I did a search and didn't really find any posts that specifically answered my question. So I have questions. Explanation & questions below:

Car: 2015 Honda Fit Ex, Manual transmission.
Tires 185/55r16

Problems: We live in the boonies. Potholes abound. Children learning to drive can't seem to avoid any of them so sidewall bulges are running rampant, and becoming too costly.

I've never had this problem with past vehicles (96 malibu, 97 honda accord ex, 2002 Jetta, that all have relatvelys mall tires) Unfortunately those vehicles are all down and out either permanently or temporarily (death by deer, death by teenage driving, defective timing belt)

since, according to the factory help line (so says the tire shop), sidewall bulges are most often caused by the road and the rim connecting when too much pressure is applied at a very specific point on the tire. (sometimes this causes a blow out, sometimes a bulge), and since, according to the factory help line (so says the tire shop) taller tires (higher profile tires) are less likely to experience this than shorter tires (low profile tires)

Idea: Can I use a smaller rim with a bigger height? For example a 185/70r15. This brings up several questions.

1) is there a 15 inch diameter rim that will work on the 2015 honda fit ex
2) will the weight ratios be similar enough, with the tire, that rotation isn't greatly affected
(so forth and so on.)

If I understand tire sizes correctly, the center number is a percentage of the width of the tire, so the 185/55r16 would be just over 101 mm tall, (at 55% of the width of 185mm) or just at 4 inches tall. which, If I am understanding things, with the radius of the tire, puts the over all radius at right around 20 inches. SO, a 185, 70, 15, would keep the width the same, since hitting the tirewell wall while turning is a concern if you go to modding, and the over all radius (again if I am understanding everything I have found so far) with tire plus rim would still be just at 20 inches (we are talking hundredths to thousandths of an inch of difference. VERY small differentiation with over all size.

Assuming my understanding is correct, this will put the height and width at about the same as the 185/55r16, AND should keep the speedometer relatively accurate. The only concern I see, based on this understanding is a possible issue with overall weight & how it might affect engineering of the engine/drive train, specifically the gas mileage, and remotely the wear and tear on the engine. BUT with more rubber and less metal, the weight would be potentially less, and I would think this would be less wear and tear on the engine (but still not extreme difference either way.)

SO:
Is this possible? Or am I barking up the wrong tree? Thanks.

 

The FIT LX comes standard with w/ 15" wheels & 185-60R15 tires. Now you can research whatever special 15" tire you want.

 

Make the kids pay for their own damaged tires.
The learning curve tends be much shorter this way.

 

I was going to ask if the response meant that the lx and ex rims were interchangeable, but I did find these two posts inre rim specs:

16 rims Specs (click)

15 inch rim specs (click)

Which means relatively yes, with the offset being slightly less (3mm). Hopefully this wouldn't make a difference,

I did find a tire comparison website https://tiresize.com/comparison/ which lets me compare the tire rotations per mile, height, etc. It looks like I was a bit off base. the 185/65r15 would be a smidge taller than the 185/55r16. I still don't have any information rim and tire weight and relative effect on the car, but given the potholes AND the fact that I can get warrantied tires at the 185/65r15 size for less than the cheapest tire at the 185/55r16 size. I think it behooves me to switch. I am the kind of person who keeps a car until it's dead.

Unfortunately the aftermarket shops dont seem to sell 15x16 4x100 rims. just 15x16.5 4x100 for the smallest that I have found so far with one exception at tirerack.com which was 18lbs steel, black painted 15x6 45mm offset. Tirebuyer.com seems to have 15x16.5 as the smallest with 38mm offset, and it specifies the bolt patters (4x100) with varying bolt sizes (4x100, 4x108, 4x4.5) which brings me to question the offsets and bolt sizes.

Does the extra half inch in rim width make the offset match on something that is like a 39 offset or would I still need to look for around a 53mm offset?, how does the offset affect rims of differing widths? And the bolt sizes, is this simply the length of the bolt in relation to the rim (would I need to get new bolts and/or lug nuts?) Do I need to worry about bolt sizes when looking at rims?

Thank you.

 

I purchased -1 14" rims for my 2016 Fit snow tires. They have a much more forgiving tire and a cushier ride in winter. There might be worse handling. My snow tires are narrower, allowing them to cut through snow and grip underlying ice. Damaging 14" rims are much harder than 15s but it is still possible.

Note that the 2015/2016 Fit uses the same 4x100 rims as the Mini.

 

I know the one thing I have in plenty is ignorance, but I am working on it. Where did you buy your 14 inch rims? and are you referencing the mini-cooper?

I did find information on the offset, a positive offset putting the mounting surface closer to the outside edge of the wheel and the negative offset putting the mounting surface closer to the inside edge of the wheel. SO if I understand that correctly, it means that the smaller the offset number, the closer to the fender for the wheel, and the larger the offset number, the closer to the suspension & inner wheel well/engine wall for the wheel.

But I still have not found any reference on safe offset numbers for the honda fits (in general, much less specifically the 2015 model) for rims.

And I have found sites that claim that anything larger than the oem bore will work fine, i.e. there's a nice looking wheel set online for 315 shipped that has a 73.1 bore diameter that claims it will work for the 2015 honda fit (all trims) but the offset is 38mm. visualizing it with a 185/65r15 tire (using a measuring stick to reference), it seems to me that it should still clear the fender fairly well on the turns but I'd feel better with something with numbers I could read.

I still haven't found anything that indicates whether I can use the stock lug nuts or if I'll have to replace those. Showing my ignorance again.

I think the bolt sizes I was reading on the one site was just incorrectly referencing the bolt patterns (4x100 vs 4x4.5, etc.) But I think the lug nut question is a valid one.

Anyone who can give me informed feedback on these questions, please do. I'd be grateful.

Thank you.

 

I bought 4, 15" steel wheels and 185/60R x 15 snow tires from Tire Rack for my '15 Fit EX. The wheels had about 5mm less offset than the stock alloy wheels IIRC, but fit fine. The 60 section tires ended up being SLIGHTLY smaller in diameter than the stock 185/55R-16 tires (about a 2 MPH speedometer error at 65 MPH-checked against my GPS). I suspect that 185/65R-15 tires could work, but I haven't tried them.


Tire Rack sent lug nuts to use with the steel wheels. If you go that route, be sure you carry 4 of the OEM lug nuts in the trunk to use with the donut spare, as the donut spare uses the same lugs nuts as the OEM wheels.

 

I just went to my local tire store for snow tires and they recommended a -1 14 rim. The logic of a -1 for winter makes sense and the tires worked very well this winter.

Yes, the 2016 Fit's 4x100 are the same as the Mini-Cooper.

 

Curious. I intend to do the same thing. Did you use 65 or 70 series Winters? thks

 

@TorontoBoy
You mention the difference in handling. I am on the phone with the tire shop now asking about the availability of the 185/70r14 sizes and prices. and he mentioned that it shouldn't if I go with the same width tire. Do you notice anything specific?

Also, (I guess for anyone) is there any concern with the 4 wheel abs being affected by the differing tire sizes? The Tech mentioned that the abs pressure is calculated according to speed & taller over all tires might cause too much pressure, locking brakes, while shorter tire over all tire size might cause too little pressure to be applied.

Have you noticed any issues with the ABS on your winter tires with the 14 inch rims? Thanks.

 

Any plans for your EX OEM 16" wheels & tires? Although the wife doesn't care (perhaps that is a bit mild), I really like the look of tbe alloy wheels over the LX 15" steelies w/ wheel covers.

While I am at it, out-of-the-door does Honda reprogram the EX speedo to compensate for 16" wheels, versus the LX 15"?

 

I bought -1 14" 175/65r14s Michelin X-ice3s. They really worked well this last winter and I recommend them. I had thought that the Fit, with its huge 5.5" of ground clearance, might be too low, but these tires made it very tractor like. I was also able to use the hand brake and slide the rear end of the car when there was ice on the road, and no wife beside me.

 

I did not notice anything specific. I felt the ride was a tiny bit cushier than the OEMs, but then again it was winter. I don't really push the Fit when cornering, so no, no difference.

 

The 15" and 16" wheels are the exact same diameter, so no speedo calibration required. The 16" rims are shod with tires that have reduced sidewalls, which will make the ride harsher but provide better handling, or so people say. Nevertheless the overall wheel diameter is exactly the same, no speedo changes needed.

 

Someone doesn't understand how ABS works.
Simple answer is no, as long as all 4 tires on the car are the same size.

 

No. .
........

 

This is all very good information & you are all being very patient with my ignorance. Thank you very much.

As far as the stock rims, at this time we haven't decided what to do, whether to keep them for emergency back up or to sell them. It's highly unlikely that we would ever sell the vehicle, so the only use we would have is emergency back up, in case we need them, but we have never had spare rims before & have faired ok so far. However, the stock picture on the other rims I'm looking at says "made in china" so I may hang on to the old rims&tires for a while to be safe.

I honestly don't like the look of the rims I am considering from tire rack (new lugs included in package, 14x6 steel, painted black, 4x100 bolt pattern, 56.1 center bore, at 46.00 us per rim before shipping), but given the cushion from the extra side walls, the substantial difference in price for a 185/70r14 versus a 185/55r16 tire (65,000 mile warrantied tire for 56.00 us versus 106.00 us for a tire without a warranty), I think in the long run it behooves me to switch. There will be a few tire shops out there that won't sell me tires, but I can simply take the rims in once the other vehicle is running, if need be. Besides, we have a used tire shop here that will install and balance tires for 5.00 per, if I take the just the tires & rims to them, with a 1.50 disposal fee on any old tires.

IF/Since the simple, accurate answer is no worry on the abs, then I think this is the route I will pursue.

The tire comparison at tiresize.com has the stock tires, 185/55r16 running at 840 revolutions per mile, and the 185/65r15 running at 825 revolutions per mile and a 1.9 mph faster speed at 90mph. so it would be going 91.5mph when the gauge reads 90mph. The comparison has the 185,70r14 running at 834 revolutions per mile and the actual speed at 90.8mph when the gauge reads 90mph As long as no one in the family tries to speed, this sounds like the best option so far.

 

I would not buy rims or tires from China. They are too important for the safety of my family and myself. For items such as smartphones or computer hardware, maybe, but not rims. If they fail someone could get seriously hurt. Most rims come with no brand name, so warranty would be with the seller, not the manufacturer.

The Canadian custom for snows is to have bare steel rims with no hub caps. In the snow simpler is better. Snow gets into the hub caps, messing them up. Nice alum rims can develop leaks when salt gets into the seal.

If you have others near you that have the older Fits, some of them came OEM with 14" rims.

You do not state your location in the US. If you have snow, you could consider snows for the winter.

 

The next option is the American Racing ar95 estella @77.00 each but an offset of 35mm, which if I am understanding correctly, sets it much closer to the outside of the vehicle. I would think this would be an issue while turning, No?

Edit: we are officially considered the south. Occasionally we get snow. usually a dribble, but on rare occasions we have gotten as much as 14 inches or better. But we've never gotten a "surprise" storm that the road crews didn't have cleaned by the time we had to drive.

 

also, which older oem fit rims @ 14 inch size would work for the size I need? (56.1 bore, 4x100, 14x6 or 14x5.5, etc.)?

Edit, I am finding that from 2006 to 2008 they have 14 to 15 inch rims that are from 5.5 to 6.5 with the 4x100 bolt pattern but nothing on the hub size. Looking at model specific threads talking about wheels, I am seeing generic remarks that suggest that all honda fit hubs come in at 56.1mm, is this true?

and are the lug bolts all the same size, or would there be concerns about that as well?