ok, I'm new to being a Prius owner, and have been trying to get a handle on the rim sizes / wheel sizes overall. I've looked over the forum and still am SMH, as I'm sure this subject is beating a dead horse, but I still have 2 questions. 1. Would a 15x6.5 5x100 rim with a 38mm offset work on my 2009 Prius? Brand: ICW Bonzai part number 211ms-5651838 2. What different size tires can I use on the above rim? I know there may be some MPG s lost due to this change. Any advice would be great. Thanks
I have a 2009 Gen II (touring trim) which has 16" alloy wheels shod with Michelin Energy Savers, and I'm about to switch to a set of steel rims (15x6) (5-100) from TireRack shod with Bizzak WS-80s. So far as rims are concerned, I spoke wirth a number of experts both here on PriuChat and at the 2GoB4 meet last year, and they said steelies would be no problem, they even suggested I might look around for a used set of 15" alloy-rims from a junk-yard or recycler. I looked on eBay and found some, but they were all ~$100 and being used, they might have been beaten up or abused, whereas brand-new from TireRack they were only $52. using 15" allows a wider selection of tyres - Here's a link explaining "offset" http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoWheelOffsets.do . Perhaps someone else will chip in with some advice? - hope this helps
Wil,the touring 16 inch wheels will take without problems 205/55/16 tyres. There is a much greater selection of tyres in that size compared with the OEM 195/55/16, and further perhaps surprisingly the 205's are much cheaper. John.
I currently have the 15" wheels. I'm not opposed to going up to a 16" or 17", but figured I would lose lots of MPG going up in size vs keeping the same size stock steel wheels. Thanks
those wheels should work fine with a 205/60r15 tire. you might even fit a 215/55r15, but the 205 will definitely work without ever rubbing.
Thanks John, I think I understand what you're pointing out, but I'm intending keeping the Blizzaks on the 15" steelies as winter wheels and pop the wheels on when the snow flies, and swap the wheels back to the 16" alloys in the warm weather - doing it this way entails swapping wheels which is much easier than swapping tyres (continual stretching and breaking the seals for removal isn't good for them). The Michelins on at the moment are almost worn out so I'll wait for the Spring sales, and get some more Energy Savers then. Thanks for that useful information, though - I'll bear that in mind!
I think the oe backspace is 45mm? spacers aren't needed; but some folks like the look of their wheels flush with the fender. you should be fine. however, you got to make sure you got the right lug nuts for your aftermarket wheels. some wheels do use the factory lugnuts, but most don't. some aftermarket wheels and lugnuts are of dubious quality at best, and heavy as hell.
So it couldn't hurt to install a small (10mm) spacer? Or less..... I want to make sure I have steering clearance......
10mm isn't really "small", at that width, you would have to be concerned with thread engagement of your lug nuts on the studs. Also, keep in mind that alloy wheels and steelies use two different types of lug nuts.
I just put on ChuggyPig's show-shoes, (steelies shod with Blizzaks) and was worried about which lug-nuts, so a quick call to the supplier (TireRack.com) confirmed what I'd suspected. Use the nuts supplied (free) with the rims, since the ones on the OEM 16" rims, although cone-shaped, their surface (contact) area was significantly less, so best use the proper nuts! (FWIW)
you will have clearance without spacers. the spacers might even cause fender rubbing on big bumps, depending on how big a tire you decide to use. the flush look is cool, but if it rubs, its not worth it.
