widest tire ? Options

[CelicaB]

first off let me say i did a search, and didnt quite find what i was looking for... im looking to get the widest possible tire under my car, i noticed alot of people running 215/40 or 45/17 with about a 40 mm offset
my car isnt lowered, nor will it be, sooo can i get something like a 225/45/17 or maybe even 235/40/17 under without rubbing?? and also i want the tire set very close to the outside of the fender, so if anyone could give me advice to what off-set i need, or if you have pictures of how your tires are set and what off set would be great!
thanks
Celica B

[ConeTrouble]

CelicaB,

I really need a bit more information, here. You are wanting to go with the widest possible tire... but you didn't say what width wheels you are running. Since you mentioned the 17" diameter, I would say you have some aftermarket rims. What is the width? They come in a few different flavors, ranging from 6 - 8 inches. This is going to make a big difference on what size tire you can squeeze on there.

Also, you want to be careful on what you do, here. While you might be physically able to squeeze a 295/30/17 on a 7in. wide wheel, it is not something that you would probably enjoy driving on. The reasoning is that you have the tire bulging out over the rim, and you sidewall will flex when you go around a corner.

Why is it that you want to put the widest tire you can on there?