WHEEL SIZES

[WALKERCI]

Im currently building a SEIW, Westfield state fitting a 15x7 wheel with 205x5015 tyre, what disadvantages are there in fitting 15x6.5 wheel with 195x50x15 tyres. As i can get these much cheaper.

[Nick M]

None really.

195/50/15 tyres are more than adequate in terms of the amount of grip on offer.  And 6.5x15 rims *may* weigh a little bit less.

Just make sure the wheels are available with the correct offset (clue - use the search function coz it's been covered once or twice and there isn't really a "right" answer !! and that the centre bore of the wheel is appropriate for the Ford hubs (I think it's 63.4mm if a recent thread is anything to go by).

[WALKERCI]

Thanks, ill probably go for the 195's then, ive doen a search and found that i need ET35 offset, but couldnt find anything on wheel widths.

[Nick M]

But offset depends on wheel width....

An offset of ET35 may be correct for a 7x15 rim but it may be ever so slightly different for a 6.5x15 rim.

For what it's worth (and you can probably say not much !!, I run 6x15 rims with an offset of ET15.  That for a 1996 SEiW with fixed rear arches.  An offset of ET35 *may* mean your wheels look a bit lost in the rear arches, particularly if you're using detachable ones.

I'd be inclined to speak to the factory and find out what offsets they recommend for 6x15 and 7x15 wheels and then split the difference.

[Blatman]

195-50's will fit on 7" rims too, 'cos that's what I run. I have no idea what the offset is, but I do have spacers. 6mm front, and 15mm rear.

There is much on the boardroom about wheel sizes and offsets.

Have a look here, and here.

Not sure if that lot will help, or just muddy the water.........

[WALKERCI]

Thanks Blatman, I have seen these when i did a search and prompted me to put the post.

The reason i have asked the question is that my local halfords has 4 off 15 " wheels with 195.50.15 tyres wolfrace multispoke for £250. ET35 offset but i am assuming they are 6.5" and not 7". So the question arose will 6.5" be ok. might give westiefld a ring later if they are open.

[Nick M]

ET35 offset but i am assuming they are 6.5" and not 7".

Assumption, as they say, is the mother of all dangler-ups !!  

I'd check because 6.5x15 rims aren't that common and they're more likely to be 7x15 rims.  6.5x15 rims would be perfectly fine provided you get the right offset and, just purely from a gut feeling, ET35 would seem too high for a 6.5x15 rim because I think they'd look lost in the rear wheel arches.