patrick49

Installed some Goodyear Eagle GT 245/45/18's today at Discount Tire after getting a nail in one of my mostly worn out stock tires. The guy originally mentioned that the Eagles might rub, but I should be OK. Then the techs came in and said it was a really tight fit, but again there might be minor rubbing but overall I'll be OK. Drove home, felt good. Went back out a litttle while ago without the music cranked up and heard what sounded like banshees screaming under my car. I've heard rubbing in my old car going over bumps or taking tight turns, and it didn't anything sound like that. At first I just figured it was road noise from new tires breaking in, but I checked it out when I got home.

Yeahhh...they don't fit. I don't know in what universe the tech was in when he looked at it and said it fit. The rears are rubbing the back of the fender liner, the fronts rub the front of the fender liner when turning, and when straight the fronts appear to be wedged up against the bottom of the suspension.

I get it, I was the one who asked for it (and made the mistake of asking for /45 and not /40), but I have no clue how they looked at it with their own eyes and said it was OK and let it go out of the shop.

For clarity - people who are running 245s on the OEM SS wheels are using 245/40/18, correct? With minimal to no rubbing?

Of course they're closed until Monday morning, so I'm going to try not to drive unless I have to in order to prevent any potential damage to the car or wear on the tires, and hope they let me swap them. What a mess.

This is what the front looks like straight. If you put your hand on top of the tire and move back toward the springs, you can feel that the tire is pressed against it. Obviously that can't be good for anything involved.

ATLsilverSS

i just installed 255/40 kdw's up front yesterday and don't rub at all

SS fan

looks a little tight, I have lots or room, the swollen and bruised card I used to pay for them fits. they are 255x40

Discount tire actually will let you trade them in with in 30 days if you don't like them.245x45 are 8mm taller than mine. No way, surprised they could wedge them in there, and roll too.

patrick49

That makes me feel a little better. And yeah, I am really stumped at how they could look at it in daylight, see that the tire is actually riding against the suspension (the part that your credit card is almost touching) and say it's OK. Argh.

Jeda13

I'm running 225/45 r18 Eagle GT's No fitment issues. They are AWESOME in rain, unlike the stock Michelin's. Today I ran them in a serious snowstorm, they did pretty well. Bought some snows, though and like them better in the deep fluff.

Jim

sleeper

I'm running 225s' (17's) that are 26.1 tall & just fit.. have .300 clearance to strut plate..

Note: When on the rack & wheels are hanging, the clearance does increase slightly.. (this may be where the tech thought you were fine)...

It's only when full weight is back on the ground & bounce it a couple times do you see exactly what clearance ya got..

patrick49

Thanks...unfortunately they were looking at it while it was on the ground so really I think they were just trying to get on to the next car since they were pretty slammed. Oh well, as long as they let me swap em it's all good.

How dangerous is it to have the wheel pressed up against the strut plate while driving? It's about a 7 mile drive to get back to the shop. In the ~10 miles I've driven it so far, I haven't noticed anything wrong performance-wise, and hit speeds over 70mph. Obviously I'm going to slow it down, but still it seems to me that it's a pretty bad thing to have happening, no?

sleeper

This is where you have to be at attention & check yourself.. I am permitted in the local shop when I get tires done, so I'm right there.. Not many places allow this.

I would be careful going back, it has to create heat in the tires scrubbing the strut plates in front.

Take yer time. & check before you leave the shop this next time.. & You should be fine.
I carry a LED pencil light.. So I can see good in the dark areas. fwiw.

Edit: I would not drive any unless it is just back to the tire shop.. Get too much damage on those tries scrubbing & they may NOT take them back...Remember you wanted that size..

It is Not a recommended fit..

ATLsilverSS

while he "wanted" that size.....op clarify here....it seems as though he was not explicitly warned that it was not a recommended fitment. i deal with 1 guy in particular at discount tire and he is awesome. i have bought 3 sets of fronts from him in the past year. i know that he will take care of me regardless. discount is usually good about taking care of any issues as long as they were not caused as a result of an improper alignment. as far as driving on it, i would get it to them asap and drive minimally in the mean time. if all you have to do is drive 7 miles to get to them and no other driving in between you should be fine. (keep your road hazzard on speed dial tho)

good luck and keep us posted....i am curious to see how discount resolves this issue.

moonsign

Anyone in the market for aftermarket tires, should google up the tire manufacture, and look on the graph for the specific tire, and it gives you the rolling dia.. Compare that with a stock tire, and you can tell real quick if they will fit. Anything over 26" rolling dia. will definately cause problems.
A 245x40x18 versus a 245x45x18, the 245x45x18 is a lot taller and will rub.
The rolling dia. for a specfic size, varies from one manufacture to another. "Moon"