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235/70/16 doesn't seem to work for me...

6K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  OcalaCarGuy 
#1 ·
I have been an "E" owner for almost three years, and a long time observer on this site. Over the last few days I have been reading tons of posts about tire sizes before purchasing some yesterday. I opted for a set of 235/70/16 Yokohama Geolander HT/S for my 2006 4WD EX-P. They LOOK fantastic. I always thought the E was like the perfect outfit with bad shoes. It really looks like the tank that it is with these tires. BUT...I realized tonight that the tire comes SUPER close to the strut guards. Not a big deal since they travel with the tire I think, but its so close my finger won't go between them. The issue is on turning, the driver side tires rubs the inner fender at about 3/4 turn. Just barely - but any rub worries me a bit.

Luckily they will let me run these for 30 days with the option to exchange so I will go a couple more days to confirm...and may go back to a 225.

I just wanted to post in case others were leaning towards a 235 as well...you might have similar issues.

Thanks

Matt
 
#4 ·
Yea...with the wheel turned, no weight in the vehicle, the edge of the tread touches the plastic piece that sticks out. I can just barely push the plastic back to get a quarter of an inch maybe. And these are HT...not AT. the Shoulder isn't that big. I don't get it based on what I have read others say. Needless to say I am bummed. They just happened to install a 225 on the back by accident...so I was able to see the two wires mounted at the same time...and the 235 looks so much better in the fender well. Guess it wasn't meant to be.
 
#5 ·
continentals

we purchased continental cross contacts and were very dissapointed because they seemed too chunky for the E. we experienced a scraping noise that turned out to be differentail fluid needng to be replaced. but there is still a washbord effect when driving normally that we find irritating. we will replace them as soon as affordable with a less chunky tire. maybe not as cheap as the goodyears that came stock, but something lighter than the contys. we dont care if we have to replace them sooner than a heavier tire because the mileage difference is substantial. we were getting 27 mpg on our goodyears and only 24 on the continentals. the chunkier tires make it feel like the element is pulling too hard sometimes. sometimes bigger isnt always better. good luck with your exchange if you decide to go that route. we foolishly bought ours right as we went on a1000 mile vacation and didnt have that option. live and learn !
 
#7 ·
Much earlier there was a similar report of rubbing problems with BFG TA KOs. That owner found that 225/75/16 size fit better. Its diameter is a bit larger, but tread width is less (more tapper associated with the larger profile). That report was enough to caution others about using this size of tire. Still plenty of others put 235/70/16 Bridgestone Revos on without problems.

While I have 225/70/16 tires, I'm not convinced there is a good reason to go larger than stock. The best might be the inavailability of a particular tire model in the stock size. But the selection in the stock size is now adequate for most purposes.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Ok...thinking out loud....whats the risk of them rubbing on this spot? They only seem to very very lightly rub, and only when the wheel is in that specific spot. And the plastic appears to have a bit of give? Thoughts

I would run them if it's that slight. The inner fender panels have a good bit of give and i'm wondering if your driver side is loose or has a busted mount?

Paulj- I couldn't turn down these tires as I got them for $400 and they're brand new!!
 
#9 ·
Well for those interested. I went back to Discount Tire and they offered to put a set 225/70's anytime in the next 30 days. They also repositioned the plastic pannel with a little heat and molded it a little bit and it seems to be just fine. We put a few guys in it to check the clearance with weight and it looks ok. So we'll see how she does.
 
#10 ·
1000 mile Update

Well after 1000 miles - a couple of notes...

1) Mileage decreased, not as much as expected but still enough. I was averaging about 21.3 and I have dropped to an average of 19.1 - thats using the odometer on my GPS. That works out to about 27.5 miles lost each tank or about $2.52 every time I fill up with $1.80 gas. So I figure at these gas prices these tires will run me about $183 more a year to run.

2) These tires are awesome for both ice and snow - no complaints at all. And with all of the melting, they do really well on wet roads as well. We have had a lot of snow in the last week or so and I have been the "go to guy" for picking people up and shuffling them around...it would seem I just cant get stuck if I tried. The fender wells do clog with snow more than I would like when its really heavy wet snow - but we have had the most snow this year we have had in 12 years - so I am not that worried.

3) I did notice they are louder than stock, and were a bit rougher until I had the alignment done (I was way out of alignment!!) The rubbing appears to have eased up a bit as a result of the alignment - I haven't noticed any in the last week or so - hopefully I was just enough out of adjustment to cause it to hit in a couple spots.

Hope this info helps!!
 
#12 ·
ive got the same tires and love them, but i dont really get why people insist on upsizing their tires. when i bought mine, they had the 215 and 225 in stock and the salesman reccomended the 215 as he said i wouldnt see any difference in the bigger size and they are heavier and slightly more expensive.
 
#15 ·
235-65-16 works for me!

I put on 235-65-16. I am running Goodyear fortura triple tred. 235-65-16 is a 28" diameter. The OEM tire is 27.9. The 235-70-16 is 29" diameter. An inch taller tire is going to skew your speedometer/odometer. More importantly, Your tire is closer to the bodywork making it more possible to scrape. I bought mine from Americas Tire, which is the California version of Discount Tire.
This tire size still looks great, it fills the wheel well nicely, Yet the speedometer is right, (I've check the speedometer against my GPS) The ride is better, The car is much easier to drive in the wind. The extra width the 235 offers is worth it to me. There is not a lot of tires out there in this size. The goodyear triple tred is a LT or light truck tire, not a passenger car tire. BF Goodrich long trail tour is a LT tire in the 235-65-16.

 
#17 ·
The goodyear triple tred is a LT or light truck tire, not a passenger car tire. BF Goodrich long trail tour is a LT tire in the 235-65-16.
Neither of these are LT sizes. Looking at the specs there is little difference between a GY Triple Tred and a GY Assurance ComforTred. Same load rating, same tread depth, etc. One is 'highway all season' the other is 'all season'.

The LT v P designation is not significant for a car like the Element.
 
#19 ·
Remember when buying tires was just buying tires?

I love all the info shared on this site. I was completely ready to pull the trigger on a set of 235's. Now I am suffering from information overload.
decreased mpg?--my employer pays for all my fuel.
mph discrepancy?--no ticket or fine up to 4mph over in my state.
rpm issues?--if your going faster shouldn't the motor be spinning faster?
looks like a tank?-- i like it, but not a deciding factor.
the extra width equates to more stability in the wind--That's a good one!
Ultimately I am sure I will own this size tire shortly. (no pun intended) If it is a mistake, I will only have to live with it for about 18-24 months as I drive about 35000 miles a year. Thanks for all your input, info and opinions.
I'll post my experience, opinion and pics soon.
 
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