I know this may be a matter of preference but I need new back tires and I`m sort of wondering which way to go.
I originally had 235/40-17 tires but Hankook doesn`t make that size anymore.
If I go 235/45-17 the tires will be about an inch larger in diameter but if I go 245/40-17 then they will be a little wider but only very slightly larger in diameter.
The rears are 8" rims which are at the minimum requirement for 245 width tires.
This is probably the best shot I have from the rear of the car showing the current tires.
Any thoughts?

http://www.tirerack.com/tir...ratio=40&diameter=17

Thanks Lar but I like the Hankooks and my front tires are perfectly fine so I don`t want to change brands.

If you go with a wider tire, your going to need a wider rim. Sears has a nice tred pattern on their Falcone brand tires.

Well, Hankook recommends an 8" to 9.5" rim for the 245 with 8.5" being the ideal so I think an 8" would be fine.
I do need to check the inside clearance to the strut as I`m not sure how close my current tires are.
I guess with the little larger tire it would slightly help with my highway driving with the 3-speed auto.

quote Originally posted by TXGOOD: If I go 235/45-17 the tires will be about an inch larger in diameter...

Looks like you've got a bit more wheel gap in the back than the front, so go with the slightly larger diameter 235/45-17 tires.

They'll be perfect, and you won't have to worry about your wheels being the wrong width.

Thanks Patrick, that`s a good point but when I got home I looked at the tires on my car and they are 45 series not 40s like I thought, my bad.

quote Originally posted by TXGOOD: Thanks Patrick, that`s a good point but when I got home I looked at the tires on my car and they are 45 series not 40s like I thought, my bad.

Well, there you go then... Get the same size tires and you're all set!

Another positive thing about the 235/45-17 is that it is almost identical in diameter to the 215/60-15 that came on the car.
Your speedometer will be more likely to be accurate, unless you've changed a bunch of things around.

That's what I've got on mine, too.

Edit - At one time I had 245/45-17s on it. They fit my 8" wide wheels okay. Not perfect, but okay.
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Raydar
88 Formula IMSA Fastback. 4.9, NVG T550

Praise the Lowered!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 11-26-2013).]

Yea Raydar, I checked the aspect as compared to originals when I was shopping for tires and wheels and that`s what I found.
I should have know something was up because I didn`t think that Hankook would stop making a fairly popular size tire and when I looked at my old post showing when I first got the tires and wheels I had mistakenly put 40 series as specs.
I have them ordered from TireRack and should get them tomorrow as they have them in the warehouse in Louisiana.

[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 11-27-2013).]

I ran 255/40/17s on 17x8 wheels for years, including at a bunch of autocrosses. It's not ideal, but it fits. The contact patch for 255 on an 8" wide wheel probably ends up being the equivalent of a 235 or 245 on a properly sized wheel.