For those with Early 90 Cont. Strut conversion

[Lankin]

Hello,
I did the conversion myself on my 92 Cont.I have only done the rear so far.My question is this,the car had 205-70-15 on the rear.when I put the coil struts on,they rubbed the tires.I called strutmasters and they said that their test vehicle has 205-75-15.So I put 205-75-15 tires on and all was good.Now that I have been looking around,I see that most people say that the 205-70-15 are the factory size fot this car.
Is Strutmasters blowing steam??
205-75's look like pizza cutter tires to me on this car.Ok,maybe not that bad,but their thin!
What does yours have? :confused:

[mystery]

205 70 R15 is the size of tire for the 88-94 Continental.

Not only is your handling drastically altered with the higher profile tires, but your speedometer is now inaccurate. You will be going faster than how your speedometer indicates.

[Lankin]

Sorry but I cannot except any of these statements.Your first might be true.But after reading your second one,it makes the first one loose integrity.
It is not the profile we are changing here.It is the width of the tire.

[mystery]

Excuse me, but:

205 70 R15

translates to

205 mm tire width

70 aspect ratio (70% of 205 mm = 143.5 mm tire 'height')

15" radius

So you are not changing tire width going to 205 75 R15--you are changing the aspect ratio/profile (going up to 153.75 mm tire 'height'). The higher the middle number (assuming the width stays the same), the higher the profile.

[ November 02, 2003: Message edited by: mystery ]

[ November 02, 2003: Message edited by: mystery ]

[Lankin]

I may be missunderstanding things here.
Please see this tire size calc.

What am I missing?The profile seems to be higher,(which would make you correct),but it doesnt seem right because when my 70-15's rubbed,it was because the tires where to wide.
Soon as I put the 75-15's on all was good.If the smaller tire is the problem,what in the world is everybody else running?I think my wheels may be off of a T/C because they are the web type wheel.All of the other Cont. I see have those ugly solid disc type wheels with the directional pattern.
So all this just makes me more cornfused!
Tire calc. (http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html)

So was strutmaster not telling the whole story?Does evryone have to change their tires when converting?
Are my wheels the stock for my vehicle?

[ November 02, 2003: Message edited by: Lankin ]

[mystery]

I am an original owner of a '94 Continental, and I know that 205 70 R15 is the proper size for the car. Where exactly are the tires rubbing?

Also, I have the 'lacy' type wheels (original) on my Conti, not the solid disc type.

When I had my Continental converted using the Monroe coil kit, the garage told me the car was ready, but I noticed that the rears were a bit low (the solenoids in the wheel weels were tied up, but were touching the tires).

At my request, they checked it out, and it turns out they hadn't re-installed the end links yet. (It's a good thing I told them!)

[Lankin]

My car is the Sig Series.Not sure if it makes a diff with wheels.They were rubbing right at the corners of the tires,rubbing on the slanted part of the strut,like they where to wide,not too tall.This is making me mad because they assurred me it was a direct bolt in kit.This is another reason I havent done the fronts yet.I am aware of sizing changes.Seems it would ride better with a taller tire anyway.
I wish someone else with the strutmasters conversion would chime in.
What where the reason they put diff wheels on diff cars?Sig series?Baseline?
A guy I know has the T/C 16" wheels I may get but I am insure if they would fit.I know he has the factory whitewalls on them.
Right now my car has 70-15 in front ans 75's in the rear.You cant really tell the diff.

[ November 02, 2003: Message edited by: Lankin ]

[mystery]

Call up Strutmasters and complain (and report back on how they treated you). You shouldn't have to change tires to accomodate their 'bolt-on' replacement struts.

By the way, mine is a Signature series as well, but that shouldn't matter.

[Lankin]

I just realized,the difference in tire size will screw up my ABS.Oh no,we cant have that.
Is there anywhere I can prove that 205-70-15 are the factory size?
I couldnt seem to find it in my book or on the car.
Thanks Mystery.Sorry about earlier,I am pretty hard headed sometimes!

[mystery]

Check inside the rear right door where it lists the recommended tire pressures. I believe it lists the tire sizes as well (including the spare).

[pro-five-oh]

quote:Originally posted by Lankin:
Is there anywhere I can prove that 205-70-15 are the factory size?


The door like mystery said, or go to www.tirerack.com (http://www.tirerack.com) and pull up your car. I'd like to hear what strutmasters says also. The trim level of the Continental didn't matter, they all had the same size tire.

ABS will not be affected (at least not much) if all tires are just the same height. The wheel sensors just need to read the same diameter tire, they don't know what the right diameter is. The problem will be if you had something wild like 60 series on the left side and 75 on the right. smile.gif