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General Forums => Air Speed Lounge => Topic started by: 1blk66 on June 16, 2016, 12:26:55 PM

Title: largest width tire for back of beetle??
Post by: 1blk66 on June 16, 2016, 12:26:55 PM

Hey gang,
I'm looking to throw my centerlines on my beetle (3.5" bubble fronts and 6.5" rears) and have a question about rear tire size.

I'm currently running 205/70/15's on the rear with my sprint stars and there seems to be ample room to the fender.
The stats on them are:
Tread width:6.2"
section width:8.2"
height: 26.0"   

I'm looking to try and create that old school look and have come across a pair of Firestone F60-15 WIDE OVALS.
There stats are:
tread width: 8.8"
section width: 9.2"
height: 25.9"

So they appear to be about 1" wider in overall tire width (section) and 1.5" wider in tread width. Height is essentially the same.

Has anybody run anything as wide on the back of their bugs? I'm thinking its about the equivalent of a 235/60/15.

Thanks Todd
 

Title: Re: largest width tire for back of beetle??
Post by: josh on June 17, 2016, 03:38:35 PM

It is possible (never personally) but it really gonna depend on your backspacing of centrelines and how low you are? More camber you have the more fender clearance you get but can start rubbing the rear body mount (by shocktower) those are cool old school tires but I've heard they are very heavy.

Title: Re: largest width tire for back of beetle??
Post by: ray on June 18, 2016, 10:35:22 AM

205/60/15 on my stock smoothies rear . No prob .

Title: Re: largest width tire for back of beetle??
Post by: s3racing on June 18, 2016, 01:17:36 PM

im running 255/40r17's but we added a flare to the fender and spacers. 21mm spacers and the flare no clue guessing about 30mm or so

Title: Re: largest width tire for back of beetle??
Post by: beetlemandan on June 20, 2016, 06:31:31 PM

i remember running 235/60r15 on my superbeetle with 914 steel rims. i did have to turn one of the spring plate bolts the other way, but other than that, zero issues.