Wheel/tire size for 95 legacy

[skivi]

hey,
can anyone tell me if I can use 15 or even 16 inch wheels on my legacy
wagon or will that cause problems?
I have 14's on now, but need to get winter tires and was thinking i
could avoid the typical undercarriage damage i get from driving over
snow by putting larger wheels on and thus raising the clearance.
does this make any sense?
thanks for your help,
SK

 

[news]

hey,
can anyone tell me if I can use 15 or even 16 inch wheels on my legacy
wagon or will that cause problems?
I have 14's on now, but need to get winter tires and was thinking i
could avoid the typical undercarriage damage i get from driving over
snow by putting larger wheels on and thus raising the clearance.
does this make any sense?
thanks for your help,
SK

short answer: yes.

longer answer:
As long as it fits.

longest answer:
If you're looking to increase ground clearance by going to a taller
wheel/tire combo, you don't have to change wheel size, you can just
change aspect ratio. (a 205/75-15 is the same width as a 205/60-15 but
a lot taller.) If you don't know how to read tire sizes, wander over to
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=46 and start
reading.
That said, taller tires have problems:
1 - will they fit in the wheelwell? (rub the body or suspension)
2 - if they're THAT much taller, your speedo will be off.
3 - taller tires = taller sidewalls = less precise handling
4 - taller tires = bigger tires = more weight and can occasionally upset
some chassis tuning.

After all that, I honestly don't know what's the maximum size tires you
can squeeze on a Legacy, and a lot of shops won't mount anything but the
stock size either.

I'm thinking probably one size up than what would come on an Outback is
about the max size without rubbing.

Ray

 

[skivi]

thanks for your help Ray!

short answer: yes.

longer answer:
As long as it fits.

longest answer:
If you're looking to increase ground clearance by going to a taller
wheel/tire combo, you don't have to change wheel size, you can just
change aspect ratio. (a 205/75-15 is the same width as a 205/60-15 but
a lot taller.) If you don't know how to read tire sizes, wander over to
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=46 and start
reading.
That said, taller tires have problems:
1 - will they fit in the wheelwell? (rub the body or suspension)
2 - if they're THAT much taller, your speedo will be off.
3 - taller tires = taller sidewalls = less precise handling
4 - taller tires = bigger tires = more weight and can occasionally upset
some chassis tuning.

After all that, I honestly don't know what's the maximum size tires you
can squeeze on a Legacy, and a lot of shops won't mount anything but the
stock size either.

I'm thinking probably one size up than what would come on an Outback is
about the max size without rubbing.

Ray

 

[Body Roll]

You'd have to shell extra dough for Outback or Outback zerosport
or get a suspension kit to raise your legacy. If those exist they are
probably rare.

That said, taller tires have problems:
1 - will they fit in the wheelwell? (rub the body or suspension)
2 - if they're THAT much taller, your speedo will be off.
3 - taller tires = taller sidewalls = less precise handling
4 - taller tires = bigger tires = more weight and can occasionally upset
some chassis tuning.

If the replacement tires are too wide won't they rub on the wheel well
covers
at the extreme positions of the steering wheel (while doing the parking
lot nirvana).
What that could do eventually is to destroy the fasteners for the
covers
and expose the wires. You don't want that to happen.

Going for 15 or 16" wheels to get good rubber choices is sane. To
increase
the ground clearance I don't think so.
If I were you I'd get 15 or 16" for summer rubber and keep destroying
the
legacy with 14"s in winter.

 

[mrdavidson]

You know... I had the same idea, I have a 93 Leagcy LS wagon.
I found that this works for me. I have 205/55/16 on my wagon and they
look great! work great. You will feel a lttle difference in the
handling, but I actually
found that having the wider tires handled alot better on the highway.
Be carefull
not to go wider as you will start to rub the inner wheel skirt if you
go even one step
wider than 205. I also have the "air ride" shocks which lifts my car a
little in the winter
for more clearance, but the should work for you.

Good luck!

Harley