GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

How is the ride / durability on a 215/35/18?

jrbrownie00

jrbrownie00

Go Kart Champion
Location
Southcoast, MA
Not a newb question by any means. Not looking for fitment help and I'm not afraid of stretch but I am looking for some opinions on how the ride and durability of such a low profile tire is. I have acquired some nice wheels (IMO anyway) and don't want to run the risk of popping a tire or banging up my rims because I chose a tire that can't handle bumps or the occasional rough spot in the road.
 
Last edited:
fahrenheitfarmer

fahrenheitfarmer

Banned
Location
Socal
i cracked the sidewall on a minor pothole, bent and cracked my porsche wheel. You save considerable space over the 215/40 though.


-FF
 
fahrenheitfarmer

fahrenheitfarmer

Banned
Location
Socal
Look at the load rating for each tire before choosing. My roads arent all that bad out here, so i've come to the conclusion that 215/35 probably isnt worth the worry. However, my setup has been dialed in for this size tire. IMO, go with the 215/40, especially if on air.

-FF
 
M

mobbin6

Banned
Location
Sesame Street
fahrenheitfarmer said:
IMO, go with the 215/40, especially if on air.
Click to expand...

If you're on air, you wanna get the car as closest to the floor as possible. That's the point of going air. You can't do that with a 215/40.

Run the 215/35, learn how to drive. It's a bit of a rough ride, but nothing horrible. If you're worried about sidewall, maybe try a 205/40. It'll be a little more stretch, but the extra bit of sidewall will help with the ride. Although it'll give you less clearance. You also have to understand that the picture above is from running a 215/35 on a 17" wheel, which is different from running a 215/35 on an 18" wheel. 35 sidewall on a 17 is tiny.
 
jrbrownie00

jrbrownie00

Go Kart Champion
Location
Southcoast, MA
mobbin6 said:
If you're on air, you wanna get the car as closest to the floor as possible. That's the point of going air. You can't do that with a 215/40.

Run the 215/35, learn how to drive. It's a bit of a rough ride, but nothing horrible. If you're worried about sidewall, maybe try a 205/40. It'll be a little more stretch, but the extra bit of sidewall will help with the ride. Although it'll give you less clearance. You also have to understand that the picture above is from running a 215/35 on a 17" wheel, which is different from running a 215/35 on an 18" wheel. 35 sidewall on a 17 is tiny.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize he was referring to 17's. This isn't my first low car so I understand what you mean about driving. I've just heard (never experienced) bad stories about 35 series tires being miserable and easy to pop. I was actually thinking about doing 215/35 on the front and 205/40 on the rears even though they're not staggered wheels. Anyway, thanks for the input man..you're opinion is well respected imo.
 
phil

phil

becausephilchow
Location
Hong Kong
Car(s)
2009 VW R32
1) 215/35/18, and 205/40/18, are not "ALMOST" Identical. In fact, they're pretty far off:

215/40/18 = 86MM Sidewall
205/40/18 = 82MM Sidewall
215/35/18 = 75.25MM Sidewall

You will have 7MM+ of Clearance on the "Top" and the "Bottom" of the tire, coming to an effective 14MM, which is about 1/2" of Clearance. That's HUGE for somebody who's rubbing, just FYI.

2) I've been driving with:

215/35/18 on 18x8 ET32
215/35/18 on 18x9 ET30

(Both on Fronts)

I just put it on the 18x9s, and they ride completely fine. Yes, a 215/40/18 will be a bit of a better ride. However, it's not that much worse to go from a 215/35/18.

I have a friend who rides with 215/40/18 on 18x8/18x9, and when he sits in my car, when I used the 215/35/18s all around, he said it felt very similar, and just a little harsher.

3) Will you curb/bend/crack a rim?

If you're not an idiot, and know how to drive and not drive straight into a fucking hole, and take curbs at stupid idiot angles, then no. I drove on the 215/35/18s for quite a while, and only knicked my rim ONCE, but I was going in a curb at the wrong angle, completely my fault.

Learn to drive, and you'll be 100% OK.

Pay attention to the road, and you'll be 100% OK.

Don't do the above two? Go kill yourself.
 
W

westopher

Banned
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
Car(s)
07 gti
I ride 215/35 on 18x8.5s. Saved my cars fenders, hit some pretty big holes and haven't had an issue. It is a bummer that I dropped my car another inch and still have almost the same fender gap since I put them on. But rolling lower is rolling lower, and therefore worth it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top