My wife and I have Ram SRT10s but she has become shiftless due to bad knees and recent extensive foot surgery with more coming on other foot. Therefore I had to get something cheap with a slushbox even though I promised to never again buy a mere four speed. A local dealer had a new '08 LS in Sunburst Orange with the solid quarter panel and we got an extra $2000 off due to us leasing a Jeep. That makes no sense, I know, but I heard GM ads offering the extra $2K off for Chrysler leasees. ????? Momma is HAPPY with her new car, even naming it the first day. I like the color and since it is the cheap model, there is a lot of flat black things on it that go well with that color, including TWO antennae .......... ??????? duh? Two? wuffo? Now, I got onto the HHR forum and see the SS will be available with the solid quarter panels, too. I cannot get one w/o selling one of the SRT10s though and the market is way too low to do that. Meanwhile, I want to put 225/60 x 16s on Momma's car. Those are 26.6" in diameter vs. stock 25.3" It looks like there is room especially considering even though 225 is supposedly wider than 215, the 60 series has narrower tread than the 215/55s do so I think they will fit. Anyone out there actually put bigger rubber on their HHRs yet? Our price, including sales tax and new plate was $14K and with almost $1900 in GM Card earnings we went out the door for $12137 TOTAL for a new '08. We are happy so far! So who has actually put bigger rubber on? What size? How much room left, etc.?

 

 

Got news for you, the market is going to be permanently low for guzzlers. We are seeing a change in the pricing structure that is here to stay. $4/gal is the new set-point for regular unleaded and probably diesel too once the refineries finish re-tooling for increased diesel output by about early 2010

 

Two replies so far and neither seems to know anything about the topic of the thread........... So who has upsized their tires? What size?

 

my friend use the search function... im sure you can find something. try tirerack.com and discounttires.com they also have wheel visualisers available.

 

Why say I can find something? I am asking for actual experience, not well-wishing or other comments like good luck, etc. Thnx but none of that answers my question. Visualizers and Tire Rack give no info on room for tires on an HHR. Tire Rack is where I got the idea for the new tire size by checking the specs. They always discourage changing sizes. Lawyers again..... So again I ask ........ WHO has actually upsized their HHR tires?

 

I tried to put some 215/60/16's on at my dads tire shop versus the 215/55/16stocks ones. Once we got them on the 60's seemed to be to close to the front struts. I didn't drive it becasue i was afraid that it would hit, i couldnt put my finger between the tire and the strut with the 60's on there. So I put the 55's back on.

 

Now THAT is the kind of info I was looking for. I will probably try the 225s anyway. There just is not a lot of room to upsize but the tread width on these 1.3" bigger diameter tires (.65" radius) is actually narrower and I think there is room. Mfrs. are actually req'd to make enough room for chains to be used in parts of this country that require them, so knowing that, I feel I can do a relatively small upsize and get away with it. It will also make ingress and egress easier for this old fart, as well as looking better. I hate falling into and rolling out of little cars. Elsewhere in this forum someone used 27" diameter 20" wheels and tires so I think the 26.6" 225/60s will fit. My concern was mainly at the rear inside. Thnx for drawing my attention to the fronts. THNX MUCH!!!!!!!! Excellent that you actually tried exactly the size I am interested in..........

 

Biggiedog, I just checked the specs and the 60s are only 0.1" wider for section width than the stock 55 series are. That means they would only be 0.05" closer to the strut at the widest point. Tread width is quite a bit narrower even though 225 is bigger than 215, the taller 60 series is actually more tapered. So that now begs the question --- Can you put your finger between the strut and the stock 55s??? Sorry to drag this out but I know what a hassle it will be if I get tires that do not quite fit but I think the 225/60s will be no problem since someone else is using 27" diameter 20s. thnx again!

 

Well after talking with Discount Tire, I am back to square one. They say the 26.6" diameter is too tall to fit vs. the 25.3" stock tires even though this forum has someone saying they have 27" 20"ers on their HHR. The tread width of the 225/60 is actually one inch less for the "bigger" tire and with a 1.3" larger diameter that is 0.65" bigger radius and it seems as if there is enough room to go that much bigger. My fat fingers will slide between the tire and the rear wheelwell. so now I am asking again............ Who has tried upsizing and what happened and what size(s) did you try? Thnx!