Quote:
Originally Posted by leadrsa729
I've got some extra horsepower in this car as I'm running a 3.0L engine with a hot cam and larger intake/exhaust ports so I would like to stick with the 205 width to maximize my contact patch as much as possible.
|
You're hung up on the width, assuming it'll automatically giving you more traction. The
PS31 is a summer tire but still only a 460 treadwear rating, and you're near the bottom of the wheel width range of 5.5-7.5" and will be pinching the tire making the sidewalls feel squishy and loose.
Whereas the 185/70 is maxed out at 6" ideally giving you the least amount of sidewall roll. The
CN36 doesn't have a treadwear rating but I'd estimate it less than 200.
If you're worried about wheel spin, I'd bet the taller and stickier compound 185/70 CN36 would have more grip in a straight line as well as feel more confident in the corners.
I
calculated the contact patch area and the 205/55 on the same 6" wheel actually has slightly less than the 185/70 at 243.23 cm2 vs 245.97 cm2 respectively. This is due to the taller diameter and the 185 being stretched vs the 205 being pinched.
The 205 would be better suited for a 7" wheel where it would have a much larger contact patch than the 185 on a 6" wheel