225 RE050a
 

With all due respect to Honda's recommendation of 225 RE050a replacing S02s, how do they fit? I have some "place holder" 225 Toyo Proxes T1-R tyres and it is quite clear that 225 is totally wrong (too skinny) for the rear. Do the RE050a also have a 245 foot print like the S02 or are they truly 225s?

I understand they really are 225, so probably look a bit narrow.

With 205/245 on mine the front looks wider than it did with S02s, but the rears look the same.

I have the opportunity to check later today. I'm putting on a newly refurbed set of 16" with RE050A (205/225) and removing the original wheels with S02's.

I'll line them up next to each other while the car is up on stands.

Get some photo's up and lets see them

In theory the width should be the same.

However, the rear S02s had a larger contact area (i.e. less tread/drainholes) so actuall more rubber was in contact with ground than normal 225s (which all have larger rain channels/tread etc.). That's why it's always been recommended to go for 245 if not s02s.

It is my understanding that the RE050s have larger tread/drain channels than the s02s so for the equivalent amound of rubber contact (i.e. grip!) you need larger size.

I could be wrong but I've never had conclusive reasoning to say otherwise.

Basically you want as much rear grip as the S02s provide.

The central grooves do look huge on the RE050A's.

Things are not going well at work today so this may be a job for tomorrow.

The tread isn't as wide either. So it's a double whammy effect of less width and wider grooves.

The S-02s had a wider tread (245) on the (225) carcass, which is why they look so 'square'.

The larger carcass will pull the sidewalls in a bit further, resulting in more internal slip (squim) than a 225 would.

Also I understand the the 050A is not yet available in the 'correct' 245/45-16 size, which is thy everyone is going for the 'recommended' size.

Well that makes me feel a bit better about getting the 225's. For a minute I thought I had missed out on something.

I remember putting some S03 225's on a few years ago and the rears lasted about 6000 miles.

Well, I will go for the "recommended" 205/225 in RE-01Rs then, since they also don't have the 245s in this yet. They are only place holders for when switching over race/street tyres on my 17" anyway.

Thanks a bunch.