275/40 or 245/45 on 20's

MrT6

MrT6

Senior Member
T6 Pro
Tyre dilemma for 20-inch alloys

Currently running OEM suspension on a T30 Kombi

275/40/20 seems to be the go to tyre for 20-inch alloys on the Transporter

If I drop the suspension 40 or 50mm I may (or may not) get some tyre rubbing with the 275/40

If I go for 245/45 I'll probably avoid any possible rubbing. But with the narrower 245 will I still get a similar level of ally wheel protection and ride comfort of the 275/40...?

Suitable load rated tyres are available in both 275/40 and 245/45

Decisions, decisions...any thoughts or personal experience?
 
Would like to see some other opinions too @MrT6. I'm going to put 20's on my T6 and wondered if 35's v 45's would be more of an uncomfortable ride and if 270's would rub once you drop by 40/50mm
 
Won't it also depend on what wheel you put the tyres on?? Width, Offset etc would change the position of the tyre in the arch slightly???

I've got 275/40 on 10" rears but on 19s not 20s
 
I am running 20" with 275/35/20 with 50mm lowered . No problems and no rubbing , rides ok except when you hit a pot hole and feel bad road surfaces a little more .
Tried running 40 profile tyres and found that they rubbed on full lock and didn't look as good as the 35s .
Happy with 20" and think they look great .
 
I have a 204 DSG on its way and am thinking of remaping that as I hear it has a bit of a lag from a still start
 
Dannywilds said:
I have a 204 DSG on its way and am thinking of remaping that as I hear it has a bit of a lag from a still start
Click to expand...
I was going to wait for a 204 but didn't want the hassle of add blue . Going to loose the DPF soon and get stage two map .There's a small amount of lag from a standing start but when you get rolling you soon forget.
Would be interesting to have a 1/4 mile shoot out with the 204 boys .
 
So there are a number of people running (and recommending) 275/35/20 tyres which interestingly enough is what the auto shop/tyre dealer initially suggested.

As spring approaches, I'm considering getting some 20" Supermetal Trident which is 9-inch wide wheel with a 45mm offset and appropriate load rating.

Wheelbase Alloy Wheels & Tyres

Pot holes and crappy road surfaces are now endemic across the UK @Chriswhit any comments on the level of alloy protection and comfort the 275/35 provides against the 275/40 - I appreciate the difference here is negligible - about a 13.75mm reduction in the sidewall.

@RattyMcClelland are you happy with the ride/performance of your 275/35's? Lowered? No rubbing?

TIA!
 
I am more than happy with the ride on 275/35. It isn't much different to my oem 16" and same sidewall height as my 245/40/17 on my Honda.

I'm on bilsteins b14 and ride quality is pretty much the best ever. Lowered around 70mm and I'm not rubbing at all.
20x9 et45 and 15mm spacers in the rear.
I can't go lower due to the abt front skirt.


However.......
I smashed a brand new pot hole on Wednesday last week at 60mph. A very deep home.
I hit it so violently I was saving private Ryan shell shocked.
I pulled over and everything was fine. However the more I drove the more stodgy the handling got. At the end of the day I have an egg bubble coming out of the tyre wall. Tyre was fracked.

£170 to replace.

However the pot hole was so big I reckon and low profile tyre would have been destroyed.

It doesn't phase me though.
 
@MrT6 didn't notice any difference in the ride the few days I was running 40 profile compared to 35 profile . The roads up north around the Preston area are atrocious and some of the roads have some horrendous pot holes which I've hit most of them . My coffee cup actually jumped out of the holder the other day after hitting the latest bomb crater and I was waiting for the tyre pressure monitor light to come on , I stopped and expected a trashed alloy but all was ok .
Really surprised how strong the 20" alloys are and seem to be coping with the bad road conditions . Having covered 37000 miles I am more than happy with the durability of the alloys and tyres .
 
What about a 265/40?
Naturally a compromise between a 275/40 and a 255/40.
Anyone running 265's?
 
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