Roush Tire size on saleen speedlines?

[olesch]

Hello!

I have the Saleen Speedline magnesium rims, front 18" x 8.5", 35mm offset and rear 18" x 8.5", 10mm offset.

When I bought them there where 285 wide tires in the back and 245 in front. However I noticed that the rear tires cuts into the rear fenders at some times and rubs when driving heavily in corners.

What are the widest tires I can have in the back and not rubbing or cutting into the fenders?

My car is a 00 Mustang GT

 

[2000xp8]

285 is too wide for the rim. Ya, some guys will tell you they fit, but just because they fit doesn't mean they are right.
I run a 275 35 18 (drag radial), and am going to cut that back to a 265 35 18 next time i need tires.

 

[FASN8N]

265/35/18 is a nice combo on the 8.5in wheels

 

[olesch]

265/35/18 is a nice combo on the 8.5in wheels

So that is max you can get into there without rubbing or cutting into the fenders?

It is a 2000 year model GT we are talking about so you know.

I am soon going to buy new tires so I would really like to know for sure

 

[FASN8N]

So that is max you can get into there without rubbing or cutting into the fenders?

It is a 2000 year model GT we are talking about so you know.

I am soon going to buy new tires so I would really like to know for sure

My setup was on a 94-98, I don't know about 2000+

 

[DarkStallion095]

tire size

I doubt the year car would matter. The rim is an 8.5, then I probably wouldn't put anything bigger then 265's, maybe a 275 if you can get the size you want in a particular brand. If you are getting a 275 tire or larger, keep it a lower profile tire like a 35 series and not 40 series. I would stick on 265, 35's and call it a day, and trust me no rubbing with these on the flared fenders of the 99 up cars and they look good for this size rim. Oh and you have to remember that the rubbing could have happened because they were on a 94 98 car. The 275 or 285 in the rear of a 00, might not rub at all but....Remember one thing, that even the 9 inch rim equipped saleen (99-04 body), it would have been mounted with a 265 tire even in the rear (pretty darn sure), so it will look good even on your 00.

 

[olesch]

Forgot to say that the cutting and rubbing has been during my driving, however when i bought them the tires where rubbed/cut on the side, but as I had the wheels repainted at a wheel shop I told them to change places on the tires so the rubbed/cut side would be on the inside of the car. And the pre owner had a 98 model.

I made some experiments with the car.

If the car is standing with one rear wheel at a lower elevation than the other, the other wheel will go up due to the stiff rear end. I then felt with my fingers and I noticed that the tires cuts right into the fenders. If you drive when it is in that position the fender will make cut marks in the tire. Oftenly this never happends when driving normaly except for speedbumps. In Sweden we have pyramid looking speedbumps and if you cross them with the right side then you will hit the fender with the tire.

I also noticed that if I jack the car up on one side, the rear tire on the other side will hook into the fender. I have done this a couple of times before and I noticed that by doing this and when I lower the car back the tire grabs the fender and bends it down.

My car is also lowered with Steeda sport springs and changed to tokico illuminas.

So 285/35 as I have today wont work, I am not sure that 275 would work either. But it seems that 265/35 would be the tire to go with. But then there is another problem and that is traction. I have 4:10 and a Paxton Novi 1000RR and by going down from 285 to 265 I think I will loose some traction or?

I doubt the year car would matter. The rim is an 8.5, then I probably wouldn't put anything bigger then 265's, maybe a 275 if you can get the size you want in a particular brand. If you are getting a 275 tire or larger, keep it a lower profile tire like a 35 series and not 40 series. I would stick on 265, 35's and call it a day, and trust me no rubbing with these on the flared fenders of the 99 up cars and they look good for this size rim. Oh and you have to remember that the rubbing could have happened because they were on a 94 98 car. The 275 or 285 in the rear of a 00, might not rub at all but....Remember one thing, that even the 9 inch rim equipped saleen (99-04 body), it would have been mounted with a 265 tire even in the rear (pretty darn sure), so it will look good even on your 00.

 

[DarkStallion095]

tires

If you go to a 30 series tire that would be a little more room for a 285 tire. What you have to understand is that a 285/35 tire is taller (sidewall) than a say 255/35 tire. The series number or the tire thickness (lack of a better term) is a percentage of the tire width, hence a wider tire will give you a taller tire even if its the same series say 35. So see if you can get a 285 or 275 tire in a smaller series like 30 series, it still would be a good size sidewall. It would probably be as tall as a 265 35 tire or taller. But yeah check them out and really look at them side by side 285/30 and a 265/35 when you get tires.

 

[2000xp8]

If you have already bent the inside of the fender downward, you might as well roll the fenders themselves, since this is not a real saleen.
It will give you much more clearance.
A panhard bar will also help if they rub during hard cornering.
People seem to think that going down 40mm of width hurts traction, it really doesn't.
But if you need more traction, get a set of BFG 265/35/18 drag radials.
If you need more mileage than that, get the nitto drag radial set.