> I was looking at something like the 205/65/15 or 205/70/15 (both slightly
> larger diameter). How will it handle in comparision to standard 165/15? Will
> they fit? Rub. What am I overlooking?
IMO size is less important than tire construction to handling. The main reason
for going to the lower profile sizes is because high performance tires are
(mostly) only made in low profiles. The lower profile will also increase
steering responsiveness, which may or may not be a good thing depending on the
driver & where you drive.
I had Bridgestone Potenza RE71 tires on the (now wrecked) TR3A, in size
205/55-15. Handled very well, IMO, in combination with the other changes I
made. They were shorter than stock, which had the added good effect of lowering
the car. They're also a fairly short lifetime tire, which is OK by me. Rubbed
just a bit, but tolerable. But individual cars vary (especially the pre-60K
TR2/3/A), and of course I've no idea how well they would fit a TR4.
There's also the issue of minimum rim width. 205 width tires are generally not
recommended for rims under 5.5" (varies by tire, so always check with the
manufacturer of the tire you plan to buy); and as I recall, the stock TR4 rims
are less than 5.0". I used stock TR6 rims, which are 5.5" (but don't have the
mounting points for the TR2-4 hubcaps). Note that rim width (for the purposes
of tire selection) is measured between the bead mounting surfaces, not the
overall width.
I see Continental makes a "Ultra High Performance, All-season" tire in
205/65-15. Would definitely rub badly on my TR3A but might work on your TR4.
At 818 revs/mile, they're almost exactly the same rolling diameter as the
original tires.
www.tirerack.com
Randall
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