I'm replacing my second set of tires on my SE and I was thinking about going with a 225/55/17 instead of the 225/50/17. The revs per mile goes from 800 to 775 (which should not effect the speedo that much). I do a lot of highway driving (40K per year) and I don't need a $150/$200 performance tire. Has anyone tried the 55 series? Any trouble with the tires rubing or other problems???

Thanks

 

Not a bit!! I am running 225/55 17 Yoko YK-420's and am quite happy. Yes, slight loss of cornering 'sharpness', but more than made up for with better ride over less than perfect roads. They also do a quite nice job of filling the wheel wells.

 

I just went with 235/50-17 on OEM rims. This size also softened the ride and reduced the wheel-gap.

I decided to spend the extra $$$ for the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. I also drive alot (35k annually). Got 52k out of RE92's which only has a 160 wear-rating. Figured Pilot Sports, with wear-rating of 400, were worth the extra $$$ to last that much longer AND provide improved handling in most dry and wet conditions.

Those who have 'em (from other posts) seem to love 'em. So far (500 miles), I agree!

 

Thanks for both of your responses. Anyone who can get 52k out of the RE92's should be considered "The Man"! I only got 34k out of mine. One question; how often did you rotate your tires. I know I didn't rotate mine as much as I should have and that is the main reason my tires wear out quicker (or develop cupping). I replaced my RE92s with NITTOs and I'm not a happy customer. The old saying "you get what you pay for" definetly applies to those tires!

I have a month or so before I buy the tires and both of you have given me something to think about. Thanks again for your input!!!

 

The wear rate of tires always depends heavily upon the road surface and climate as well. Concrete will wear tires out faster than asphalt due to the little 'cutting edges' of the material as opposed to the smoothness of tar based roads. Also, high temperatures reduce tire life by making the 'rubber' softer and more prone to abrasion.

I was 'lucky' to get about 18K out of my RE92's (actually could have gotten more like 22, but hated them so much, I lasted as long as I could).

 

in lieu of 225/55s...if you get one where the tread width is pretty wide compared to other tires (and yes, not all 215s are created equal, as no 225s are create equal, ad nauseum) you'll reap the benefits of a slightly better wheel gap filling plus a closer to stock overall diameter...

 

Rotated them once at 30k. I do mostly highway driving. Tire-pressure set to 36 on all four tires. Check tire-pressure weekly (or when severe temp drop) to ensure not under-inflated. Don't race. Also don't drive in a super-aggresive manner. That's it!