Will 215 65 r16 fit 1998 outback? I can get 5 free 215 65 r16 in really good shape would hate to see the tires go to the junk yard and would rather send my bad tires to the junk yard and put these good tires on.

i suspect you might have rim issues.

Well I have 205 55 r16 now and they look really small in the wheel well. The 16 inch rim fits I'm worried if the tires would rub.

Well the price is right... you only need to mount one to check clearance.     Someone else no doubt has done this and will check in.

should fit.  Might barely touch the mudflaps in front if you have them.

 

will be slightly larger than stock but not much.

 

Definately will clear the spring perches.

98 Outback came with 15 inch rims, not 16 inch rims, I hope you know that.

Yes I have the 15s on it now with winter tires I put the 16s on in the summer

http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp

 

Check out this site.

 

will answer ypur questions.

 

As previously stated, try one.

 

Take the tires, at the worst you can sell them.

 

O.

i cant seem to figure that page out. i got the tires last night but i dident do as i had planned. i was going to take the wheels off my car and switch them but i dont know what car to put them on now as i have 2 cars with 16 inch wheels. so i ended up grabbing 4 junk tires from my local tire shop and put those on the van to go to scrap and took the good ones. probly wont try to mount them until summer comes along as i have winter tires on now and dont want to take those off yet.

use  205 56 16 as your size as you know these will fit.

use 6..5" rim size and 52 offset for both

 

O.

Edited February 11, 20188 yr by ocei77

this is how 205 55 r16's fit i think there's too big of a gap in the wheel well.

 

this is how 205 55 r16's fit i think there's too big of a gap in the wheel well.

 

 

I am running 205/55/16 for summer tires.  I agree they do not fill out the wheel well at all.  Post some pics when you get this done.  I am looking for a better fit as well.

These are 225/45-17 on my 96 Outback.

52 offset on the Enkeis.

 

Edited February 12, 20188 yr by ocei77

Ok....so covered somewhere(s) on here.

 

Stock: 205/70R15 = 26.3" tall / height

Opt. 1: 215/65R16 = 27.0" tall / height

 

See attached.

 

Should be no fitment issues other than possible rubbing on the front inner wheel wells at full lock.

The tire you want to use is only about a quarter inch larger in radius than the stock tire, but your summer tire is about an inch smaller in radius.  Radius dimensions are the most important as this determines your actual clearance.  The tire is also wider by almost a quarter inch from the center to the edge.  Off the cuff, I'm going to say they would work, but first, put your stock tires back on.  Then use the knuckle closest to your palm of the middle finger as a gauge.

 

The steering knuckle goes up the back of the tire and then over the top to the upper ball joint.  If your middle finger knuckle fits between the tire and the steering knuckle on top and around to the widest part of the tire, you are good to go.

 

If you try this with your summer tires, you only need the knuckle on your finger to clear at the widest part of the tire, but you need at least an inch and a quarter (inch and a half would be better) at the top under the upper ball joint.

 

Edit: if your model is before they started using an upper control arm, the the steering knuckle probably doesn't go over the top of the tire like the current ones do and you should be good to go without any measurements.  They usually leave room for a larger size tire in their designs and .3" should not be a problem.  Also all these measurements are for new tires, used tires will have a smaller radius, so compensate for that as well.

Edited February 12, 20188 yr by keith3267

The steering knuckle goes up the back of the tire and then over the top to the upper ball joint.  If your middle finger knuckle fits between the tire and the steering knuckle on top and around to the widest part of the tire, you are good to go.

 

There is no upper balljoint on this model.

 

The tires will fit.

update i put the tires on today they get really close to the mud flaps and i think might rub the passenger one under the right circumstances witch i think i could fix if i just put an extra screw in it because that mud flap is loose. but they fit. heres a few pictures of how it looks now with the bigger tires. downside is the speedo is off 5 mph when the gauge says 50 its really doing 55 on gps.

 

these are the 215 65 r16

 

 

 

 and heres a before with 205 55 r16

 

Edited April 24, 20187 yr by sirtokesalot