tire size

[burt ragio]

I have been riding stock size tires front and rear for years on my 2004 Marauder,
Fronts are 235/50/18 28.6 diameter
Rear are 245/55/18 27.3 diameter
I want to run a lower profile in the rear. Less side wall. Maybe rectify the premature dreaded center tire wear. Also without tripping the traction control and ABS or having to activate the switch every start up.
Can I run 245/50/18 27.6 diameter without tripping the traction control ?
How do you figure the needed 5% difference ?
Has anyone tried this size as alternative in the rears ?

[stevengerard]

245/55/18 should be closer to 29 inches. Your back tire needs to be taller than your front tire by now less than 3%

[BAD MERC]

I was wanting to do the same thing but on widened wheels. I was gonna go with a 285/40/18 and accommodate the difference on my programmer. The sidewall goes from 5.3" to 4.5" and will cause a trac control issue. On a 285/45 the sidewall only decreases .3" though.

[RubberCtyRauder]

255-45-18 front
265-50-18 rear

both slightly smaller dia., but the 265-50-18 is only offered by Nitto in the NT555, a summer tire only, not good in temps below 40-45, nor snow.

what air pressure you use in rear? most have longer tread life with 38-40 rear psi

[Svashtar]

255-45-18 front
265-50-18 rear

both slightly smaller dia., but the 265-50-18 is only offered by Nitto in the NT555, a summer tire only, not good in temps below 40-45, nor snow.

what air pressure you use in rear? most have longer tread life with 38-40 rear psi


I should have researched those 255-45 fronts, just got new 235-50 Nittos a few weeks ago. I need to calculate the height / width difference to the stock size. The 235-50’s are easy to get, and have actually come down slightly in price as they are the OEM size for many BMW’s from what the tire guy tells me.

+1 on the rears; I use that Nitto 265-50-18, no cold issues here and it does fine in rain. It is within a fraction of the OEM height, and about an inch wider IIRC. I have good center tread wear at 40 PSI.


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