245/50/16 Nitto Drags on 16x7 wheel? Will it work?

[Eclipse2216]

Anyone running the nitto 245/50/16 Drag Radials on a 16x7 wheel on a 2G!. if so, what offset and do you have any problems with the tires, and what wheels. THIS IS ONLY FOR TRACK USE THOUGH, NOT EVERYDAY DRIVING. All feedback will help.
Thanks

 

[DSMu4ia]

No it wont fit, wheels aren't wide enough.

What people commonly think, even though a wide tire can be mounted on a slightly undersized wheel, you aren't really getting the benefit of the wide tire. The footprint of the tire shrinks due to it being "scrunched" on the wheel.

FWIW, I run 245-45-17 tires on my 8.5" wide wheels. I would go 9" if I had to do it over.

 

[TurboSpoolinIns]

Actually, they will fit, but like u4ia said, you won't get the whole advantage of the width of the tires. I know of a local running these 245/40/16's on his STOCK 1g 16x6 wheels. And yep, I did mean the 245's.

 

[98eclipseRS]

if these are goign to be track use only do it right and get a 15" wheel. They don't make dr's in a tire size that is even remotely close to stock diameter anymore. I don't understand why not but they don't. So here is what I would do or will be doing. Buy some nice light 15" wheels in a 9 or 10 inch wide size(with a low offset of course) Then bolt up the widest 15" dr they make that will fit effectively on the rim.

 

[DSMu4ia]

Drag radials to me are a daily driven tire.

If you are going to get new wheels and swap to just drag radials for the track, you might as well get slicks.

 

[98eclipseRS]

Drag radials to me are a daily driven tire.

If you are going to get new wheels and swap to just drag radials for the track, you might as well get slicks.

well he did say in his first post these would be track wheels, I too see dr's as daily tires BUT they don't make a dr in a 16" size that fits our cars so we are shit out of luck unless we want to run 17's or 15's its a real shame they don't sell the nitto 555r's in 225/50/16 anymore.

 

[98eclipseRS]

oh and I would not run slicks on stock tranny where as dr's would be fine so that could be another reason for using dr's over slicks.

 

[damnslowtsi]

Last time at the track I saw a guy running 245 DR on a stock swirl rim. He cut 2.2xx on the very first run. May be fluke I dunno. Having said that, 245 on a 7" will work although not being ideal.

I know quite a few folks running slicks on a completely stock tranny with no issues. Of course, a lot depends on a clutch, driving style etc. Slicks, while providing more grip eliminate hop in most cases which is a real culprit for broken shit. My MTs when spin do it so cleanly that I almost don't notice they do it while few street tires I tried scared the shit out of me when that happened.

 

[DSMu4ia]

oh and I would not run slicks on stock tranny where as dr's would be fine so that could be another reason for using dr's over slicks.

Slicks are far easier on trannies than street tires/drag radials.

Smoother, better power delivery, no wheelhop.

 

[DSMu4ia]

Last time at the track I saw a guy running 245 DR on a stock swirl rim. He cut 2.2xx on the very first run. May be fluke I dunno. Having said that, 245 on a 7" will work although not being ideal.

I know quite a few folks running slicks on a completely stock tranny with no issues. Of course, a lot depends on a clutch, driving style etc. Slicks, while providing more grip eliminate hop in most cases which is a real culprit for broken shit. My MTs when spin do it so cleanly that I almost don't notice they do it while few street tires I tried scared the shit out of me when that happened.

My first pass with 225-50-16 Nitto drags on a 2g with swirl wheels (FWD), I pulled a 1.9-something. Average was 2.05 or something if I remember.

Just posting numbers isn't the best way to go about it, that size tire on a 7" wheel is unsafe, and any decent tire shop shouldn't even let you mount it.