I have just fitted 16" steel wheels with 205 55 R16 winter tyres to my Octavia Scout replacing

the original fit 17" alloy wheels with 225 50 R17 summer tyres.

Now the tyre size calculator ( http://www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator ) says this is a 3.8% reduction in circumfrance which sound like a fair wee bit considering both are recommended sizes for the octavia.

So I measured the circumfrance of the wheels:

part worn 225 50 R17 Dunlop SP sport summer tyres 207 cm

Bridgstone 205 55 R16 spare wheel unused 201.5 cm

Maloya 205 55 R16 brand new winter tyres 201.5 cm

OK so there is still a difference but not as much as the calculator says!

While I had the wheels off the car I noticed a difference in the weight lifting the wheels with the tyres on. Well we all know you pay more for light weight alloy wheels right! WRONG!!!!

17" Alloy with 225 50 R17 tyre = 24 kg

16" steel with 205 55 R16 tyre = 19 kg

I have shaved 20kg off the weight of my car fitting steel wheels!

Now the tyre size calculator ( http://www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator ) says this is a 3.8% reduction in circumfrance which sound like a fair wee bit considering both are recommended sizes for the octavia.

So I measured the circumfrance of the wheels:

part worn 225 50 R17 Dunlop SP sport summer tyres 207 cm

Bridgstone 205 55 R16 spare wheel unused 201.5 cm

Maloya 205 55 R16 brand new winter tyres 201.5 cm

OK so there is still a difference but not as much as the calculator says!

Not really much of a difference from the calculated value though is it? I make the difference a 2.7% reduction. When you factor in the fact that the 17's are part worn, if you were comparing new 17's with your new 16's I reckon the calculator would be spot on.

Looking odd on its steel wheels and winter tyres!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85306730@N00/4299991539/

I think I'd be getting some Skoda clip-on trims for them.

www.accessories.skoda.co.uk

Last time I looked you could get 16" wheel trims for the Yeti and the Superb. Question is, is it a £70 problem though? (Though of course you could get some non-OEM ones from Halfords for £30 but I think they'd look worse!)

Where'd you source your steels? Thinking of going down the same route in the future. It's certainly been below 7 deg consistently since the end of Oct to make it worth doing every year. Just need somewhere to keep the off-season wheels!

Niall

I thought the (original) point of alloy wheels was that you could fit wider wheels without the disproportionate weight gain needed to get steels up to strength?

Sort of about weight, but not simple dead weight.

The lower weight of the albeit smaller steel wheels and tyres came as a shock! Have some cheap but hopefully not too 'naf' trims on order.

Wheel tyre package was from mytyres, given time I may have been able to source second hand wheels and a cheaper deal, but still would have to pay for fitting here. Wheels look almost identical to steel spare in boot.

Most snow has melted here now but had them on an icy and muddy track as well as some fresh snow yesterday and have to say they were much better. Also like the softer ride over broken roads and potholes.

I have just fitted 16" steel wheels with 205 55 R16 winter tyres to my Octavia Scout replacing the original fit 17" alloy wheels with 225 50 R17 summer tyres.

Why did you pick 205/55R16? 205/60R16 would have been closer.

17" Alloy with 225 50 R17 tyre = 24 kg

16" steel with 205 55 R16 tyre = 19 kg

I found the same for my Mk1 Octavia, although the sizes and the differences are all smaller - I only saved 4.6 lbs / corner - and now the car feels better to drive so I'm thinking about trying to find proper lightweight wheels to replace the standard oem wheels that came with the car.

Why did you pick 205/55R16? 205/60R16 would have been closer.

205/55R16 is the recommended size for winter tyres for the car, but I agree they are not the closest match.

I thought the tyre size on a 17" wheel was suppose to be 225/45/R17?

Or is it different for the scout?

Edited 26 January, 201016 yr by Browny_37

Scout's standard wheel/tyre is 17" alloy with 225/50R17 Dunlop SP sport SUMMER tyres

I wonder whether different Octavias with different standard tyres have their speedos calibrated different or is it all within an accepted tolerance?

Base model 195/65R15

RS 225/45R17 what's the 18" option?

4x4 has 15" wheels don't know the tyre size

Steel wheels 16" 205/55/R16

Scout 225/50/R17