I replaced a bunch of suspension parts, including the rear springs, over the past summer and I'm really happy with the way it turned out but I don't really like the way it looks.

The tires look too small.

I know that if I go up to 195/70R14 then I might be compromising the superb handleing quality on my wagon but i might just give it a try.

Has anyone had any significant problems with going up on tire size?

Kyle,
I posted this a year ago, after finding that different tires, all of them recommended for my car, actually had different circumference:

--
I got my 1987 sedan with a set of Firestone 175/80/14. The car documents say 175SR14. When I found a set of Virgos last year, I had a set of 195/60/15 (Continental) put on them, as I read that this is a compatible 15" alternative. But with the new wheels on the car, I thought they looked a tad bit smaller – subjectively, they don’t seem to fill out the wheel openings like the old wheels did.

Also, the speedometer was a bit more off the mark now. When passing these digital signs along the road telling the drivers the correct speed, I used to see 78 kmh with the 175/80/14 tires when my speedo read 80. Fair enough. But now with the 195/60/15 tires, the speedo reads 80 kmh when my actual speed is 76. Of course, it is just another 2 extra kmh off, but as it all adds up, now the speedo suddenly feels all wrong.

To get a factual grip on things, I finally measured three sets of wheels (all of them with ca 5-8,000 km mileage), and there is a 2-2.5% difference:

Firestone 175/80/14: 1975 mm circumference
Continental 195/60/15: 1926 mm circ.
Dunlop 185/70/14: 1935 mm circ.

I know that the tire calculators aren’t absolutely accurate, there are differences between makes etc. But it still seems that 195/65/15 will be closer to the original 175/80/14 than my current 195/60/15. In the chase for a tire that will fill the wheel openings better and give more precise speedo readings, I will seriously consider going up one size next time I need new tires. I will certainly measure the circumference before I buy.

Erling.
--
My 240 Page

If you're concerned about appearances, then getting a larger tire is just going to make it look worse. What you want is a larger rim, and then lower the tire profile. It'll make the ride a little rougher but it'll improve your handling a tiny bit too.
--
Ken
1990 Volvo 740 base sedan (B230F)
My Volvo 'Project'

On my 78 245 (sold as of Wed.) I ran 205 70s on the original 14" rims.

For the last 3 yrs I ran 205 70s as well. I had intened to run 65's, but the tire store had none in stock and was willing to let me run the 70's till the 65's came in. The thing is, I really liked the 'meaty' look of the 70s and they ran great, so I kept them. My current 79 245 has 205 65 15s on it and I'll be swapping them to 70s or maybe even 75s next month.
--
Too many Volvos: 85 744 m46 NA, 86 744 m46 NA, 86 744 parts buckett, 86 764T (b230ft) AW, 87 744 ZF NA (daily driver till the 245's ready), 88 745 tic AW, 79 245 NA (brick color and love it) b21f, as of yet unseen 1800 in 'fixer upper' condition

Superb handling and Volvo 240 do not fit in the same sentence. You can improve it with aftermarket parts, but it will never even approach, say, a vanilla Subaru AWD.

On the other hand, wider tyres improve handling in my experience. The car is more stable with them, that is, less bouncy, improving directional stability. It stops better, where having more rubber on the road is an advantage. For the same reason, however, it is more prone to aquaplaning (if worn or has poor tread pattern) and less good in deep snow.

The wider tyres also have higher load ratings, so I am more confident to haul lots of landscaping sleepers and bags of concrete.

George Antony

Stock 185R14 = 25.6" diameter. Closest bets are 195/75/14 and 205/70/14.

If going "plus one" to a 15" rim, 205/65/15 would run the closest at 25.5" diameter.

-- Kane
--
Blossom II -'91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles -'74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup -'86 245GL/AW70
The Wayback Machine -'64 P220/M40 ... The ParaBox -'90 745GL/AW70L

I've got 195/70-14 on the US-spec 1983DL, which came with 175R14 from the factory. It's had a lot of tires on its 14 x 5.5 rims (small hubcaps and trim rings) and perhaps the 185/70's looked the best proportioned. Everyone has a different eye, but the 195's look a little 'pudgy' in there. But they have made the speedo and odo just about dead on, and have a slightly higher load rating, and possibly, tread life.

Maybe 205's will look OK on a wagon with its greater bulk.

While Tire Rack's site indicates that 205's are OK on a 5.5 rim width, that's right on the limit, and I don't believe the handling will be the best with the tire beads and sidewalls pinched in as they will be by that narrow rim.

If you want a handling improvement from your tire/wheel arrangement, get a set of 15" Virgo's and a set of "performance" 205/60 tires.
--
Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F, dtr's 83-244DL B23F, 'my' 94-944 B230FD; plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, hobbycar 77 MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

Original tire size for a non-turbo wagon was 185R14, which is about equivalent to 185/80R14.

As the original tire size has limited selection and availability, alternate sizes which are close in total diameter and the same or higher load rating are 195/75R14 and 205/70R14.

You're right: your tires
- apparently smaller than 195-70-14 -
ARE too small.

On a 240 wagon, even 195-70-14 is actually a decrease from stock.

Here's why:
Stock tire size is 185-R-14 (check your passenger door sticker).
This is approximately 185-78-14 or 185-80-14 in current tire sizing.
If using a tire with a 70 profile,
to duplicate the load capacity of the original 185-R-14,
and also the diameter (for speedometer accuracy),
you will need 205-70-14
(or possibly even slightly larger, though I can't promise that larger would fit).
195-75-14 is also a very close match to the orig. diameter and load capacity, and works well.

I've used 205-70-14 on our wagons for years and was pleased.
Now using 195-75-14 snows in New England, with excellent results.
205's will go back on in just a couple weeks or so.

I've got 205/70's on my wagon. Still handles good and rides great. (I love the look, I've got the stainless "button hubcaps" with stainless beauty rings)

Try some Volvo Turbo or IPD sway bars first. Next way to improve handling would be to get some 15" Virgo's or some other 15" alloy wheel. You won't have interference problems if you get tires that are nearly the same diameter as original and you won't change the speedomoeter and odomoter much either. Dan

If you are looking to improve performance, tire selection almost dictates a change to 15" rim due to the price/avaliblity of performance tires for a 14" rim. You can almost buy used 15" rims and new tires for the cost of performance 14's if you can even find them.