fiestaturbo.com

[E4Fiesta]

What does everyone recon a COMFORTABLE amount to lower a mk3.5 on 15's is?

30mm, 40mm, 50mm or 60mm?

195/45/15 tyres.

CheeRS Craig.

[M4tty]

this has been asked a million times, peoples "comfortable" will be different, most people go for 35mm drop or 60mm drop.

[BUTRE]

195/45 R15 is not a comfortable tyre. Too low profile to start with.

I wouldn't go anything more than 195/50 R15 and 40mm drop.

[Oranoco]

195/45 R15 is not a comfortable tyre. Too low profile to start with.

I wouldn't go anything more than 195/50 R15 and 40mm drop.

195/50/15 is completely the wrong size tyre for a Mk3/3.5 Fiesta. The 195/45/15 tyre is spot on for the job at hand. As for being comfortable, if you want comfort buy a Mercedes not a lowered Fiesta.

[heeman10]

As said, 195/45/15s are necessary for the Mk3 Fiesta, 50 profiles will scrub. 35mm is a very good compromise in terms of looks and feel, anything over that and the ride will need to be firmer to stop it bottoming out on every dip. 60mm is too low IMO and makes the wheels look ridiculous because they sit up in the arches. On bigger wheels (16s, 17s, 18s) it works, because they fill the arches, but 15s look comical on a Fiesta that low!

[BUTRE]

195/45 R15 don't suit very well a 6x15" Ford rimm. It's hard to get a good grip if you use 30PSI at wheels (which is the "normal" tyre pressure to start tweaking from). 6" is just too narrow for this tyre.

195/50 R15 rubs because of track geometry and rimm size (width and ET). It's not down to the tyres profile, but changing it it's a quick fix yes.

[E4Fiesta]

Cheers for the replies guys, good to get a few feedback, when i say comfortable i mean like the best compromise on looks and feel if ya know what i mean.

I'll prob go for the 45 profile and 35mm drop

Craig

[Oranoco]

195/45 R15 don't suit very well a 6x15" Ford rimm. It's hard to get a good grip if you use 30PSI at wheels (which is the "normal" tyre pressure to start tweaking from). 6" is just too narrow for this tyre.

195/50 R15 rubs because of track geometry and rimm size (width and ET). It's not down to the tyres profile, but changing it it's a quick fix yes.

195/50 tyres rub as the rolling radius is not kept close enough to the original wheel size. Go up a rim size and drop a tyre profile level. Simple.

My father has spent some 40 or so years in tyre research for the Tun Abdul Razak Research Laboratries (MRPRA- Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association) so knows an odd bit on the subject.

Sorry mate but you are completely wrong. A 6J rim width is a bit too narrow for a 195 tyre in my personal opinion and would rather use it on a 6.5J but that's just me.

[BUTRE]

195/45 R15 don't suit very well a 6x15" Ford rimm. It's hard to get a good grip if you use 30PSI at wheels (which is the "normal" tyre pressure to start tweaking from). 6" is just too narrow for this tyre.

195/50 R15 rubs because of track geometry and rimm size (width and ET). It's not down to the tyres profile, but changing it it's a quick fix yes.

195/50 tyres rub as the rolling radius is not kept close enough to the original wheel size. Go up a rim size and drop a tyre profile level. Simple.

My father has spent some 40 or so years in tyre research for the Tun Abdul Razak Research Laboratries (MRPRA- Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association) so knows an odd bit on the subject.

you can use 195/50 R15 without rubing on the FRST at least. I've done it and will do it again once finish to put the car back into one piece
Using this tire and a ford 15" rim (6" width and ET40) you need to check the rear camber (can't have any more negative than -0,75º and also advice 6mm spacers so it clears the fuel pipe to tank). At the front you need to check toe-in since it must clear the inner pannel when you aply full lock (to park for example). Also 3mm spacers helps. At front camber only can say that -40mm drop will give you -1,5º on std FRST wishbones.

Handling will also improve since rear std axle usually doesn't give you the same camber each side. Also, fine tunning the front toe is critical since the lack of castor kills right there the "into/out cornering" attitude.

Sorry mate but you are completely wrong. A 6J rim width is a bit too narrow for a 195 tyre in my personal opinion and would rather use it on a 6.5J but that's just me.

I agree but this becomes pretty obvious when using 195/45 R15. 195/50 R15 will give you a more "all around" equal wear since you don't have that "ball" shape when using 195/45 R15.

[Oranoco]

This all sounds very good but you have still altered the rolling radius of the wheel and tire assembly.

I cannot and will not agree this is the right combination so we'll just have to agree to differ dramatically in opinion on this subject

[BUTRE]

I know that the rolling radius is more similar on the 195/45 R15 tyre, but the main issue is not rubbing.

hey, this is a forum! It's supose to have ppl's different opinions on the same subject! Usually I go a different aproach because to me it suits me best. This is just opinions because in the end it's the owners car that makes the final call.