Well after debating with myself for ages, I went to get some winter tyres today.

Since 205/45/16 are nigh on impossible to get in winters, after reading a few threads on here suggesting they would be fine, as well as checking with my insurance, I got some 205/55/16s.

Got them fitted no problem, but 20 yards down the road, after the suspension had settled down, they were rubbing pretty badly on the nearside rear, catching the plastic wheel arch liner at the back of the tyre.

I've had a look underneath, but about 1mm behind the plastic, there is metal, which if I removed the plastic, would also start rubbing the tyre. The right hand side of the car is the same, but obviously the other way round, but this didn't catch, and was nowhere the tyre.

Question is, what has happened to my car, or what did you guys do to get them to fit fine?

Not suprised 205/55 16 tyres rub, they are huge for a Fabia.

112.75mm side wall compared to 92.25mm

Not suprised 205/55 16 tyres rub, they are huge for a Fabia.

112.75mm side wall compared to 92.25mm

Tech1e is right - put a 205/55/16 next to a 205/45/16 and the difference is huge. If you're rubbing the inner wing at the rear you could try a pair of spacers to help clear it.

Still going to throw the speedo out by miles and alter gearing.

I'm running 205/50/16's, and have never had a rub.. Loads of space around them & they look much neater thean 45's.

As for the speedo, mine is much nearer to the truth now as speedos generally read a bit fast anyway, so 55's would prob overread actual by 4-5% tops.

Still going to throw the speedo out by miles and alter gearing.

Absolutely right, which is why I've always said to people contemplating this tyre size on a Furby not to do it (that and the clearance issues that the OP is experiencing). I guess that now the OP has shelled out a couple of hundred quid on new winter tyres it's a case of damage limitation - I dread to think of the consequences if the tyres continue to rub.

Its the right size for an Octavia so im sure someone will snap them up with all the current paranoia about winter tyres.

My original tyres are now back on anyway. I'm sure I'd read that a couple of people were running them so I assumed that they'd be fine.

I doubt it on a Fabia, just way to big.

I'm running these and have no rub at all. Lowered 30-40mm BTW

I'm running these and have no rub at all. Lowered 30-40mm BTW

Maybe you guys are running different offsets? Or maybe there are subtle differences in the axle/body of each car? When VW built put 16" BBS wheels on the mk3 Anniversary Golf some owners had trouble with the rears rubbing if the car was fully loaded, but others didn't.

hmm weird. The rear of the left arch definitely sticks out much further than on the right

That doesnt suprise me at all, very few cars are symmetrical.

As some members have lowered their suspension by some 25mm on their 45mm height tyres,

I would have thought a 10mm increase in tyre height size from 45mm to 55mm would have been OK.

Obviously this is not the case in theory, as in practice the tyre's height size are fouling inner wing area.

Edited 11 December, 201015 yr by giandougl

many years ago i had a corsa B 1.4i i bought some 15inch fox raceing alloys cant rember tyre size but it was on std suspension and it was the correct tyre size that i needed for the larger alloy any way when i put them on they rubbed on the back arch over bumps ect but once i changed the tyres for a different brand the didnt rub anymore go fig that one can you take a pic of the metal it is rubbing on ? im sure i read some where that some one had a similar issue but just tapped the metal with a hammer to give the extra room needed ? it may have been one of my threads that you read regarding tyre size as i have orderd some 205/55/R16 Sunny SN3830 snow tyres to go on a set of Audi A3 alloys i have which i tested on the car (same size tyre) and they fit fine ?

get some pics up of the problem and someone maybe able to help

As some members have lowered their suspension by some 25mm on their 45mm height tyres,

I would have thought a 10mm increase in tyre height size from 45mm to 55mm would have been OK.

Obviously this is not the case in theory, as in practice the tyre's height size are fouling inner wing area.

Its not a 10mm increase, as posted earlier its 20mm+

Profile is not a measurement its a percentage.

many years ago i had a corsa B 1.4i i bought some 15inch fox raceing alloys cant rember tyre size but it was on std suspension and it was the correct tyre size that i needed for the larger alloy any way when i put them on they rubbed on the back arch over bumps ect but once i changed the tyres for a different brand the didnt rub anymore go fig that one can you take a pic of the metal it is rubbing on ? im sure i read some where that some one had a similar issue but just tapped the metal with a hammer to give the extra room needed ? it may have been one of my threads that you read regarding tyre size as i have orderd some 205/55/R16 Sunny SN3830 snow tyres to go on a set of Audi A3 alloys i have which i tested on the car (same size tyre) and they fit fine ?

get some pics up of the problem and someone maybe able to help

Well we did try bashing it back as much as we dared, which solved the problem when on a nice bit of smooth road, but as soon as the suspension was loaded with any bumps it was scraping badly again.

what tyres are they? if it was mine that was rubbing i would remove inner liner put the wheels back on take it for a drive let it scrub and before removeing tyre again mark metal where the tyre sits then remove and see what its hitting make sure youve got the right area if you know what i mean failing that spacers

just noticed have you uprated your rear brakes? did you have to change hubs? could explain it

just noticed have you uprated your rear brakes? did you have to change hubs? could explain it

Nope the rears are standard (as far as I'm aware)

but your sig says OEM TT 225 312mm brakes so are they Audi TT rear discs? may be only a slight difference but 1mm thinner on the disc and your wheel will move in 1mm if you get me are you useing std fabia alloys

Well after debating with myself for ages, I went to get some winter tyres today.

Since 205/45/16 are nigh on impossible to get in winters, after reading a few threads on here suggesting they would be fine, as well as checking with my insurance, I got some 205/55/16s.

Did you actually tell the insurance company what SIZE tyres you were fitting? And that they were much bigger? (They're nearly 7% bigger if you haven't found out already - max 2.5% is the guideline...)

but your sig says OEM TT 225 312mm brakes so are they Audi TT rear discs? may be only a slight difference but 1mm thinner on the disc and your wheel will move in 1mm if you get me are you useing std fabia alloys

Eh? Whats having 312mm discs up front got to do with the rear?

but your sig says OEM TT 225 312mm brakes so are they Audi TT rear discs? may be only a slight difference but 1mm thinner on the disc and your wheel will move in 1mm if you get me are you useing std fabia alloys

I only changed the fronts. The rears do so little, I left them as standard. All on standard vRS alloys.

Did you actually tell the insurance company what SIZE tyres you were fitting? And that they were much bigger? (They're nearly 7% bigger if you haven't found out already - max 2.5% is the guideline...)

Yeah, first thing I did. They took a bit of time deciding, but in the end they said "That will be fine and won't affect your insurance"