Focus ZTW Rim/Wheel swap
 

My wife loves her ZTW wagon with 5 speed, but in Chicago, she has trouble with the Low profile tires staying on the pavement with the rain and snow we get. Plus, she keeps forgetting to air up the tires, so when they get lower or when it gets colder, they need air. She's pinched a couple sidewalls that way. Anyway, she's done buying expensive tires, and wants to trade the tires and rims for some plain rims and higher profile tires. Right now I think she has 16 inch factory rims. So am I right to think we need something like 15 inch rims and tires to match? I'm also thinking the tires should be fine if they are the same overall mounted height as the originals. Let me know if I'm wrong, and how I should go about getting the swap done.
Thanks!
Matt

[welcome] to FF! [ffrocks]

Have you looked here?

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=2278

There is all the info you need about the different OEM wheel and tires for your Focus. If you do a 15" wheel, the tire size you need to run is: 195/60/15. Your bolt pattern is 4x108

Moved to Wheels, Tires, Brakes, and Suspension. You should also check out our Buy, Sell, Trade forum for wheels. That will be your best bet to finding factory aluminum or steel wheels. If I were you, I'd get steel wheels for winter tires, and just swap out once a year.

You could just buy OEM-sized 16" tires and keep your existing wheels. Save some money!

If we keep the same rim, and put on a higher profile tire, they would be bigger than the wheel well, and wouldn't have clearance. I think we might have try
a fatter tire on a smaller rim, to keep the same height and overall diameter the same. Let's say with the 16 inch rim and low profile tire it has right now, the overall height of the tire and rim is maybe 24 inches. I need to make sure the overall height of any replacement tire and rim combination does not exceed 24 inches, or it won't fit the car.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
This is a good start to play around with tire sizes and how they effect the diameter.

Stock 15" focus wheels came with 195/60-15s.
Stock 16" focus wheels came with 205/50-16s
Stock 16" focus wheels came with 215/45-17 or 205/45-17

All of those combinations should get you close 24" overall diameter, +/- 2%. Those are the most common focus tire sizes and have been used by many a focus driver [:)] If you do go with a 15" tire, a nice consequence is that the tires are generally the least expensive of the bunch

Thanks for the help!

I don't think it would be hard to trade for stock 15" wheels and possibly gain some cash in the bargain. Just keep your eyes peeled in the trading section and on CL.

I've been trying to get my Ma to swap her 15s...

You may be able to swap with someone... *ahem*

I'm in the Chicago area. It would be great to find someone in this Forum who would be happy to have these aluminum rims. They're pretty nice for being 10 years old. The car itself has only 45,000 miles. Hope she never gets tired of it!