Biggest tires / stock suspension?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

This is an easy one that was answered on the SOR forum before they bailed on us:

What is the max. tire size you can throw on an 80 (97 to be exact) that still has stock suspension (I know, I know, go get the OME but the problem is I just shelled out mad cash for my wedding and the cruiser needs tires NOW).

Looking for max. size and no rubbing, etc.

Cheers!
 
Yeah, yeah...as the old quote goes "I love gasoline", but $100k?

Letsee hear:

FJ80 - 20k
930 - 35k

project cars:

FJ40 - 5k
912 - 5k

Audi? bought for $300 2 years ago, rotten, salvaged, and noisy, giving to an unexpectedly carless friend for free. Never changed the oil, just added.

So maybe $65k tops. It's a sickness. I've owned some 20 vehicles but I've never sold a single one. They die or get traded for parts or other cars or even parted out. The 912 may have to go sometime soon as I have the intense desire for a 356 cab resto. project but then again. Now if only I had a garage...

Thanks for all the replies to the ?, I do a fair mix of 70% on-road 30% off road driving. Lots of non-campsite camping and 1 week or shorter trips. CA and UT, some AZ this year for sure. I'm a big fan of the Yoko Geolandars and will be running them...

Although with all this typing I'm convincing myself if I wait a month or two I may be able to squeeze a grand out of some currently max'd credit card and just do it all. I guess then the REAL hang-up is either finding the time to get it done or finding a shop in S. CA that I trust (that doesn't charge a FREAKIN FORTUNE in parts and labor like one well-known outfit here).

Those wear-bars are just a WARNING that the tires should be replaced sometime soon, right? And if I drive a little more I'll have a set of slicks for the Cruiser, right? Right?

The other little problem with this plan is the 3 speeding tickets I got last month. Here's the humorous part, only 1 was in the Porsche, the other 2 were in the LC. There's my OME, in the coffers of the state of CA...
 
Todd,

Speeding in a LC - that's good. Just about as good as the V1 radar detector I have mounted in my LC from my Porsche 996 days. Figure if I ever got pulled over in the LC and the officer saw the V1 that they'd just start laughing and let me off. &nbsp:Don't want to test that theory tho!

Where in Socal? If I ever do anything I'd love to avoid the shop you elude to charging too much. Email privately if you don't want to post here. Thx.
 
tio,
you're driving roughly $100k worth of cars with another 3 sitting in the driveway and you're gonna try to talk your way out of a $1k suspension upgrade!?? :slap: ;)

I guess the key to your answer lies in your application. [you can rub stock wheels if you drive like Junk] &nbsp:Do you intend to do any wheeling? What are you trying to suit up for?
 
Todd,
I'd love to chit-chat old Porsches with you but you asked a question so here's an opinion.

>> What is the max. tire size you can throw on an 80 (97 to be exact) that still has stock suspension <<

You can throw on a 315/75R16 (or other 35" size). You won't be happy though. They will rub in some cases. Your overall performance will be in the toilet. Your speedo and odo will be off a lot. You can't put a 35" in the stock spare location.

You can throw on a 285/75R16 (or other 33" size) tyre and you will probably be somewhat happy. They won't rub. Your overall performace will suffer a little; more noticeable at altitude. Your speedo and odo will be off but can be corrected with a $40 part from Slee. Your new spare will fit under the rear where the original was.

Your next question will probably be "what is the BEST tyre in the whole wide world."  Spare us the question. The answer is 36" SWAMPERS!!!!  (Right Junk?)   Seriously, there are a bunch of best tyre threads. Please read first.

There are also a couple of recent  "what tyre fits" threads here in the 80s section of ih8mud. Please read.

-B-
 
Thx B-

Did a search on tires but couldn't find the answer to the stock question (tho I'm just getting used to the new forum). I'm not about to let a 'what's the best tire' flame war begin! Just looking for sizes for stock configuration...

Performance isn't really a huge deal as the SC is coming sometime this year. I can live with slower than usual perf. for a while if need be and go back to reasonable when the SC is bolted up.

Either way, thanks for the reply!
 
Todd,
We have a valuable member that came over with us from SOR. His name is Jim_Phillips and he taught me how to spell properly. Jim has a very nice 97 VX and lives in the UK.

Search for "tyre" and you should get some results. :D

-B-
 
Copy that, B.

Cheers!
 
You can fit any tire you want! All you need is a sawzall!! LOL!!! :G :D
 
Good one Wrench!!!
thumbsdown.gif


I ran 285/75/16 MT/Rs for about 3 monthes before getting my OME springs on. The only time I ever got it to rub was under extreme articulation. 285s fill the stock wheel wells quite nicely actually.
 
Rogue, what tire size did you move up to once you got the OME suspension?
 
I am running 285/75/16s currently, and am waiing for them to wear out so that I can go to 305s or 315s.

I haven't made my decision between the 305s and 315s yet because the 315s will need some extra mods to run correctly. Money should not be an issue, but it is for now.

I'm looking forward very much toward the day when I can afford to do whatever I want without checking my account balance first. For now though, I am controlled by my cashflow. :G
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

AppaFJZ80
Other Suspension Question
Replies
10
Views
977
Mandrake
Mandrake
petegangies
another suspension question..
Replies
3
Views
395
petegangies
petegangies
petegangies
suspension/chassis/drivetrain service
Replies
8
Views
919
petegangies
petegangies
mjulaw
Stock Stereo Hardwire Upgrade
Replies
9
Views
625
Malleus
Malleus

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom