Well I was all set to go with the 245/40/18's all around on the car, but then I saw a bimmer with 255/35/18 in the back it looked really nice. Would the 255's stick out or rub (in the back). Any opinions on whether it would look too over the top. The rims I am getting are 18x8.

thx all

 

Unless you are making modifications to the TL's suspension, I would avoid getting bigger rims / tires altogether.

Speak to your Acura dealer's service department and they'll likely tell you what they told me:

Since the TL is already at the threshold of safe handling (under aggressive speeds / turns) due to the high horsepower / FWD configuration and since it's using computers to help compensate for torque steer and other maladies, it is not recommended that you do any cosmetic alterations to the wheels as it's going to have a dramatic and unintended impact on the handling and safety of your vehicle.

Call your dealer. I'd love a fatter wheel look too, but I was told to not even put the Acura 18's on the car unless I forked over a few grand towards pseudo-A Spec handling improvements....

BJ

 

I'm very happy with 245/40/18. I went with a 245 because I did not want to run a Yokohama tire, but wanted to match the Yoko's tread width. The ES100 is an especially squared sidewall tire. From a performance standpoint, the 245/40/18 provides very good grip, handling, responsiveness, and ride quality.

I have heard others run 255/40/18. Personally, I feel at that size you begin to make some compromises - weight, responsiveness, rolling resistance, speedometer error, cost, and selection. Of course, something I consider to be a compromise may be considered a benefit by others...

 

Can't believe that BoltJames fell for that! That line is called UPSALE. What would "cosmetic" alterations have to due with perfromance? As for "at the end...". Get REAL! This is a upgraded HONDA, not a high performance BMW. Anything you can do to enhance it's handling performance is only going to help. 18" wheels (with the properly sized tires) isn't going to change the dynamics of the entire wheel package. To the onboard computer, it will be transparent. The ONLY difference will be the ride quality WILL suffer (at the benefit of performance increase). In regards to the original posters inquiry... The 255/35/18's are probably EXACTLY the same size as the 245/40/18's your already planning on. Sure, it's a fatter tire, but it's sidewall is proportionally smaller thereby making the entire setup nearly the same size (The 255's are actually .2 shorter than the 245/40's). What matters more is HOW the selected tires fit on the rims. If the rims are only 8" wide, then 255's are NOT recommended. The weight of the 255's is also slightly heavier and therefore may hamper performance. But hey, why believe me? I'm just another name on the other end of a wire. Here's a link to Toyo's site with the actual specs for the different tire sizes...http://www.toyo.com/tires/index_frame.html

 

Thanks everyone for your input. Do you think if I went with a 18x9 rim in the back it would stick out the side fender or maybe have issues with the back brakes.

thx

 

FYI, ideal tire fitments for the TL are 235/45-17, 245/40-18 and 245/35-19 (there are other acceptable sizes). I wouldn't have any remorse about 245/40-18's - in fact, I'm getting those (along with new rims) put on my TL on Monday

 

Just stick within the published limits for 9" wheels:

9.0 width, +44 to +50 offset, 245/255/265 tire width. Max tire height 26.30mm.

Note - these are the min/max of what's "allowable" - it doesn't mean it'll necessarily look good Have your tire shop put one of the rims on and then you can see for yourself. Most shops will do that for you for free or a nominal charge.

 

The TL is at the edge of the performance tolerances for a FWD car. High HP, low profile, computer assist drive-by-wire......Acura themselves have admitted that they may have gone overboard with the performance thrown at those poor two front wheels.

I've read several articles on the popularity of dubs and how few are paying attention to the fact that they're making their cars less safe.

My Acura service department felt the same way without any prompting on the subject. The OP can make any decision he wants, but he should be aware that his car may look fabulous as he slides into a tree, but he may get hurt in doing so.

BJ

 

BoltJames - I'm poking fun (mostly). I disagree on the performance capacity of FWD cars but can understand the concern. I think 300HP to 330HP would be "just fine" on the highway and cornering. Off the line, any more HP would make the torque steer more pronounced. I think that 19's are the max we can put on the 04TL and even then the ride is bone jarring.

 

I`ve got the 255/40/17s ES100s and they are THE PERFECT size for the wheel AND the car.

 

Any pictures of the 255s on the car? I would love to see a picture, especially from the back to see what they look like.

 

255/40/17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S here. They look perfect on the stock wheels but they are still not wide enough to protect the rim flanges, as I painfully found out this weekend. Stupid SUV driver ran a light (by ~3 sec!) and I lost my concentration and turned in a little too tight. Now I'm almost afraid to drive it.

 

Would love to see some pics of 255/40/17's on stock rims.

-r

 

255/17's are a LOT different (and bigger) than 255/19's. The 17's may look good but they are TOO LARGE for the 8" standard rim (actually a 9" rim is recommended) and therefore performance is actually HURT by those BIG tires. When a car with tires wider than they should be, the car will feel "squishy" or loose. Going into a corner, the excess rubber is simply flexed until resistance is hit. This will actually make the car feel quiet soft and will hamper performance considerably. They may look good and ride softer than stock, but your handling will pay the price.