Tyre sizing

[belle427]

I see the standard size for a 2004 Vrs is 205/45/16 but mine has 215/45/16 fitted.

Just wondered is there any reason for this?

[vindaloo]

If all 4 are the same there shouldn't be too much of an issue. Though load rating number should be 83 minimum and speed rating should be a W.

Possibly an extra 5mm a side gives a better chance of keeping the alloys un-kerbed.

[StevesTruck]

Might have been someone wanting a tiny amount more grip, or like @vindaloosays, kerb protection for the wheels. Bit of a length to go to though because 215's are normally expensive in any size. 

[KenONeill]

6 hours ago, belle427 said:

I see the standard size for a 2004 Vrs is 205/45/16 but mine has 215/45/16 fitted.

Just wondered is there any reason for this?

Or, unlike what the previous commentators say, because a 215/45R16 is cheaper than a 205/45R16.

[Carlston]

8 hours ago, belle427 said:

I see the standard size for a 2004 Vrs is 205/45/16 but mine has 215/45/16 fitted.

Just wondered is there any reason for this?

 

According to ETRTO, 215/45R16 needs at least a 7J rim width. The 6.5Jx16 ET37 RS rims, are officially too narrow for this size tyre. An owner might have chosen 215/45R16 over 205/45R16 or 195/45R16 for appearances. 195/45R16 is by far the cheapest tyre size out of these three tyre sizes.

 

11	6Y0601025M	Aluminium rim	6,5JX16 ET37	4	"RS"
	6Y0601025M 7ZS	chrome coloured metallic

 

https://www.lllparts.co.uk/catalogs/skoda/CZ/FAB/225/6/601/601050

 

According to wheel-size.com the Fabia MK1 VRS the standard 16" tyre size is 195/45R16. However, wheel-size.com do often make mistakes, so check other information such as inside the fuel filler flap for the standard Skoda tyre sizes.

Skoda Fabia 2004 1.9TDI

– Generation: Mk1 (6Y) [1999 .. 2007]   

– Power: 129 hp | 96 kW | 131 PS 

– Engine: 1.9L, ASZ, BLT, I4, Diesel

– Options: vRS

– Center Bore: 57.1 mm 

– PCD: 5x100 

– Wheel Fasteners: Lug bolts 

– Wheel Tightening Torque: unknown

– Thread Size: M14 x 1.5 

– Trim Production: [2003 .. 2007]

Tire	Rim
195/50R15 82V	6Jx15 ET43	2.2 / 2.3
195/45R16 82V	6.5Jx16 ET43	2.1 / 2.2
205/45R16 82V	6.5Jx16 ET45	2.1 / 2.2
205/40ZR17 82W	7Jx17 ET45	2.1 / 2.2

 

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/skoda/fabia/2004/#trim-19tdi-eudm-129

 

Edited 5 October, 2022 by Carlston

[HeavyMetalRich]

205/45R16 tyres are quite uncommon and as such are relatively expensive compared to the 215/45R16s. 

 

The 215s are fitted to MkIII Fabias.

[vindaloo]

19 hours ago, Carlston said:

 

According to ETRTO, 215/45R16 needs at least a 7J rim width. The 6.5Jx16 ET37 RS rims, are officially too narrow for this size tyre. An owner might have chosen 215/45R16 over 205/45R16 or 195/45R16 for appearances. 195/45R16 is by far the cheapest tyre size out of these three tyre sizes.

 

11	6Y0601025M	Aluminium rim	6,5JX16 ET37	4	"RS"
	6Y0601025M 7ZS	chrome coloured metallic

 

https://www.lllparts.co.uk/catalogs/skoda/CZ/FAB/225/6/601/601050

 

According to wheel-size.com the Fabia MK1 VRS the standard 16" tyre size is 195/45R16. However, wheel-size.com do often make mistakes, so check other information such as inside the fuel filler flap for the standard Skoda tyre sizes.

Skoda Fabia 2004 1.9TDI

– Generation: Mk1 (6Y) [1999 .. 2007]   

– Power: 129 hp | 96 kW | 131 PS 

– Engine: 1.9L, ASZ, BLT, I4, Diesel

– Options: vRS

– Center Bore: 57.1 mm 

– PCD: 5x100 

– Wheel Fasteners: Lug bolts 

– Wheel Tightening Torque: unknown

– Thread Size: M14 x 1.5 

– Trim Production: [2003 .. 2007]

Tire	Rim
195/50R15 82V	6Jx15 ET43	2.2 / 2.3
195/45R16 82V	6.5Jx16 ET43	2.1 / 2.2
205/45R16 82V	6.5Jx16 ET45	2.1 / 2.2
205/40ZR17 82W	7Jx17 ET45	2.1 / 2.2

 

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/skoda/fabia/2004/#trim-19tdi-eudm-129

 

 

The standard fit for the VRS is 205/45 R16 83W. Apparently needs the "W" rating rather than a "V" rating due to engine/drivetrain torque.

If I can find them I spend an extra £5 a corner (usually) to get reinforced or extra load tyres (87W). As the Fabia VRS front end is a heavy chunk and some tyres feel too "floppy" on the front end and quickly seem to adopt a deflated look.

 

 

[sepulchrave]

37 minutes ago, vindaloo said:

The standard fit for the VRS is 205/45 R16 83W. Apparently needs the "W" rating rather than a "V" rating due to engine/drivetrain torque.

 

That sounds like Internet mythology to me, the VRS is lighter than a Golf with the same engine, or any other VAG group car with the PD130 for that matter, the lack of weight is what makes the VRS the quickest.

 

V rating is good up to 149 mph, speed rating is mostly down to the strength of the radial belt and its ability to resist stretching or breaking as rotational velocity increases.

[StevesTruck]

I found mine, and the Ibiza before it were better on load rated tyres. 

 

It's not that the Fabia's heavy, more that the weight distribution is terrible. 

[sepulchrave]

To be honest it's tough getting low profile tyres in lower speed ratings anyway, why would a manufacturer bother making V rated tyres when they can make W rated tyres for almost the same price.

[belle427]

These days there isn’t much price difference between a larger tyre and a smaller one.

Premium 18:inch tyres on my old Golf Gti were around £90 a corner, seems like 16 inch are not that far away.

[sepulchrave]

2 hours ago, belle427 said:

These days there isn’t much price difference between a larger tyre and a smaller one.

Premium 18:inch tyres on my old Golf Gti were around £90 a corner, seems like 16 inch are not that far away.

 

I think it's more to do with popularity, some sizes fly off the shelves while others sit there gathering dust, popular sizes tend to be cheaper and those sizes tend to be OE fitment sizes, tinkering about changing one dimension slightly can make a tyre much rarer and therefore more expensive.

[Owainsdad]

3 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

 

I think it's more to do with popularity, some sizes fly off the shelves while others sit there gathering dust, popular sizes tend to be cheaper and those sizes tend to be OE fitment sizes, tinkering about changing one dimension slightly can make a tyre much rarer and therefore more expensive.

Just like the 195/55/13's on my old Renault 5 GT Turbo, thirty-something years ago - they were ridiculous, due to the fact that the R5GT was the only car that they were standard fitment on.... 😲

[nta16]

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

9 hours ago, belle427 said:

These days there isn’t much price difference between a larger tyre and a smaller one.

Premium 18:inch tyres on my old Golf Gti were around £90 a corner, seems like 16 inch are not that far away.

Tyre size is wheel width (16"), tyre width (205mm) and sidewall height (as a percentage ratio of tyre width, 55%) so it's these three dimensions that count as tyre size rather than just wheel width size of them for this subject.

 

Edited 7 October, 2022 by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

[vindaloo]

On 06/10/2022 at 18:37, sepulchrave said:

 

That sounds like Internet mythology to me, the VRS is lighter than a Golf with the same engine, or any other VAG group car with the PD130 for that matter, the lack of weight is what makes the VRS the quickest.

 

V rating is good up to 149 mph, speed rating is mostly down to the strength of the radial belt and its ability to resist stretching or breaking as rotational velocity increases.

 

My investigations have been inconclusive.

 

Tyre size 205/45 83W R16 was fitted from new. AIUI either Bridgestones or Continentals. I'd guess that's also on the sticker if it's still inside the fuel cap. I have tended to fit 87W as I like running higher tyre pressure on the fronts and think that a reinforced or XL tyre should have a stiffer sidewall to help steering..... If not comfort.

 

I made some remark back in 2010 according to Briskoda where I asked if anyone knew of a statement in the owners documents that the car would explode if driven on the wrong tyres. Various organisations seem to recommend the "W" rating as the correct one for the car.

 

<shrug> To be honest, I'd rather put a better branded V rated on it, in a push, than a ditch-finder with a W on the side of it.

[belle427]

My spare is 205/45/16.

I know some use bigger tyres for extra grip and rim protection etc, I was just curious.

I always try to buy premium where I can, the difference is literally night and day.

Some impressive tyres I've tried in the past include uniroyal rainsport, Goodyear Eagle f1 and Michelin pilot sport.

 

 

[Carlston]

On 10/10/2022 at 02:46, vindaloo said:

Tyre size 205/45 83W R16 was fitted from new...I have tended to fit 87W as I like running higher tyre pressure on the fronts and think that a reinforced or XL tyre should have a stiffer sidewall to help steering...If not comfort.

 

Porsche tend to fit Standard Load tyres rather than Extra Load tyres as Original Equipment. If XL helped steering I expect Porsche would have fitted them.

 

Edited 12 October, 2022 by Carlston

[DC2990]

With a front wheel drive car fitted with a diesel engine having stiffer sidewalls can only be a good thing.

[vindaloo]

On 12/10/2022 at 19:24, Carlston said:

 

Porsche tend to fit Standard Load tyres rather than Extra Load tyres as Original Equipment. If XL helped steering I expect Porsche would have fitted them.

 

My experience is that side wall stiffness varies a lot by tyre manufacturer. (Assuming summer tyres). Only considering the Fabia, the most pliant have been Uniroyal Rainsports 2s and 3s, I think. Something like a Pirelli P Zero or a Continental Sportcontact 2 seem far stiffer. I can feel the difference if say, Rainsports on the front are swapped front/rear with Contis. The car suddenly seemed to steer better but the back felt a little more adjustable.

 

(The main reason for doing this BTW, is that the car tried to throw itself off the road backwards in the wet with Rainsports on the front and not Rainsports on the back). My car's not standard suspension wise. Eibach springs, dampers and a Jabbasport RARB. It's the RARB that makes things a little too interesting if the tyre balance is wrong.

[sepulchrave]

That Jabbasport RARB is too stiff, always was, it's a track mod, alright on slicks, pants on the road.

[KenONeill]

17 hours ago, vindaloo said:

Jabbasport RARB. It's the RARB

I think the RARB is adjustable, so you could try setting it softer.

[vindaloo]

On 14/10/2022 at 13:24, KenONeill said:

I think the RARB is adjustable, so you could try setting it softer.

The Jabba one is fixed. The Whiteline ones can be adjustable. Though I don't think I've seen many fixed Whiteline ones in the UK.

[faboka vrs]

Or ditch the Jabba and fit a 25mm H&R one which is even stiffer 😎

 

Never had an issue with the Jabba or H&R when fitted with decent tyres.

[vindaloo]

On 13/10/2022 at 20:53, sepulchrave said:

That Jabbasport RARB is too stiff, always was, it's a track mod, alright on slicks, pants on the road.

 

I'll agree that a Fabia on standard suspension shouldn't have a Jabba RARB or anything stiffer unless it's for a bet involving beers and a track.