Hi, I'm looking to replace the tires on my 90 XJS. The current tires are 235/60-15.
Discount Tire is showing me a pretty good selection in alternate sizes of 205/70-15, 215/65-15 and 215/70-15. Does anyone know if I will have any issues going to any of those sizes or if one is a better choice than the others?
Thanks.......

 

Hi John, first off welcome to the forum, why not tell us a bit about yourself and your XJS in the New member area?

Tyre sizes, you have 235/60 -15.
The last number 15 denotes rim size.
The 235/60 is the aspect height to width as a percentage.
So 235/60 = 60% of 235 = 141mm height. Which is slightly lower than standard, 225/65 = 146.25mm. ie your wheelarches might look a bit empty.

So to keep the same height that you already have, the last one you quote is no good because it's too tall, at 150mm

The first two are sort of OK for height but are too thin and would not be good both in looks and probably your insurers won't like them. 143.5mm and 139.75mm respectively.

You also need to make sure that you get VR speed rated tyres.

One thing I did find when looking a while back is that there is a large range of 60 profile tyres available but you would need to go up to 245/60-15 in order to keep the height about right. Very slightly taller 147mm compared to stock 146.25mm.

I have not tried this size and do not know if it would rub on your car.

One thing you must not do is to put lower specification tyres on your relatively high performance car. Your insurers won't like it, and you certainly won't like your new intimate relationship with that large tree just on the bend of the wet road.

There aren't really any Discount Jag tyres out there, be careful and stay safe.

Cheers,

 

Thanks, I'm going to stick with the oem size and speed rating.

 

All good points, but unless you have a VERY draconian insurer, in the USA your tire choices are up to you.

 

Which is probably easier said than done. I think the only V-rated 235/60x15 is the Pirelli P600....and even it might be discontinued by now.

Some have gone the 225/60x15 to get a better selection

Cheers
DD

 

Yes Doug, you are correct, only Pirelli manufacture the P4000 225/65x15 ZR 99W.

Going to 60's gives a larger selection but the wheel arches look empty due to the loss of height.

Mustang, I would think that it is the same there as here, you can put any tyre you want on the car, but in the event of a serious accident or even a fatal one, if you have not declared and had accepted, non manufacturer specified wheels/tyres your insurance will be invalid, (perhaps it is stricter over here in Europe, but any performance mod's should generally be declared)

This applies to all after market rims/tyres you must inform your insurers.

After a serious crash involving injury/death the police/crash investigators will look at all areas of the scene and any mod's to any of the vehicles involved. If wrong tyres are found, you could be liable for a serious prosecution and your insurance will almost surely not pay out, not just for repairs to the cars, but also that massive liability claim, because let's face it draconian or not you will be found to have deliberately modified the car into an unsafe condition.

I hope that no-one who reads this, is ever in the above situation but it happens.

My brother inlaw has been a traffic cop for 30 years, and believe me some of the fatal accidents he all too often has to attend usually involving young drivers, end up being attributed to excess speed, inexperience, and incorrect tyres.

So what I am saying is KEEP SAFE and speak to your insurers, if you decide to fit non manufacturer recommended rims and rubber.

The big problem is the 15" rim size, if you go up to 16" rims you will have a much larger choice of rubber.

All the best,

 

Your point about safety is absolutely correct, but here it is a matter of personal responsibility to choose the correct tire and we do not need permission to modify our cars as long as it is within the state laws. Remember also that our laws and insurance requirements vary from state to state.

But the point is well taken. Choose a tire rated for the speed and load as well as size. Be safe, but you are by no means limited to the OEM tire size.

 

Hi all,
If you go to http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html you will be able to calculate different sizes to see how your speedometer might be affected. Might be handy to determine different sizes when purchasing tires. You will need java to run it though.
According to tire rack website the 1990 xjs for North America runs either 215/70-15 or 235/60-15 sizes.
good luck
skyzzics

 

Who manufactures a 245/60-15 with a V rating?

 

I hear ya, it's drivin' me up the wall too trying to find tires for my 15X7 Dayton wire wheels or for my stock XJS factory wheels. Any suggestions? Besides going up to a 16 inch wheel?

 

If you are worried about speed rating your choices will be very limited. If you are not worried about speed rating you shouldn't have any problem. Have you visited Tire Rack ? What kind of tires do you want? What characteristics mean the most to you?

Cheers
DD

 

You have me thinking about tires now. My crashed donor car has Kumho ecsta tires on it.. and I went into tire rack and unbelieveably they are extremely affordable. Beyond thati am shocked at the system at which they rate the tires against each other. My tires have a reported 31 million miles of review where the winning tire only has 1 million miles of review. Does anyone find that maybe within the next 30 million miles they might come across some heavier critics as i am sure my brand came across? I was shocked to see the continental extreme contact won.. i had continental tires on my Fpord F250 Harley davidson powerstroke diesel and they were god awful...the first set lasted me about 2 months of towing and were useless by 3 months.. I replaced them with Toyo tires and they lasted me upwards of 8 months..(must remember I was towing with 980 wheel horsepower on lever 3 towing on my tuner) empty wheel horsepower was close to 1100...and the tires spun regularly without trying to...I would never use continnental again from my experience.. Maybe they turned over a new leaf in 3 years time? May be looking as such.. here is the graph for those interested..
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...JR&autoModClar=

 

To avoid the thread jacking here is your options for your tires on The Tire rack website.. strange with all the older cars requiring 15" rims that you have a choice of 2 that are factory required sizes.. and only h-v rated..http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...nental&tab=All

 

That's a compilation of reviews from customers. I reckon there's a LOT of subjectivity and darn LITTLE science in involved. Still, if most people say the same thing about a particular tire then you gotta figure there's at least some truth in it.

And people often develop tire prejudices and loyalties just as they do with motor oil, wax, spark plugs, etc etc

It doesn't sound like you'll ever recommend Continental tires to anyone but your experience is with truck tires in what seems like a rather unique application. Apples and oranges here, perhaps? You may be very happy with what Continental has for your Jag....just as (apparently) some other people are.

Tire manufacturers are like car manufacturers. They make *many* different models and the line up changes over the years. I guess they can't hit a home run with every one.


Cheers
DD

 

Very well put. I am not the type to discount the ability of a company to change their tune... I would bemore than willing to give them another shot if someone suggested and had a good exp that i knew or who's word i respected. I guess for me they were one of 2 tires that fit my truck with 10 ply sides.. and they just didnt measure up for the abuse i was putting them through and surprisingly as i didnt expect the toyos to hold up nearly as well as they did.. they outperformed the expectations I had for them...
I have always been hard on my toys.. "Beat it like a red headed stepchild" "Ride it hard put it away wet" I always maintain my things but i do put them under the hardest work i can.. and find it keeps my engine clean.. but costs me a lot in suspension and tires.. and mostly .. gas lol