Ok, so, I just bought some used 17 x 9 ten spoke SS rims, and I've done some research, but I'm still clueless about tires. I've read that the most they'll fit is 275. This is the tire depth, right? How does this correspond to the 9" that the rim has as depth? Some basic questions I need info on:

1) What is the range of wheel width (the first number?) I can use on this rim?
2) I'd prefer the lowest profile (2nd number?) possible, does this have any effect on handling/performance?
3) I'm looking to spend around $100 a tire; at this price point, are there certain brands/models I should steer towards or away from?

Trust me guys, I looked around, trying to get clear cut info on this stuff, and only posted after I'd found pretty much little to no info. Thanks for any help!

 

the majority of people will go with what came factory on the SS and WS6's, and that would be a 275/40/17, this is also basically exaclty the same overall diameter as the stock 245/50/16 tire. so the speedo wont be off

275 is the width of the tire from sidewall to sidewall in mm
40 is the height of the sidewall, or aspect ratio. This means that the sidewall is = to 40% of the width of the tire
17 is the diameter of the rim


if you go with a lower profile(aspect ratio above), the overall diameter will be shorter leaving lots of wheel gap, along with your speedo being faster than you are really going

for tire choices...100 a tire limits you to next to nothing in terms of selection and quality. Tire Racks prices are close to that, but then you gotta pay shipping, then find a place to mount them, prolly charging upwards to 20 bucks a wheel, then worry about future maint. cost on the tires etc. find the nearest DTC to you give them a call and let them know your situation, and they'll set you with the perfect tire for you needs and budget