Figuring out tire size

[DCIV]

How do you actually figured out how much bigger tire you can go? Is it trial and error? Is there an actual way? The escape is gonna need new tires soon and I would like to go wider and maybe a little taller. I have the 17” wheels and all the info is for bigger wheels. Now that’s fine for wider but not the taller. I was hoping for an actual way to figure it out.


Coop

[aaronatstate]

wheel-size.com

You'll have to put in the clearances from suspension if you want to be 100% accurate. But that website will tell you how much you can change the size, and still clear.

According to it your stock size is 235/50R17 with a 7.5" rim and a 52.5mm offset. Also, on a 7.5" rim from what I can find 235 is as wide as you want to go. So I wouldn't go any wider than 235.

[DCIV]

Some on the forum seem to run 245 and even saw a couple post of 255. But they were running the 19’s. Surely that wouldn’t make a difference?

Is there a fake expanding tire I can buy? A tool? I’m sure that would be used in other projects.


Coop

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""DCIV""]Some on the forum seem to run 245 and even saw a couple post of 255. But they were running the 19’s. Surely that wouldn’t make a difference? [/quote]

Why do you want to do this?

Hate to use this old one, but if they jumped off a bridge would you do it too? Just because someone on the internet has done it, doesn't mean its the right thing to do. https://www.tyresizecalculator.com/char ... size-chart

[quote=""DCIV""]Is there a fake expanding tire I can buy? A tool? I’m sure that would be used in other projects.[/quote]

I'm not even sure what this means a fake expanding tire??? This makes zero sense to me.

[ChargerX3]

Check a tire calculator as well. Tire size will affect your speed, mpg and torque.

[DCIV]

[quote=""aaronatstate""]Why do you want to do this?

Hate to use this old one, but if they jumped off a bridge would you do it too? Just because someone on the internet has done it, doesn't mean its the right thing to do. https://www.tyresizecalculator.com/char ... size-chart



I'm not even sure what this means a fake expanding tire??? This makes zero sense to me.[/quote]

Wider tires handle better and I live on curvy roads.

Expanding tire, like the plastic balls that expand and collapse. Heck even something that bolts to the hub and slides out like an engine stand to fit where ever you need it to and take measurements. A fake expanding tire.


Coop

[DCIV]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]Check a tire calculator as well. Tire size will affect your speed, mpg and torque.[/quote]

Yes. They will, I’m not talking about going huge...I’m talking about a very small differences so yes I will prob notice a little bigger tire and my speed may be off by a mph but that’s all.


Coop

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""DCIV""]Wider tires handle better and I live on curvy roads.[/quote]

Yes, wider tires do handle better, if they are on properly sized rims.

[quote=""DCIV""]Expanding tire, like the plastic balls that expand and collapse. Heck even something that bolts to the hub and slides out like an engine stand to fit where ever you need it to and take measurements. A fake expanding tire.


Coop[/quote]

No. But they do make this tool called a tape measure that will work great to check distances, and can be used for other projects where length needs to be known.

[quote=""DCIV""]Yes. They will, I’m not talking about going huge...I’m talking about a very small differences so yes I will prob notice a little bigger tire and my speed may be off by a mph but that’s all.


Coop[/quote]

If you go to a 255 (2 steps up on width) and keep a 55 aspect ratio, you will be off by 1.9mph at 60mph (actually going 61.9 3% higher speed). Small differences are a lot when it comes to tires.

You're talking about a Ford Escape, an SUV. Going slightly wider on tires is not going to magically make it that much better at handling curvy roads.

[aaronatstate]

Another thing, my RS has 8" wide rims, and 235/35R19 rims from the factory. Wider rims, and the same width tire as your Escape.

They also offered a winter wheel/tire package that came with 7.5" wide rims and 225/40R18 tires.

I put 245/35R19 all season tires on my RS in the fall/winter (came with summer only tires), and the only reason I went to 245 was because I couldn't get the Michelin all seasons in 235/35R19 (they don't make them). The 245/35R19 all seasons are noticeably wider than the stock 235/35R19.

If you're concerned about handling in a small SUV, get some better compound tires, rather than getting crappier tires in a wider width.

[aaronatstate]

Just get these https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... ModClar=SE

The Pilot Sport AS3 are the best high performance all season tire out there. They will make your Escape handle better on the stock tire width of 235, than a lesser tire at a 255 width.

[Chris GTO TT]

I agree with Aaron just stick with the stock sized tire. Simply getting a wider tire does not mean it's going to handle better especially if you are putting it on a narrow wheel. If anything it will handle worse because of increased sidewall flex.

[alienviking]

...it is a non-sporty SUV. I have driven them myself quite a bit (ex had one) and it is what it is. You are wasting money changing to wider rims and all that BS.

[DCIV]

[quote=""alienviking""]...it is a non-sporty SUV. I have driven them myself quite a bit (ex had one) and it is what it is. You are wasting money changing to wider rims and all that BS.[/quote]

It’s way sportier than my crv and I went with bigger tires on it. I don’t want bigger rims. Just bigger tires also look better filling out the wheel well.


Coop

[DCIV]

[quote=""aaronatstate""]Just get these https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... ModClar=SE

The Pilot Sport AS3 are the best high performance all season tire out there. They will make your Escape handle better on the stock tire width of 235, than a lesser tire at a 255 width.[/quote]

That’s actually not horrible on price.

How does wider wheels effect speed? I thought that was all in how tall the tire is? Which it would be nice to gain a little on that just to help with the driveway honestly.


Coop

[Chris GTO TT]

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/t ... ?techid=46

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""DCIV""]That’s actually not horrible on price.

How does wider wheels effect speed? I thought that was all in how tall the tire is? Which it would be nice to gain a little on that just to help with the driveway honestly.


Coop[/quote]

The second number is a ratio. 235/55R17 means the tire is 235mm wide, with a 55% sidewall ratio. 55% of 255 is more than 55% of 235.

Just get the Pilot Sport AS3+ in the stock size. It will be more than fine. FYI I drove an Escape with the 2.0T and AWD in the mountains of North Carolina as a rental car, and had no issues with handling on stock rims and tires.

[ChargerX3]

Your suspension also plays an active role in how well your car handles. Any upgrades you can do there?

[DCIV]

[quote=""aaronatstate""]The second number is a ratio. 235/55R17 means the tire is 235mm wide, with a 55% sidewall ratio. 55% of 255 is more than 55% of 235.

Just get the Pilot Sport AS3+ in the stock size. It will be more than fine. FYI I drove an Escape with the 2.0T and AWD in the mountains of North Carolina as a rental car, and had no issues with handling on stock rims and tires.[/quote]

It’s long term. It’s driving like that all the time also wears out tires faster. It’s spreading the weigh of the vehicle out more that allows the better handling saves tread as well.

Can I over power the tires, yes. Could I buy tires I couldn’t. Yes. But how long would they last? Longer if they were bigger.


Coop

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""DCIV""]It’s long term. It’s driving like that all the time also wears out tires faster. It’s spreading the weigh of the vehicle out more that allows the better handling saves tread as well.

Can I over power the tires, yes. Could I buy tires I couldn’t. Yes. But how long would they last? Longer if they were bigger.


Coop[/quote]

Wider tires also weigh more which increase wear. And like Chris said, getting a tire that is too wide will cause more sidewall flex, which equals worse handling, and increased wear. If you are over powering the tires regularly, you have shitty tires.

My ST came with Pirelli tires stock, and they sucked, would break lose on a quick accel in the dry. Got the Pilot Sport A/S and had trouble breaking the tires free on quick accel even in the wet.

Literally everyone that has posted in here so far has said not to do it, yet you continue on. Do what you want man. It's your money, waste it however you want to.

[mjannusch]

Just get better tires if you want more traction. The Pilot Sport AS3+ are great all-around tires and will be an improvement. At the end of the day, it is an Escape. I mean... Well, yeah. It is an Escape.