Wanted to ask whoever has shifted to 245's (245/45/17) from our OE size of 235 on the tires, does it protect the rims (atleast a bit more than the OE tires) from scraping on curbs?

I scraped my rim yesterday on a curb and just pissed about it...I have 17,000 miles and my EL 42's are going bald so planning to replace them in a couple of thousand miles.

Also are there any other advantages/disadvantages of switching to a broader tires?

 

not to sound like a jerk but the best way to protect from rip scraping is to park more carefully. i use the auto-tilt mirror feature to check the clearance religously.(over a year and not one scrape yet). getting wider tires might offer a little protection but not gonna make a world of difference because they are low profile tires. my last car i had 245/45/17 and it did not really protect my rim, i still had scrapes. i would stick with the 235 when you buy replacement tires, the handling and acceleration might get affected by the change in diameter(maybe not at all since it's such a slight change in size).

 

I know what you are saying...trust me It was like ripping my heart out when I heard that rim scraping...but I erred on the front passenger side and went too close to the curb the mirror woulnt help there...neways lets see

 

If you do a search for rim damage, you may find a previous thread that detailed this issue. Seems our wonderful El42 tires have the smallest bead of protection that extends beyond the tire wall. This bead is meant to protect against rim scrapes. This is also why you should not be taking your car to a car wash that runs through rails. When you buy your new tires investigate the size of the bead the new ones have. Stay away from buying EL42 again though, but I am sure you know that.

 

Cool so how do you find out the bead size of a tire? What are some tires that have the best bead size for lesser damage to rims?

 

just pick up a set of curb feelers

 

Now there's an attractive solution!

 

I am not sure where it is on the tire, however the information is available with the tire specs. that the tire store clerk will be able to get for you. I seem to remember the Michelin tires to have a decent sized bead. I drove a 2005 TL loaner that had the Michelins on it. A huge difference in ride and road feel. I will probably go that direction when my time comes to replace the POS Turanzas.

 

Yeah be careful at the car washes. I had my 05 TL for about a week and took it through Embassy Autowash in Northern Virginia and it scratched the hell out of my rim! Be careful!

 

Yeah, even my brother who is really careful ended up curbing his rear right rim in a parking garage. Sometimes, shit just happens.

Instead of just going wider on the tread width, pick a tire that has an actual rim protector.