what tire sizes will fit?

is it possible to fit 235/55/18 under a 2013 golf? if not what about 225/60/17s? i want to lower my engine rpms at 80 mph. the final drive ratio in my dsg golf makes it hard to get over 41 on my long trips, and that summer time. winter i see like 38. without causing high speed rubbing over bumps( i get her wide open often now that shes past 30k) and catastrophic tire failure?

I wouldn't think you could fit 235/55/18 (28.2" diameter) or 225/60/17 (27.6") on a Golf especially on a stock suspension.

The problem going that large of a diameter is you're going to be close to the fender openings on the sides (which is fixed), the top clearance can be adjusted with springs, but depending on your wheel offset/tire width you're going to be awfully close to the base of your struts.

I ran 215/55/17 and now 235/45/18. With this I have about 3cm/1.5" on either side of my tire though I'm on a raised suspension. 225/50/17 (26.7") might fit but that would be the largest diameter combination i'd recommend depending on the wheel offset.

Check out this tread for more information: Tiggy Springs Thread

i agree, the 2 tire sizes will not fit on a stock suspension.

i also run 215/55/17 (26.3") and have no issues on stock wheels (17x7 et54) and factory suspension. unloaded, and loaded (overloaded one time) i have had no issues, even with surprise frost heaves in the road, at speed.

i tried a test fit of 245/45/18 (26.7") on passat wheels (18x8 et48) and had rubbing issues just entering and exiting a curbed driveway (top of tire rubbing wheel well liner). also, at full lock during low speed turns i rubbed just a touch. i think high speed bumps would end up being ugly . . .

i think schreibers has a typo above. 225/50/17 is actually 25.9" which you could get away with. however, 225/55/17 (26.7") will be asking for trouble as per my passat wheel test fit info.

schreibers said:

I wouldn't think you could fit 235/55/18 (28.2" diameter) or 225/60/17 (27.6") on a Golf especially on a stock suspension.

The problem going that large of a diameter is you're going to be close to the fender openings on the sides (which is fixed), the top clearance can be adjusted with springs, but depending on your wheel offset/tire width you're going to be awfully close to the base of your struts.

I ran 215/55/17 and now 235/45/18. With this I have about 3cm/1.5" on either side of my tire though I'm on a raised suspension. 225/50/17 (26.7") might fit but that would be the largest diameter combination i'd recommend depending on the wheel offset.

Check out this tread for more information: Tiggy Springs Thread

Click to expand...

would its be possible to raise the bumps stops? even a 225/55/17 would worth the shortening of the overall gearing. thanks for the information guys.

schreibers said:

I wouldn't think you could fit 235/55/18 (28.2" diameter) or 225/60/17 (27.6") on a Golf especially on a stock suspension.

The problem going that large of a diameter is you're going to be close to the fender openings on the sides (which is fixed), the top clearance can be adjusted with springs, but depending on your wheel offset/tire width you're going to be awfully close to the base of your struts.

I ran 215/55/17 and now 235/45/18. With this I have about 3cm/1.5" on either side of my tire though I'm on a raised suspension. 225/50/17 (26.7") might fit but that would be the largest diameter combination i'd recommend depending on the wheel offset.

Check out this tread for more information: Tiggy Springs Thread

Click to expand...

thank you for the info, im really hoping 225/55/17 would fit, im running stock salamanca rims, from VW, i think the offset is 51 mm, is there anyway i could raise the bump stops and slip the 225/55/17 it will drop me roughly 140 rpm, which is about 1.5-2 mpg at 80. i drive 5000 miles a month, so i could see the saving relatively shortly.

225/55/17 won't go without some rubbing. Depending on your roads and driving habits, you might be able to risk it, but I wouldn't. However, if you raised the car a touch, you'd be fine. What about splitting the difference with 225/50/17 instead? Or, as I'm running problem free with 215/55/17?
Nice thing about the 215 is less contact area for less rolling resistance...

I will check my fuelly records, but I don't think I noticed any difference in MPG. The lower RPM's on the highway might be a wash when you consider initial inertia to get rolling. Plus, if you're set on the 225 then tires will be a bit heavier...

Tire contact area is determined by the weight of the vehicle. It's always the same on any given car, regardless of tire size. The shape, of course, will vary.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Tire contact area is determined by the weight of the vehicle. It's always the same on any given car, regardless of tire size. The shape, of course, will vary.

Click to expand...

I'm not following you.
Not sure if you're pointing this out in favour of less, more, or same rolling resistance...

Rolling resistance would be more influenced by the tire compound. Sticky summer tires (or snows) will have more resistance than a LRR tire with a higher treadwear rating. A wider tire also has more air resistance. You would be surprised that this matters, but it does.

I don't see the value of chasing lower revs. I don't think the FE savings will be significant, certainly not enough to overcome the cost of tires. The PO of my B4 Passat ran larger tires, but that was because he wanted to go 60 MPH with the engine at its 1700 RPM torque peak. It worked for him: he regularly got 65 MPG in that car. But I can't drive 60. And I want my speedometer and odometer to be accurate.

i agree with the tread compound, in that harder compounds will have less rolling resistance.
i also agree with the air resistance of a wider tire, i didn't want to mention it in the event people thought i was being crazy!

buying new tires simply for the lower revs is not the way to go for cost savings. however, if you're due for new tires anyway, then you might as well go skinnier, with a harder compound. lower revs with a taller tire will be nice on the highway, but the initial power to get going might negate that. depends on your ratio of highway vs start/stop driving.

if you want, i can try and get some RPM numbers for you at certain speeds with my 215/55/17 (26.3") tires . . .

you can calibrate your speedometer to be accurate in these new ones, just go to your settings when sitting still. i drive 5000 miles a month, and seriously 95% of that if not 98% is all federal highway interstate. and indigo at that rate i buy about 1300 gallons of diesel a year, so 1 mpg lets say i save, that approx 30 gallons of fuel or about 75 bucks a year i save, may not seem like a lot but i live on a seriously tight budget, and at the rate im goin through tires, its worth the change, i just bought 2 new conti pro contacts not long ago, and got about 9000 left on my rear set. and i have also found that less wide tire also less rolling resistance. i plan to go to the conti pure contact tires, they are a better tire and cost less than the oem. i have used the calculator on my turbo diesel and crunched the numbers 1000+ times in the last 6 weeks. im anal about this ****. a perfectionist some would say. and unorganized i would like to thank you i check the calculator and 215/55/17 will drop me 126 rpm, and be at the same weight or lighter. so thats the tire. what i wish i could do is swap the final drive gear from a 6MT to my dsg, but thats a lot of work. 2.76, dsg 3.04 hell of a difference and i dont understand VW engineers on that one except maybe to make up from the whole second of time between pushing the pedal and the car taking off at a light with dsg.

good info Buckwild90, i think you're on the right path above for what you're trying to accomplish.

however, you can't adjust the speedo/ODO calibration from the MFD. if you are referring to the snow tire section, that is actually a speed warning you can set i think.

i haven't touched my calibration, although i do have the ability with VCDS. i chose to leave it alone. as we all know, the speedo is not accurate, on purpose, from the VW factory. it tends to read higher than actual speed. however, with these 215/55/17 tires my speedo is very close to actual. it now reads just a hair higher than actual, whereas before, IIRC it was 7-8 KM/hr fast. so now my speedo is almost bang on, but my ODO will be behind actual a little.

so after tire change:
needle SPEEDO just a hair high (~1-2Km/h)
cruise SPEEDO is right on the money (strange the 2 are a bit different)
ODOMETER is 3% behind (100 km on the trip display is actually 103km travelled)

I know the 3% isn't equivalent to the tire size difference, but the stock VW settings are throwing it off. I have tested, and confirmed multiple times with handheld GPS, and i know my above findings are accurate.

unfortunately we can't adjust the odometer without affecting the speedo. both are affected with one change in VCDS. i chose to leave mine alone, knowing full well my odometer is behind, but everyday driving is close to accurate on the speedo, and 100% accurate for the cruise setting display.