Assistance in Moving to Wider Tire?

I'll just stay with (4) 245 x 45 x 20, not that I need tires now but was looking for additional contact patch. Just not worth it, having a lower sidewall height on the 275, accompanied by the somewhat harsher ride. I have the sport mode, so the 275 is actually meaningless.

 

I went to the 275-40 on a 14 Challenger with the stock 9" wheel. It rubbed on the knuckle in the front and I had to massage them for it to clear. As far as the difference in height and circumference, the variance between brands would be more significant than the actual rollout change. Statistically it would be insignificant. I think the upgrade is worth it just to have the tire not be narrower than the wheel. those skinny 245s just scream DORK!!!!

 

For years many of us have switched to 275/40s on all four or just the rear and it has worked well. The fraction difference in height is miniscule and you won't see the difference nor feel it.

What you should be aware of is that the minimal manufacture RECOMMENDED wheel width for the 275/40 is 9". Your OE rim is 8" wide. Now there are members that have put the 275/40 on 8" wheels and have not reported a problem, but you're not going to get the optimum wear and/or handling from them, and they may be more prone to malfunction easier when stressed hard. Personally I think an 8.5" might be possible but a whole inch is pushing it. I have 275s on 9" rims on all fours on my 2016 and they look and feel great. Another option (not as wide as the 275 but wider than the 245), and if you want to keep your OE rims, is to switch to 255/45s; they are about 1/4" wider and 1/4" taller than the 245s. This was another common aftermarket tire size for the earlier Challengers (2008+). BTW the original SRT8 Challengers offered the 255/45s as an option I recall.

Personally, if you have the coin I'd suggest the 275/40s on all fours and a set of 9" or 9.5" rims. You can also get good condition used rims by checking online and local car clubs.

 

* Apparently the mechanical engineers who designed the Challenger to be fitted with 245/ 45 x 20 on 8 inch wheels, in conjunction with a 3.07 RAR, are dorks as well.

 

You are certainly correct but there are a few drawbacks that I care not for.

 

i stuck with the stock 245's when it came time to replace the goodyear F1's. i put continental conti-pro contact all season UHP'S on. the difference seems to be quality as opposed to quantity rubber. the F1's had bad wheel hop on launch and wore poorly. the continental (which i really wasn't a fan of) hooked right up with extremely little wheel hop for a faster launch. if you are looking for a "stance" anything will do. if you are looking for performance do more research on tire ratings.

 

* You cannot have a six. I've never experienced wheel hop with my Pentastar. Thanks for the details on the Goodyear F1 which I believed to be very good rubber, more so than the Firestone (Firehawk) I have now. Firestone seems to be o.k, but will look int the Conti's. I know they have strict quality standards and manufacture an excellent tire. If I move to a stance, whether I stagger or not, the wheels would have to be upgraded to a 9" for 275's as mentioned earlier by Rockanroll. Not really interested in spending useless money to obtain a little more than an inch for the look. The 245's stick like glue. I was looking for a little better center of g gravity, but then again I could possibly get a harsher ride and some over steer with the 275's. Most likely, I'll say with the 245's and look at the Conti's. They are expensive, yet a top of the line tire.

The way I see it, the mechanical engineers have scaled the Challenger platform and fine tuned the specifications. They provide no upgrade tire for the six, even though one may test their hand. There are many factors at play, gear ratio, weight, center of gravity, and how the tires sit > inboard or outboard. Even though the specifications are somewhat miniscule, all calculations are highly relevant when moving at a high rate of speed. The great many know not what they're doing, only seeking to obtain a lower stance or more contact patch. The latter is not really relevant for a six, unless it is supercharged. Thanks very much for your input.

 

Oh, just get a set of Diamondback REDLINE tires. The redline sidewalls will give your car that Old School look while you obey the speed limit.

 

Forgive my ignorance - is wheel hop the same as spinning the wheels?