what tire sizes will fit my z???

[superj243]

i have googled, binged, and asked jeevs, but i cannot find a list of tire sizes that will fit my 280zx. it is a 1980 10th ann. so it has 14 inch rims. i really want the tires to look good with the car so any ideas on what fits without any rubbing or junk would be super!

Edited April 14, 2011 by superj243
typo

[JohnnyO]

Try googling Sumitomo HTR 200

[SteveBaumgartner]

SuperJ243, Howdy!! we have the same exact car..Mine is plaque number #2789 out of 3000. Tires--> I have on the stock rims, BFGoodrich TA/Radials in 2 sizes. Rear tires are 235/60-14. Fronts are 225/60-14. I wasn't sure if 235's would work on the fronts. so I went conservative and downsized the fronts.

Now very interesting, I'm getting ready to put CenterLine Rims on mine with 15" rims and 8" wide. I'm going to run Pirelli's P6000's.

My stock rims look very "ugly" now..Need some new rims to put the "GTP" look into the car. If you stay stock? you can run what I have now..and you might want to have the tire guy put a 235 of front and see if it clears turning left or right..Then you can run 235's on all 4's. Just a note, Put a custom light weight Flywheel on your engine. The power increase is amazing!! check into it.

[LeonV]

Put a custom light weight Flywheel on your engine. The power increase is amazing!! check into it.

Not to be picky, but there is exactly zero power gain from switching flywheels. What you are doing is decreasing rotational inertia, which in turn increases acceleration and can be perceived as a power gain. Your engine isn't making any more power, nor is more power getting to the wheels than before. Instead, think of it as if you just removed some weight from your car.

Threadjack over!

[SteveBaumgartner]

Why does the engine rev faster now than with the stock stock flywheel then..? If the engine can rev faster not turning that heavy stock flywheel, doesn't that translate to quicker pick up in speed? There's more to it than just "weight" alone..hell mybe the car will go faster if I lose 50 lbs..? really. why sell aluminum flywheels and make all this "Noise" that it makes the car faster then? I got mine from "Bob Sharp Racing" back in 87. I think it's 12 lbs or 14 lbs..it's been too long to remember. But I was told the stock flywheels weight about 30-40 lbs. I felt the car Reved faster after the Flywheel was installed. I don't know that it doesn't make any more Horse Power. But I do know with the seat of my pants, that something was changed and those wheels in back are turning harder than before. so it's not an imagination going on.

[doradox]

Why does the engine rev faster now than with the stock stock flywheel then..?

Because it's lighter. Not because you have more power. Your car won't be faster in a top speed way because you don't have anymore horsepower. It will get to that top speed quicker because it's lighter. Flywheel weight loss is especially effective because you double dip. You lose rotational mass and overall weight.

On an Inertia dyno you will show a HP increase but a brake dyno you won't. The inertia dyno is fooled by the reduction in rotating mass since it calculates HP by how quickly the drum accelerates. Since all the rotating mass in the car is factored in to the HP calculation any changes in the car's rotating mass throw off the calculation. It's the same thing if you put light tires and wheels on. Your car would magically have more power. You wouldn't say my car has more power after putting on a set of light wheels and tires would you?

Steve

[cataloney]

205-70-14 on my car this is the original size for the 1983 zx

[LeonV]

Why does the engine rev faster now than with the stock stock flywheel then..? If the engine can rev faster not turning that heavy stock flywheel, doesn't that translate to quicker pick up in speed? There's more to it than just "weight" alone..hell mybe the car will go faster if I lose 50 lbs..? really. why sell aluminum flywheels and make all this "Noise" that it makes the car faster then? I got mine from "Bob Sharp Racing" back in 87. I think it's 12 lbs or 14 lbs..it's been too long to remember. But I was told the stock flywheels weight about 30-40 lbs. I felt the car Reved faster after the Flywheel was installed. I don't know that it doesn't make any more Horse Power. But I do know with the seat of my pants, that something was changed and those wheels in back are turning harder than before. so it's not an imagination going on.

Read my post again...

The increase in acceleration is brought on by a decrease in rotational inertia, not any increase in power. Of course it revved faster, there is less inertia for the engine to rotate, just like Steve's example of putting on lighter wheels. This means nothing in terms of how much power your engine puts out to the wheels.

Stock flywheels are 23lb or so by the way.

Because it's lighter. Not because you have more power. Your car won't be faster in a top speed way because you don't have anymore horsepower. It will get to that top speed quicker because it's lighter. Flywheel weight loss is especially effective because you double dip. You lose rotational mass and overall weight.

On an Inertia dyno you will show a HP increase but a brake dyno you won't. The inertia dyno is fooled by the reduction in rotating mass since it calculates HP by how quickly the drum accelerates. Since all the rotating mass in the car is factored in to the HP calculation any changes in the car's rotating mass throw off the calculation. It's the same thing if you put light tires and wheels on. Your car would magically have more power. You wouldn't say my car has more power after putting on a set of light wheels and tires would you?

Steve

Steve hit the nail on the head!

[Michael's Zcar]

Hi Cataloney I would really like to see a a couple of pictures of your yellow Zcar with the tires that you have on it. Are they 195/70/14's ? or the ZX with the 205/70/14's on it because I am indecisive regarding tires at this time. I would like to keep my stock 14 " rims , my other size option is 215/60/14's with my original14x6 rims. Thanks Michael