maximum sidewall
 

Hi all,

I like to drive fast on all surfaces, including gravel.

I'd like to try running a 275/45-18 tire square on my base model 2016. Possible? Any problems outside of inaccurate speedo?

I'll need new wheels of course, so I'll have to figure out an offset that will keep the tires inside the fenders and free throughout the suspension movement. Guidance please?

Thanks,
Tobin.

Stock wheel diameter is 26.7 and 26.9 inhces rear

Here is a wheel height calculator:
https://tiresize.com/height-calculator/

But i really don't know what the goal here is. Are you just trying to get a more comfortable ride on crappy roads? Or are you trying to get a performance upgrade?

both, I guess. when cornering hard on uneven surfaces / bumps, the car moves around too much. it'll 'chatter' across lanes, sideways, etc.

i'm sure suspension upgrades could help, but with a tire sidewall increase I'm hoping to soak up those bumps and keep the car under better control. comfort will be improved too I suppose but it's not the main goal.

a 275/45/18 is 27.7, so an inch larger. I assume the car has room for an inch? so long as I figure out the offsets correctly?

you're looking for a solution in the wrong place

but the path for better cornering is well-known.

good coilovers
stickier tires
SPL everything
bigger front bar

none of the solutions involve turning your Z into a monster truck

Go nuts!!!!

coilovers would certainly help...

but the problem is the car is essentially airborne for very short periods. so more rigidity and sticker tires aren't really going to help that.

ha yea, something like that

I run 245/50/18 on all 4 corners for winter on a set of 350Z wheels with conservative offset and width. My car is a '11 Sport. The tires have an OD approximately one inch larger to boost ground clearance; the wheel offset also helps. If your base brakes could be accommodated, I would pick 17" wheels.

What the **** driving are you doing in which your car is airborne?

He's in BC Canuckistan. So it's ralley-cross. Dirt roads are the main highway.

the whole car is never airborne.

go find the worst pavement in your area... drive at high speed, and hit said pavement while cornering. you will find the car chatters, bangs, and moves sideways.

that's cuz the wheel hits the bump, and is deflected upwards very quickly. the suspension's job is to get it back to the ground in a controlled fashion. but that downwards travel takes time. during that time (which will only be a fraction of a second) you have zero traction - obviously, because your tire is in air.

pneumatic tires are pretty good at absorbing these high frequency hits, and they're better the more air volume available. more sidewall equals more air. of course if you're driving mostly on good pavement, there are downsides, but you know about that.

They are crazy in BC, in Alberta we avoid these issues by driving dogsleds and living in igloos.

:rofl2:

You need a Sherp 4x4.

i mean, yeah. Based on the conditions and how you want to drive, you have the wrong chassis

or

wrong type of vehicle

Any particular brand or compound tire you looking at?
Sounds like you need an all terrain tire; at minimum-an open shoulder A/S :ugh2: