Tire size on a 16x7 for Narrow body

[LakeCleElum]

Using 205/55/16 tires on my '73 causes the right rear to rub, but not the left rear. Adjusted the camber, but still rubs. I don't want to roll my fender and as I have new paint. Any other tire size to try? Rear wheels are 16x7. Thanks.

[Showdown]

Your options are to raise your ride height a bit, roll the fender (you don’t want to do this) try a more round tire (as opposed to a square one) or get narrower tires.

That’s it, there aren’t any magic solutions.

Most higher performance tires are pretty square in shape but you can probably find an all season or minivan tire that’s more round, performance may vary.


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[dg567]

Nothing you can do - those are the incorrect offset for your car.

[ryans65]

A very small change in camber will solve that with little to no effect on tire wear.

[76FJ55]

What wheels are you running? you only specify width, what is their offset?

[ErrorMargin]

Let’s see a picture of the car

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by 76FJ55

What wheels are you running? you only specify width, what is their offset?

Fuchs 16x7 inch....Was curious of anyone has tried a 190/50/16 with this wheel?

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Using 205/55/16 tires on my '73 causes the right rear to rub, but not the left rear. Adjusted the camber, but still rubs. I don't want to roll my fender and as I have new paint. Any other tire size to try? Rear wheels are 16x7. Thanks.

It would be informative to know where the tire is rubbing, my guess is a couple of inches up above the lip well into the fender. 205/55 x16 is just slightly shorter than 215/60 x15, both on Fuchs 7s, and that is where the 215/60 x15 hits

If so camber won't cure it

raise suspension ride height
stiffen the suspension
or use a shorter tire like a 205/50 x16 on the same 7x16 wheel.

[PeteKz]

Bob: I have a 1973.5 with 16x7 Fuchs front and rear with 205/55 tires. See my description below. I was getting some rubbing on the left rear fender with the suspension substantially compressed, about 1.5-2" above the fender arch. When I set the camber negative, but within the specs, it went away.

Tires of the same nominal size from different manufacturers are slightly different, especially at the edge of the tread where some are rounder and some are more squared off. So that makes a difference too. My Michelins are in between rounded and square.

[Bill Verburg]

It' true that for a nominal size tire different brands will measure differently
for the universe of 205/55 x16 that i have data for
OD range is 24.8 - 25.0, again the problematic 215/60 x15 runs 25.0 to 25.2
the measure of the shoulder shape is given by the tread /shoulder ratio
for 205/55 x16 that runs from .771 to .973 the higher the squarer the shoulder

[cmpski]

I run two sets of of 6X16's on my 67. 15 years ago I had a set of 16's done up to closely match 15's cosmetically. I was told 6X16's don't look correct on long hoods. Yes if you don't change the cosmetics. I've shown my car maybe 50 times over the years and only had two guys notice they weren't 15's. I think guys like to go with 7's so they get the wider lip look on the wheels. I get a similar look by not running paint up the lip on the 6's, as you can see on the wheel with the Firestone tires. I doubt there is much of an increase in performance going to 7's. Both sets run 195/55/16's at 24.4 inches. 195/60/16's are the same 24.9 inches as the 205/55/16's but only offer all season and winter tire offerings. My tires have 350 and 200 tire wear ratings. The 200's being the sticky ones. 205's, 811 rpm, 195's, 825rpm. That's only a 2% difference. Your 7's have a 25mm offset and the 6's a 36mm offset. That pushes the outside part of the rim outward to a point that 195's might be your only option with the 7's on your particular car. These older cars are all a little different from each other. Or go 6's with 205's. Or roll the lip which you say is not a option. Your choice.

[PeteKz]

I like your 16's that look like early 15's. I've considered the same thing, except that I might use my original 15x6's on the front to drop the front a bit without having to buy raised spindles. I'll bet no one would notice that the wheels were staggered sizes.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by cmpski

I run two sets of of 6X16's on my 67. 15 years ago I had a set of 16's done up to closely match 15's. I've shown my car maybe 50 times and only had two guys notice over all those years. Both sets run 195/55/16's at 24.4 inches. 195/60/16's are the same 24.9 inches as the 205/55/16's but only offer all season and winter tire offerings. My tires have 350 and 200 tire wear ratings. The 200's being the sticky ones. 205's, 811 rpm, 195's, 825rpm. That's only a 2% difference. Your 7's have a 25mm offset and the 6's a 36mm offset. That pushes the outside part of the rim outward to a point that 195's might be your only option with the 7's. Or go 6's with 205's. Or roll the lip which you say is not a option. Your choice.

205/55 x16 have rev /mi from 821 tp 845 due to varying sidewall stiffness
the associated axle heights are from 11.8" to 12.2"

all Fuchs 7s have ET23.3, I didn't bother to do an average but for a Kumho 205/55 x16 on a 7" Fuch the tire front space is 79mm, this tire actually measures out to 218/52x16 installed w/ 845 rev/mi it is among the shortest 205/55 x16, axle height is 11.9"

installing a 205/55 on a 6 changes the front space to 73mm, and the tire would measure out to be a 211/54 x16 it doesn't materially change the height

the tire would also flex more in cornering, though the distortion is all down near the road, the effect on the chassis interference is unknown to me

[cmpski]

I stand corrected. On the Tire Rack my 2 195/55/16's run 853 rpm. And the 8 205's I looked at run 811 to 836 rpm. So 2 to 4% difference. 23.3 or 25mm is very close. Excuse my sloppiness. I don't think I would notice the difference when driving my car. But then I'm only a average driver.

[mar2mar]

Maybe not an option since your wheels are different size, but when I was running 16"x 6" with 205/55/16 tires, I had the inner lip widen by 1" to make a 16" version of the 15x7R wheels.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by PeteKz

Bob: I have a 1973.5 with 16x7 Fuchs front and rear with 205/55 tires. See my description below. I was getting some rubbing on the left rear fender with the suspension substantially compressed, about 1.5-2" above the fender arch. When I set the camber negative, but within the specs, it went away.T

Thanks Peter. I tried camber ajust and no love on right side only. Gonna pick up some 190/50/16 tires this weekend and try that.

Sounds like we have the same set up. I have a high compression 3.2 also.....Great setup.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Thanks Peter. I tried camber ajust and no love on right side only. Gonna pick up some 190/50/16 tires this weekend and try that.

Sounds like we have the same set up. I have a high compression 3.2 also.....Great setup.

not quite

note that Pete has 26mm rear t-bars

[Mr. Merk]

How much negative camber? My car is totally different than yours but for reference a change from -2.7* with a 245/45R16 to -1.5* with a 225/50R16 tire resulted in sidewall rubbing on both fenders

The 195/50 is going to be an awfully short tire. Like 1.2" shorter than what you've been running.

The cheapest most cost effective change you can try is MORE negative camber.

My second recommendation is 205/50R16. The only problem with that size is having to pick from all the good options available!

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Mr. Merk

How much negative camber? My car is totally different than yours but for reference a change from -2.7* with a 245/45R16 to -1.5* with a 225/50R16 tire resulted in sidewall rubbing on both fenders

The 195/50 is going to be an awfully short tire. Like 1.2" shorter than what you've been running.

The cheapest most cost effective change you can try is MORE negative camber.

My second recommendation is 205/50R16. The only problem with that size is having to pick from all the good options available!

or reference a change from -2.7* with a 245/45R16 to -1.5* with a 225/50R16 tire resulted in sidewall rubbing on both fenders

curious as to the chassis and wheels

I do agree that the 20/550 x16 on the Fuch 7 would be a better solution

I'd also use it in front

[PeteKz]

Bob, I'm about -1.0 degree camber at the rear. One other thing to try if the rubbing is very mild: try to pry the fender out a little. Get up in there with a thick cushion of rags or rubber or some such, put a 2x6 against the tire, and work from center to front to back. If you can pick up 1/8" clearance, that might do the trick.

Nice car. The torque of the 3.2 really makes it scoot. Mine is light ivory with a slick top. I'd like to put an S bumper on it too someday.