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Rear Tire size stock 18"


mccoystudio_merged

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I also have a 97 Mustang with the 17" Cobra wheels. These are 8" wide and I have 275/40/17's mounted on these. They bulge out slightly, but no problems.

 

Having blown out some tires in the past, I have my cautions about running a tire too wide for the wheel. I also spent some time as a LEO Major Accident Investigator, and saw this more than once.

 

When a tire is too wide for a particular wheel, indeed the sidewalls will "bulge" out a bit past the rim. Lot's of folks think this acceptable because nothing appears wrong. I have even spoke to a few who wanted it this way to protect a wheel from "curb rash" at the rim.

 

The problem here won't be visible until it's over. In hard cornering, such as autocross and road racing, one side wall stretches while the opposite wall compresses. If the tire is already bulging, there is no room to compress and the sidewall shreds away from the contact patch belts you are driving on.

 

This happens from the inside out, and you won't know anything is wrong until the shredding tears through to the outside. If you are just a daily driver, you willl eventually develop a "slow leak" that will be hard to track down. But, if you are into the twisties often, and a hard turn at the time of full separation...Blow out, and now you're into the wall.

 

We alll love our cars and want them to look/be as bad-azzed as possible. But, never let appearance outweigh safety. You'll lose every time.

 

Just my .02C, carry on gents.

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I don't think you have to worry about the wheel well. I am running 285/30's on 10.5 wheels with no fender rub. I think the stock wheel size is your limiting factor but I am far from a tire and wheel expert. Take with a grain of salt.

 

Also I believe the GT500 is on 285/30 with 9.5" wheels. It's the same wheel well. However, offsets/back spacings are probably different.

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