Skinnier rear tires on front rims

[tenthousandclowns]

Could you put skinny tires on the back if you got a set of the skinny front rims? You would have to keep the diameter ratio difference the same between front and back, so not sure this tire size exists. You would give up some traction but would you gain enough efficiency to justify swapping?

 

[Don]

I think you're probably right - I seriously doubt you could find a tire with the same circumference as a 175/60R15 which would fit on a 4" rim. Even if you could, I really doubt you would gain any efficiency. Buy only LRR tires and inflate them to 40 psi and you'll have about all the efficiency it's possible to have

Don

 

[kiev]

The front and rear wheels can't be swapped--they intentionally have different diameter collars that fit to the axle hub. So the lips won't fit, and you'll have to a quit.

 

[Don]

The front and rear wheels can't be swapped--they intentionally have different diameter collars that fit to the axle hub. So the lips won't fit, and you'll have to a quit.

They added a press in metal collar to the front hubs which makes the center bore of the rear wheels too small to fit. I think the only reason they did that was because the rear wheels are too wide to physically fit on the front . . . . the wheel hits the strut tube and it couldn't rotate if you bolted it on. With the possibility of a high school dropout mounting your tires, they needed to make this as idiot proof as possible, hence the obviously added collar - If you remove that collar (easy to do - They pull right out) you can put a wheel with the same center bore as the rears on the front - I've done that. I've never tried it, but you should have no problem putting a front wheel on the rear - The front wheels have a larger center bore than the rears, so that shouldn't present any problem

I don't see why anyone would want to do that though - The front wheels/tires are pretty miniscule for a vehicle with a 3,300 lb GVWR, IMO. I'm not too happy with two 145/65R15 tires, let alone four

Don

 

[jray3]

Agreed- about the only way we'll get lower Rolling Resistance is to put on steel wheels, and with our track width of 55.9″ front, 54.3″ rear compared to the standard railroad gauge of 56.5", that should be quite possible! "twould be a great railroad 'scooter' car. Certainly better than a Dodge Magnum, and a great replacement for a Willys MB Jeep! Now, who to make the custom radius 4x100 steel wheels? :roll:

recall the "Magnum on Rails" episode of Monster Garage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0GA_75pE7s

 

[rmay635703]

165/65r14’s (re92’s) have a lower rolling resistance and are dimensionally the same as the stock front tires.

Lightweight aluminum Rims off the Honda Insight fit as well, I bought an extra pair for $25.

If you plan on keeping the car a while I think it a worthy upgrade.

 

[JoeS]

165/65r14’s (re92’s) have a lower rolling resistance and are dimensionally the same as the stock front tires.
Lightweight aluminum Rims off the Honda Insight fit as well, I bought an extra pair for $25...

You don't mean the SpaceSaver rims, do you?

My regular Gen1 Honda Insight 14" wheels did NOT fit the front as they hit the brake caliper housing. I did not try using spacers. Discussion here, broken away from the main Wheels, Rims, and Tires thread:
http://myimiev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2622

 

[Don]

165/65r14’s (re92’s) have a lower rolling resistance and are dimensionally the same as the stock front tires.

I'm 99.9% sure no 14 inch wheel will fit the front because they don't clear the calipers - I recall years ago trying one of my 14 inch Miata wheels on the front - They fit the rear fine (drum brakes there) but not on the front

Don

 

[rmay635703]

165/65r14’s (re92’s) have a lower rolling resistance and are dimensionally the same as the stock front tires.
Lightweight aluminum Rims off the Honda Insight fit as well, I bought an extra pair for $25...

You don't mean the SpaceSaver rims, do you?

My regular Gen1 Honda Insight 14" wheels did NOT fit the front as they hit the brake caliper housing. I did not try using spacers. Discussion here, broken away from the main Wheels, Rims, and Tires thread:
http://myimiev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2622

Yes I painted the Insight spares and mounted re92’s to them, have 40,000 miles on them.

 

[JoeS]

I loved those ultra-LRR Bridgestone Potenza RE92, and it never occurred to me that this tire would fit the Gen1 Honda Insight SpaceSaver spare wheel.

Those wheels are extremely light and designed for the Insight which weighs 1,856 to 1,964 lbs, depending on configuration.

rmay635703, are you saying that you are running these unique 165/65r14’s on all four wheels? No ASC issues?

You mean you didn't like that putrid yellow :roll: what color did you paint your wheels? I have a few cans of Coast Guard Orange lying around here... :roll: