Tire size recomondations on 17x9 rims

Fourtrax250R

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hey guys, looking to get 17x9 cobra R's on all 4 corners. my question is, what the max size i can go on the rear with no rim fitment/wheel well clearance issues. I was thinking 275/40/17? Now, on the front, do I want less wide tires, maybe 245/255?? or can i go with 275/40/17 also for the best ride/handling. Im not a big drag racer/auto crosser, just looking for good traction, and good responsive steering and handling. I do know that the oem tire sizes on these cobras where really thin tires. Thanx guys!!:beer:
 

ArkansasMystic

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275/40/17 is perfect IMO. Unless you're gonna run a tire like a Nitto which runs small, that's as wide as you need to go on the 17x9 rim. The front is completely up to you. I run 275/40/17's all around and kinda like it. The biggest thing is that I can still rotate tires. With the wider tires up front, you'll notice the car following the ruts in the road a lot more. That's the only downside I've found.
 

Fourtrax250R

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275/40/17 is perfect IMO. Unless you're gonna run a tire like a Nitto which runs small, that's as wide as you need to go on the 17x9 rim. The front is completely up to you. I run 275/40/17's all around and kinda like it. The biggest thing is that I can still rotate tires. With the wider tires up front, you'll notice the car following the ruts in the road a lot more. That's the only downside I've found.


I figured the 275's up front would want to follow the ruts in the street. How annoying is it?
 

ArkansasMystic

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It's hard to say. I really don't mind it that much, and I think 90% of my problems is bumpsteer. I'm gonna be adding a bumpsteer kit sometime soon and only then will I know. The problem wasn't as bad with the 245/45's, but never has felt quite right. It is not only the size of the tire but also the tread type and sidewall stiffness that causes the "tram lining". Just because mine aren't that bad, yours could be totally different. My Cobra is my only vehicle and daily driver, it isn't bad enough to make me wanna go back to narrower tires.
 

milktasd2

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I have 275 all the way around as well and its not that annoying and being able to rotate the tires is nice.
 

Gallows

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Another vote for 275/40's. I just put 315's on the rear and moved the 275's to the front but won't be trying them out for at least another six weeks.
 

gq916

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275/40 is ideal for the rear...u could also get 265/40 or even 255/40...i would get whatever is cheaper since u dont race
 

nckissfan

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I have 255's up front, and 275's in the rear. Can you run bigger in the rear??

I remember seeing this girl with 245's on a 9.5" rim. Talk about tacky, and looking unsafe
 

SnkBitPny

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275/40's on the front and 315/35's on the rear. Even if you don't race, the extra "meat" will look good.
 

ArkansasMystic

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Bigger isn't always better. After a 275 you really don't gain much. Wider is possible, but not really safe, such as these 315's on stock rims FTL:
TireBuldge.jpg
 

AtlanticCobra98

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not to change subject but is that why on my 275x35x18 it seems to follow every single rut it the road? is there a way to fix that.. its so annoying to have to fight it everytime the road is not even...
 

SnkBitPny

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Bigger isn't always better. After a 275 you really don't gain much. Wider is possible, but not really safe, such as these 315's on stock rims FTL:
TireBuldge.jpg

I guess its all personal preference. Each to his own. A friend of mine runs 275s on the front and 315s on the back of his 03 cobra with the stock 17x9 wheels. I think it looks good. You can feel it "walk" a little bit from the grooves in the road, but hell, I can feel that on my 17x8 wheels as well even with the smaller tires.
 

SnkBitPny

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not to change subject but is that why on my 275x35x18 it seems to follow every single rut it the road? is there a way to fix that.. its so annoying to have to fight it everytime the road is not even...


Well, it stands to reason that the wider the contact patch on your tire, the more road surface you are "grabbing". It just makes imperfections in the road more noticable.
 

Tabres

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I used to be completely fine with the 275's on the front of my car. They never gave me trouble with tramlining. It was great.

And then I moved to a larger city with much more traffic, and apparently vastly worse groves in the roads. And now I hate the 275's...

I personally would put a 255 on the front.
 

ArkansasMystic

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A bumpsteer kit and 03 Cobra front control arms will fix most of the tramlining. Unless it was a 315 Nitto (beacause they run narrow), I don't see it fitting safely on a 17x9. The above pic is just for laughs, the guy doesnt drive it like that.
 

wakeover

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I run 275/45/17 on 17x9 rims in the front and on the back 315/35/17 on 17x10.5 rims. No rubbing that I can hear or see.
 

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