the pics!

Bearcat94

emracer, can you recap your specs please?

Wheel size & Offset; Tire type and size.

Thanks.

emracer

Sure...Here ya go:

2006 TL with A-Spec suspension, automatic, StopTech Big Brake kit on fronts
18" x 8.5" Ron Jon Inspyre wheels with 42mm offset
265/35-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires on all 4 wheels

jeff442

My current tires are borderline bald and I'm on the fence about 265's... can you give some more impressions vs. stock (17's w/235)...

Noise?
Gas Mileage?
Performance?

jeff442

The pix looks awesome, by the way. Those RJ's are pretty much the only non-stock wheel I can stand to look at. Any chance you could snap a pic from behind the car at ground level so we can drool over the width of these babies?!

emracer

Jeff442...Noise - quieter than stock when they are worn, but not quite as quiet as stock when new...judgement...very good and not noisey! The ride is about the same, but I do notice a bit more bump on sharp bumps like transition pieces. Also, these tires are not made for less than 40°F, so if you are going to use them colder than that, you need another set. That said, ther are other tires almost as good that can be used all-season in 265/35-18 size.

Gas mileage - I haven't had them long enough to tell, but I expect that they will be worse by at least a couple of mpg due to width and the stickyness of the tire.

Performance - This is why I got the Eagle F1 Asymmetrics, they stick like glue! Check the test results at TireRack.com. For a performance front wheel drive 4 dr sedan, there is no equal. For anything else - good luck, they feel and perform awesome!

Now for the Pics...this first one is the Dunlop that was used for the test fit, it has a nicer looking tread pattern than the F1's (so I hear). The second pic is of the Eagle F1 on my car - I went for handling characteristics rather than looks. Either way, the pics don't do the tire and the look justice!

Bearcat94

Thanks for the summary .

8.5 wheels and 265 is what I'd like to end up with (eventually) - although I could prpbably "settle" with 8" and 255.

emracer

Jeff442,

I figured you really wanted to see the full treatment, not just one tire/wheel, sorry, that's all I could do at 1100pm last night. Here's a few more pics:

jeff442

Mmmmm.... meaty! Looks awesome. Thanks for taking those pics.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Love it...looks great! That extra little bit of offset from the Inspyres gives it that wider stance as well.

Well, maybe my next set will be 265/35s...although I'm impressed with my Avid W4S thus far. Gotta post some pix when the weather clears up. Also, I'm very impressed with the Eibach Pro Kit as well....no need for an aftermarket RSB, IMO...handles excellent now.