DaSyce

iTrader: (3)

My wife and I just picked up an IS350 Blk/BLk w/ Sport Package.

This is a NY car and will have to battle winters so I needed to change tires from the summer set.

Can I get away with 225-45-18 in front?

I wanted to soften the ride at the same time, roads are pretty rough here in Long Island, need advice!

Thanks,

slee18

iTrader: (1)

Dont think they will rub but you might consider getting 17 if you want a softer ride.

Going to 45 wont effect your ride that much.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

I had a similar question: I don't want to get new wheels so will going to a 225/45x18 up fron be OK (seems pretty marginal). What about rear? (I'm not bothered about the gearing being slightly off).

sincityIS

get 235/40/18, that is what I have and it evened out the front and rear a lot better.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

No rubbing on big bumps or full turns?

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

No sincityIS hasnt had any issues with that tire size! He did a lot of research on it so I would stick with that tire size

sincityIS

That is correct. I am also running 10mm spacers up front. It is close to rubbing, but never does. If I didn't have the spacers, it wouldn't even be close to rubbing.

sincityIS

This is what it looks like just after I lowered the jack. If you cut that fender gap in half that is what it looks like after the spring settled back in. The front appears to have about 1/4 inch more fender gap than the rear does so it is far more even now. I would say with a 225/40 the difference is about 1 inch so it really helps to even out the looks. Not to mention I have almost eliminated the understeer, the car handles way better now.
You can tell by looking at the front compared to the rear that the front is a little shorter, but the sidewall profile is almost identical from front to rear. i don't like having the front stretched with the rear bulging. This evened things out, helped it ride smoother, and handle better.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

How about turn radius for U turns?

oblivionis

iTrader: (2)

The front tires that I use as my winter setup are 225/45/18. I had them on for 4 months this past winter and I heard the rubbing sound maybe 4-5 times when making a turn.

sincityIS

I may have a 10mm wider turning radius because of the spacers, nothing you would notice, hell the car turns on a dime anyways.

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

this was on your OEM rims right?

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

SinCity: Were the spacers necessary to avoid rubbing on the strut/fender liner (ie the inside, not the outsider fender)?

Oblivionia: The 225/40 has a tire radius of 12.5" while the 235/40 has a tire radius of 12.7". The 225/45 has a tire radius of 13" so that may be why yours was rubbing.

oblivionis

iTrader: (2)

Yes, stock rims.

Enough

Sincity that looks good.
Are you using the spacers to get the tire to sit for a closer to the lip look of for a different reason? You could probably run 245-40-18s up front without spacers and not rub.