Help! Correct Tyre Size Needed

[topper200]

hi yall

can anyone tell me what size tyres should go on 17" rims on a 4.1 gx? at present there is 255 45 17 on the front and 255 50 17 on the back and it does not handle well. :o

thanks in advance

[topper200]

anyone?

[dave.m]

Best hang about till one of the 4.1 guys is on. Probably Bothwell Buyer is your best bet

[Hoovie]

the 4.1 never came with 17" wheels I think, so now sure if there is a "correct" size unless you want to match up the rolling diameter for the speedo to show right? as Dave says, Bothy or another 4.1 owner can probably help there.

Another consideration which you also need to check are the permissable profiles for the width of the wheel (the "J" or "JJ" size) - there is a range of max and min in for any given wheel width.

Once you know that and the right rolling diameter required, you are just about there

[cfc1]

If the standard 16" on your model is 215/70x16, then any of the following are the recommended sizes....

17" 225/55x17 a difference of -3.97%

18" 245/45x18 a difference of -4.2%

19" 245/40x19 a difference of -4.07%

20" 245/35x20 a difference of -3.94%

Bearing in mind the above size are recommendations and not a hard fast rule, I would suggest...

225/60x17 a difference of -0.79%

These are the closest in rolling radius to what I think could be the standard 215/70x16 Bridgestone D687 you car could have came with, with the 225/60x17 you can get...

Bridgestone RE031 99V (this is a standard car tyre and doesn't come under a 4x4 grouping... the others are 4x4 tyres, although you wouldn't be the first to fit standard car tyres to a 4x4 should you choose Bridgestone RE031's)

Hankook RA23 R 99H

DUNLOP SP270 99H

CONTI 4X4 CNTCT 99H

There could be other brands available too.

[topper200]

thanks a million guys will go tyre shopping tomorrow. is it true that having a different size front and rear cause damage?

[cfc1]

When in 4 wheel drive mode (not sure if your car can be 2 wheel drive too?) all 4 wheels must turn at the same speed, if they don't then you run the risk of winding up the transfer box. Some cars have a greater tolerance for these differences than others, for example the with the old vauxhaul cavalier 4x4 vauxhaul recommended changing all 4 tyres at the same time as fitting two new tyres... say on the front.. and having two half worn tyres on the rear can cause problems with the transfer box... and thats a difference of only a few milimeters, never mind a different tyre size.

I don't know what these tolerance are on the Rav... but we have changed Rav tyres 2 at a time for a few years with no problems (this is with the same sized tyre on all 4 corners)

You currently have...

255/45x17...... 330.65mm rolling radius.... 2077.53mm circumferance

255/50x17..... 343.4mm rolling radius..... 2157.64mm circumferance

This means that your rear tyres are bigger by 80.11mm or 3.86%

Whether this is going to damage your car would depend on the tollerances in the drive system.... personally I would have all 4 tyres the same size and if I was in your shoes right now I would...

1. Stay in two wheel drive mode (if it can be done)

or...

2. Get the tyres changed as soon as possible whilst driving the car as little as possible if at all.

[bothwell_buyer]

sorry about being missing presumed drunk.........

I was away for a days shopping to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary :wacko:

cfc1 has given some good advice.

There is also a website or two where you can compare tyre/wheel sizes and the effect on the speedo.

I've had a mixture of wheels on the 4.1 RAV over the past 14 years. HOWEVER I have never used different sized tyres front and back. Best to keep the tyres the same size - this thing is permanent 4 wheel drive and you can't switch it off. If you stat mucking about with the wheel rotation speed, then I imagine you'll upset the balance. Then if the car has abs, will that get confused???

Get the same size tyre is my recommendation.

I've used the 16" wheels, and now use 18" wheels on RAV number 1.

RAV number 2 has 235/70 x 16 tyres on but I reckon I'm going to switch that to 18" MAK Mirrors I have.

When its light I'll double check the tyre size I'm running. With the tyre aspect thats on, your handling should be good.....soooooooooo

I'd get the suspension bushes checked for wear - a common issue with the 4.1 is for the rear suspension to want to leave the rest of the car!!! Do you get any thumps or clunks?

[Steve@Aberdeen]

I was just about to get 4 new Michelin 225/65/17 on my 4.3 when a local garage (who specialises in 4x4s) recommended I try Coopers. Haven't yet got a price but would definitely be cheaper than the Michelins. Only trouble is that Coopers (whichever version I go for) would have to be 235/65/17.

Anyone got experience with Coopers? Grip in wet/snow? Life? Tyre model?

Anyone gone for 235/65/17 on the 4.3? First calcs suggest speedo will read about 1% down (but that would actually make it more accurate as my speedo currently reads 5% or so high!

[Remoh1]

to find tyre size and pressure go to http://www.national.co.uk/ over on the right theres a box, put your reg no in it and it will tell you the recomended size and pressure

[bothwell_buyer]

................... when a local garage (who specialises in 4x4s) recommended I try Coopers.

What!! A specialist in Aberdeeen on 4x4s? Oh; you mean a landrover agent :lol:

I've Kumho and Fawlcen on my 2 RAVs and have used Dunlops and various others over the years. What you need up there is a sticky compound rubber to help hold the car to the road amongst all the gales up there!!

[dave.m]

to find tyre size and pressure go to http://www.national.co.uk/ over on the right theres a box, put your reg no in it and it will tell you the recomended size and pressure

Good find

[Steve@Aberdeen]

................... when a local garage (who specialises in 4x4s) recommended I try Coopers.

What!! A specialist in Aberdeeen on 4x4s? Oh; you mean a landrover agent :lol:

I've Kumho and Fawlcen on my 2 RAVs and have used Dunlops and various others over the years. What you need up there is a sticky compound rubber to help hold the car to the road amongst all the gales up there!!

No, Bothy, not a Land Rover agent. It's a village workshop run by two ex-LR dealer mechanics who really know their stuff.

The problem with sticky tyres is that they need replacing far too often. The OEM Yokohamas have done 46000 and still have 3mm at the front. That's as good as the OEM Wranglers on my previous Freelander and almost as good as the Michelin Synchrones a replaced them with (which went on to do a further 60000 miles). If I had spare steel wheels and somewhere to store them I'd probably fit winter tyres for a few months but I need a good all rounder. Experience tells me the Michelin is probably one of the best but I'm keeping an open mind.

[Hoovie]

to find tyre size and pressure go to http://www.national.co.uk/ over on the right theres a box, put your reg no in it and it will tell you the recomended size and pressure

Good find

Not always. Tried this before and just checked again to make sure ....

Put in my RAV4 Reg; it thinkss it has 215/70R16 tyres, whereas it actually has 235/60R16 Tyres :(

Put in wifes Punto Reg; it thinks it has 185/60R14 tyres, whereas it actually has 185/55R15 Tyres :(

Although it describes the car Make, Model and Colour right, I think it ignores the trim specification.

Sorry :(

[cfc1]

Hoovie.. it could also be that whoever bought both of your cars from new had the "optional extras" fitted and that the cars actually left the factory with the tyres stated on the site, we use a similar system at work and found this to be the case a good few times.

[Hoovie]

nope, not the case here.

The Punto is the 'Sporting' Model and comes with 15" alloys as standard (we bought it brand new in fact).

and all RAV4.2 4WDs have 235/60R16 as standard specification, I am 99.9% sure - mine surely did. the 2WD models had 215/70R16s

Those 'put in your reg and this is what you have' systems can be very useful, but sorry, not this one.

If the one you use is open to public use, if you post the link, I would be happy to put in both registrations and see what it says.

[bothwell_buyer]

................... when a local garage (who specialises in 4x4s) recommended I try Coopers.

What!! A specialist in Aberdeeen on 4x4s? Oh; you mean a landrover agent :lol:

I've Kumho and Fawlcen on my 2 RAVs and have used Dunlops and various others over the years. What you need up there is a sticky compound rubber to help hold the car to the road amongst all the gales up there!!

No, Bothy, not a Land Rover agent. It's a village workshop run by two ex-LR dealer mechanics who really know their stuff.

The problem with sticky tyres is that they need replacing far too often. The OEM Yokohamas have done 46000 and still have 3mm at the front. That's as good as the OEM Wranglers on my previous Freelander and almost as good as the Michelin Synchrones a replaced them with (which went on to do a further 60000 miles). If I had spare steel wheels and somewhere to store them I'd probably fit winter tyres for a few months but I need a good all rounder. Experience tells me the Michelin is probably one of the best but I'm keeping an open mind.

haha - wonder why they are ex LR?? They were made for life looking after landrovers - mines still in the resusitation room!!

[pinkbits69]

and all RAV4.2 4WDs have 235/60R16 as standard specification, I am 99.9% sure - mine surely did. the 2WD models had 215/70R16s

Not the case, if 4.1 and 4.2's have factory fit arch extensions they have 235 width, without arch extensions 215.

Also different tyre size front to rear will not bugger the 4wd system up unless diff locks are on.

at the end of the day 4.1 rav4 is full time 4wd, but if you turn corners the inside wheel travels less distance any way, this is why you should not drive on dry tarmac with diff lock on

[Hoovie]

There is no selectable diff-lock on the RAV4.2 as far as I am aware (if there is, let me now - could be handy sometimes)

Must say, not seen many RAV4.2s without the overfenders. Actually, I'll correct that - not seen ANY without them ;) I think they were a standard spec on the majority of UK RAV4.2 4WDs (99.9% sure on that :) )

If I were the OP, I would follow the advice of making sure the tyre sizes matched front to rear ASAP

[bothwell_buyer]

and all RAV4.2 4WDs have 235/60R16 as standard specification, I am 99.9% sure - mine surely did. the 2WD models had 215/70R16s

Not the case, if 4.1 and 4.2's have factory fit arch extensions they have 235 width, without arch extensions 215.

Also different tyre size front to rear will not bugger the 4wd system up unless diff locks are on.

at the end of the day 4.1 rav4 is full time 4wd, but if you turn corners the inside wheel travels less distance any way, this is why you should not drive on dry tarmac with diff lock on

close.

different tyre/wheel sizes front to back will alter marginally the camber etc - ie the way the car was set up and designed at the factory.

On the 4.1, I had wheel arch extensions and it still came with the 215/70 16 tyre. Perhaps later models were different. My other RAV has no wheel arch extensions and has 235 tyres - but its a later off market fit using FOX racing wheels.

And of course with different size front/back, what spare do you carry??

[Remoh1]

to find tyre size and pressure go to http://www.national.co.uk/ over on the right theres a box, put your reg no in it and it will tell you the recomended size and pressure

Good find

Not always. Tried this before and just checked again to make sure ....

Put in my RAV4 Reg; it thinkss it has 215/70R16 tyres, whereas it actually has 235/60R16 Tyres :(

Put in wifes Punto Reg; it thinks it has 185/60R14 tyres, whereas it actually has 185/55R15 Tyres :(

Although it describes the car Make, Model and Colour right, I think it ignores the trim specification.

Sorry :(

I get the same issue with mine so I checked with toyota and as someone else has said the rav 4 came with either of those sizes fitted, usually the facelift model has the 235's and the earlier rav 4 has the 215's the facelift model had the wider arches fitted at the factory

[cfc1]

If the one you use is open to public use, if you post the link, I would be happy to put in both registrations and see what it says.

It's not open to public use as it is one of the "trade" sites we use.. but like you said ot 100% acurate, some facelift/revision models still list as having the pre-faceloft tyre sizes... on the whole though they can be quite usefull, especially when dealing with a clueless costomer over the phone when we can't see the car in question.