Well i'm looking at 17 x 7's, so i need some advice on what kind/size tires would be best for me since i don't know crap about performance tires. Keep in mind i will be doing a drop of about 1.5 inches or so also. Here is what i'm looking for... A good all around performance tire, excellant wet traction, good ride, quality, good wear too. What brands do you guys recomend? I can pretty much get most popular brands at a decent price, so let me know. Some have said the size of 215-50-17 is a good one, but i want the most width i can get with the proper fitment and performance of course too. So lets hear it. I might be getting some wheels very soon, i found a special on the ones i'm lookin at. Anyone heard of AEZ brand rims??

im not an expert on tires or anything, but i know that Nitto 555's are an excelent tire.

96 RS

kuhmo's 712 great tires and cheap. 225-45-17

I dont know model, but yokohoma makes an excellent tire. We had em on my celica, great for handling, but soft as hell. Lasted less than a year.

17x7 inch wheel should get a 215/45/17 tire. 225 is the widest you should go with that wheel, but I recommend 215.

good and cheap....here goes. Tirerack has these selections.

215/45ZR17

Dunlop SP Sport W-10 $72 each (best deal going!!!!!)
Kumho Escta 712 $89 each
Sumitomo HTR-Z $88 each They also have the HTR-Z-II available.

Ok, I'v been talking to a very knowledgable guy at the place i'm getting my rims from. He said with dropping the car, he isn't sure what tire will fit without rubbing, ect.. I plan on a 1.5 drop, 2 " max. With a 17 x 7 wheel, and 225-45-17 tires, will this be ok with the drop? I'm thinking it will, and all i'll need at most is to roll the rear fenders. He says there could be probs with the steering, or rubbing on the aftermarket strut assembly with the drop. Who here is lowered with 2" drop, running 17 x 7's and 225-450-17 tires? Is this the set up that will work/look good? HOw bout some help here fellas!! I can get the rims for 88 bucks my cost wholesale(PCW wheels), and toyo proxi SZ4 225-45-17's for 98 bucks ea. Help me guys before i spend my money! TIA

on 17x7 you can go to a 205-50-17. pretty narrow but will give the best wet traction as far as sizing is concerned. if you have to have the widest tires possible go 225 45 17 and get
michelin pilot a/s w rated great all around traction but expensive.
dunlop sp5000's z rated excellent wet traction
dunlop sp9000's prolly second to the pilots mentioned above.

for ride quality michelin has it cornered. no one comes close.

I just installed the Khumo Ecsta 712's this past friday at America's Tire store on my 16inch stockers.
They ride nice.
Grippy on the onramps and smooth rolling too.
Nice looking tread pattern.
I went from the 205 55 16s to 225 50 16s.
Hope this is helpful.
Candude

225 50 16 is for an 8 inch wide rim. like the rx7 wheels. that's to wide for us stock we're 16x7

Amish_eclipse:
Not that I doubt you, but why would ATS put them on the car then?
Obviously they wanted to make the sale and they did not have any other size in stock, but wouldn't they be liable if the tire blew and I wrecked?
What could happen with these tires on the stock rim?
TIA
Candude

improper tread wear and decreased performance because at speed not all of the tire is laying flat on the road surface. 225 50 is for guys like todd that use them on the 16" rx-7 wheels. for best performance a tire should only be as wide as the rim it's being mounted on. to wide a tire creates sidewall sag which will destroy your tires from the inside if it's bad enough. to narrow a tire will give you the risk of the beads breaking off the rim and/or in extremely low profile tires you risk riding on the edge of the rim rather than the tire. i've seen this last one on a set of konig 19's. they tried to fit 215 35 19's. needed a 225.