Originally Posted by
MrChad
There is if you want to keep an over all 25.4" rolling diameter and V-rated minimum speed rating on a 7" wide rim.
My buddy runs a 225-45-17 on his TSX, that's a wider tread with much better selection of tires. The downside is his over all diameter is now 25.0" Which is ideal for the 4cyl 6th not the newer v6 and 7th gen Accord.
Which I can only assume is the reason for the wider A-spec rims.
It just depends on what you want. If maintaining the
exact same diameter as oe, then you are right, you only have one choice. But if you want wider tires, you can go wider. If you want a slightly smaller diameter to shorten the gearing, you can do that. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.
That being said, on a stock wheel I'd probably stick with 215/50 or 225/45.
You also have to remember that there can be pretty significant size differences between different tire manufacturers for one given tire size.
Check out the attached picture. When I got my CL wheels they came with two different types of tires. Same brand, both Continentals. Same size (205/55-16) but a different model. And we aren't talking passenger car tire vs summer only...both are all season tires. Notice there is a significant difference in diameter and width. Imagine the difference when you compare different
manufacturers.
You factor that in with tire wear, changes in psi, and there are a lot of variables that prevent you from saying that only one tire size is the right overall diameter for the car.
