Outback Tire help =17"

[STL97outback]

Looking for a set of tires. Not sure what kind/brand/size even.

Stock is 205/70/15, and I want to stay as close to that as possible in overall diameter which is I think 26.3 or so. Don't want to go wider than 225.

Wheels are 04 STi stock gold BBS wheels.

Tires will need to do:
1) LOTS of highway miles
2) Good amount of wet weather/snow driving

Won't need to track at all. Will use a different set with R888s for that.

Appreciate the help. I am from CA so I don't have experience with needing to have tires that will do well in the rain and stuff, but this set will be driven on in Boston/D.C.

Thus looking for help in:
1) brand
2) size
3) other thoughts

[Huffer]

Tire size calculator:
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Hankook W300
Falken ZIEX 512
Fuzion HRi

Depending on the actual amount of snow you get, you will probably be fine with a set of High Performance All Seasons.

[STL97outback]

Thanks.

Using that 215/55/17 or 225/50/17 seems to be the best options. The snow isn't that much, so performance all season it is.

Now gotta decide between the above 2 sizes.

Thank you for your help.

[Huffer]

For a LOT of driving I would get the narrower profile. You'll save a bit more gas and you won't really give up a lot in grip because the tires will be plenty hot. Also a 55 profile will be a bit more cushiony for those longer drives.

Throw some nitrogen in the tires to keep the air pressures consistent and you'll be good to go.

[STL97outback]

For a LOT of driving I would get the narrower profile. You'll save a bit more gas and you won't really give up a lot in grip because the tires will be plenty hot. Also a 55 profile will be a bit more cushiony for those longer drives.

Throw some nitrogen in the tires to keep the air pressures consistent and you'll be good to go.

Thanks. I will check the width of the bbs golds tomorrow and see if 215 will be ok.

Couple of Subaru friends say 225/45 is best, but given it is more than an inch shorter, I think that will look really bad.

[Huffer]

It kind of depends on what you're comfortable driving with - both speedo calibration and comfort level on the road.

215 might be a little narrow on a 7.5" wheel, but is perfectly fine on a 17x7, this is a pic of my Impreza w/ 215/45/17:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/03/050306_Taupo3sml-2.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2005/09/050306_Taupo2-1.jpg

[STL97outback]

Ok I will check the width of the wheels and then decide. I appreciate your help :smt006

Comfort isn't a big issue. My Lexus LS runs 275/30/19, the Lotus rear is 225/45/17 and the mini runs 165/10s.

[99SUS SFD]

I bought 215/55s for my 17s. Seemed to be the best option to keep my speedo the same as the Outback's size.

[STL97outback]

I bought 215/55s for my 17s. Seemed to be the best option to keep my speedo the same as the Outback's size.
brand of tires? How do you like them in Vermont, or do you have dedicated winter tires? Also how wide are the rims that the 215s went on?

Thanks

[99SUS SFD]

I bought the General Exclaim UHP. They're not mounted yet so unfortunately I can't comment on their quality. Yeah I do have dedicated snow tires that are mounted on my 15s. I'm holding off on mounting the 17s until after mud season, they wouldn't handle the ruts too well.

The wheels are JDM Legacy 17's so I want to say 17x7 but I'm not 100% sure.

[STL97outback]

I bought the General Exclaim UHP. They're not mounted yet so unfortunately I can't comment on their quality. Yeah I do have dedicated snow tires that are mounted on my 15s. I'm holding off on mounting the 17s until after mud season, they wouldn't handle the ruts too well.

The wheels are JDM Legacy 17's so I want to say 17x7 but I'm not 100% sure.
Gotcha. Checked last night, and the STi wheels are 17x7.5 so I think 225 is best

[impreza_GC8]

If you want great weather performance and long tread life you might like the Fuzion tires. I have their all-season tire in 215 width on a 7" rim and not only were they cheap but the treadwear is phenomenal. On the '70 Torino we have Fuzion performance but they are also a decent all season tire as well. I can't speak about the treadlife on the performance ones because the Torino doesn't get driven more than a few thousand miles a year and the tires are still pretty much brand new, only around 5k miles on them.
I've had the Fuzion all seasons on my RS for over a year, maybe two and they still look nearly new. I ran two AutoX's on them before I got some track wheels and they have been on every STLsubaru cruise and meet. They've made a few trips up the Chicago area and back as well (5-6 hours of driving each way) I'll be daily driving them this summer too. You are welcome to take a look at them this Sunday.

[STL97outback]

Thanks. I am in Boston from friday on a trip.

Local guy is selling a set of 225/45/17 4 of them with 90% tread, asking 150. Wonder if I should pick those up or with them being almost an inch shorter, they will be ridiculous.

[jey]

Continental ContiExtremeContacts. They are high performance all seasons, supposedly do well in the snow, and have surprising amount of grip for all-seasons even in the dry. Right now they are even super-cheap - I was by Autotire the other day and they were having a promotional.

They don't have a lot of good sizes for you in 17" though :(

[STL97outback]

Continental ContiExtremeContacts. They are high performance all seasons, supposedly do well in the snow, and have surprising amount of grip for all-seasons even in the dry. Right now they are even super-cheap - I was by Autotire the other day and they were having a promotional.

They don't have a lot of good sizes for you in 17" though :(Then that is no help :smt010 :smt010

[STL97outback]

I put some silver lugs on the wheels to see if they look really bad, instead of black ones. They didn't look too bad. After all it is a beater car, and I shouldn't be so picky :D Will see better when it is day time.

Here are the wheels, just picked up about 21 minutes ago. Time to shop tires.

http://www.mazda-speed.com/albums/RYAN/stiwheels_001.jpg
http://www.mazda-speed.com/albums/RYAN/stiwheels_002.jpg
http://www.mazda-speed.com/albums/RYAN/stiwheels_003.jpg

[KAG]

You bought STi BBS for a beater car?!

Please tell me what you do for a living.

...to add to the thread, I strongly advise you talk to Sybir about tires since I remember you saying that you'll be running coilovers. Too tall of a sidewall + lowered and you could end up rubbing the tires badly.

[STL97outback]

You bought STi BBS for a beater car?!

Yup.

This is my airport car, usually stays parked for weeks at a time at airport when I am out of town. PIcked it up for that very purpose actually.

See you are from NORCAL, great place. Went to school there, as I am from Los Angeles. Miss it.

[rougeben83]

http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/info_specs.jsp

If you are going to lower the outback, 225/45's are actually a better fit than the stock tire size.

[STL97outback]

http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/info_specs.jsp

If you are going to lower the outback, 225/45's are actually a better fit than the stock tire size.
couldn't you put 225/50, keep the almost same diameter and lower on top of the tires? in essence it will be less lowering than 225/45, but still get rid of wheel gap, right?

[sybir]

http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/info_specs.jsp

If you are going to lower the outback, 225/45's are actually a better fit than the stock tire size.
couldn't you put 225/50, keep the almost same diameter and lower on top of the tires? in essence it will be less lowering than 225/45, but still get rid of wheel gap, right?

I had a set of BBS's I was using for winter rims, but I sold 'em to a buddy. You can still get a set for what a set of Rotas cost, and they're light and forged. I don't see any problem with running them, but I'm also a wheel whore. They look great on the BG's.

If you're staying at stock height, a 225/50/17 will be fine. If you're lowering with anything Legacy or Impreza-spec, the spring perches are lower on the strut body, so run a 225/45 or equivalent or you'll rub the rear spring perch.

FWIW, I ran 205/55/16's, and 225/50/16's, and my speedo was only off about 4mph at 70, and it read high, so it's not a huge issue - go with tire availability for a beater, as well as a setup that will be easy to sell on if you ditch the wagon. That tire size is equivalent to a 225/45/17, which I also ran quite a few sets of.

[STL97outback]

http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/info_specs.jsp

If you are going to lower the outback, 225/45's are actually a better fit than the stock tire size.
couldn't you put 225/50, keep the almost same diameter and lower on top of the tires? in essence it will be less lowering than 225/45, but still get rid of wheel gap, right?

I had a set of BBS's I was using for winter rims, but I sold 'em to a buddy. You can still get a set for what a set of Rotas cost, and they're light and forged. I don't see any problem with running them, but I'm also a wheel whore. They look great on the BG's.

If you're staying at stock height, a 225/50/17 will be fine. If you're lowering with anything Legacy or Impreza-spec, the spring perches are lower on the strut body, so run a 225/45 or equivalent or you'll rub the rear spring perch.

FWIW, I ran 205/55/16's, and 225/50/16's, and my speedo was only off about 4mph at 70, and it read high, so it's not a huge issue - go with tire availability for a beater, as well as a setup that will be easy to sell on if you ditch the wagon. That tire size is equivalent to a 225/45/17, which I also ran quite a few sets of.

Thanks Sybir. You are right about the buying some tires that will be easy once I ditch the wagon. I am also a wheel whore, but much more a car whore.

In any event, I appreciate the info.

Any pics of your car with the STi wheels to get a preview of how mine will look?

[sybir]

Thanks Sybir. You are right about the buying some tires that will be easy once I ditch the wagon. I am also a wheel whore, but much more a car whore.

In any event, I appreciate the info.

Any pics of your car with the STi wheels to get a preview of how mine will look?

I'm lazy, never got pictures mounted up before I passed them on, sorry. I've done that with quite a few sets of wheels :\

I got spoiled by the 8" wheels and 235/245's I was running (as well as the pulled fenders to clear them) and they just looked tiny with 225's on a high-offset 7.5. On a stock body they're awesome.