^^ I believe the OEM wheels are 16x6.5", the steel wheels on MY03 were. I'm running 225/55-16 on 16x7" rims with +42 offset.
If the tires say not to put on 6.5" rims, I'd go by that. They'd probably work, but may not lay flat on the pavement.


Bobby...

 

are you sure the tire doesn't say not to mount on a 16.5" wheel? 225/55 or 225/60 are fine on the forester.

 

The tire does say that..



Im sure..

 

I just put 225/60/16 snow tires on my inlaws 03 Forester using the stock wheels. Not even close to rubbing anything and a 225/60 is bigger than a 225/55.

The warning on the side of nearly all 16" tires say "do not mount on a 16.5" rim".

 

not 6.5" rim but 16.5" rim?

Never thought of that..Maybe i can find it on the falken site or call um. ha..freaked out for nothing?

 

^
16.5" diameter, not 6.5" width. you should be good.

_taF

 

I think I may be the one who started the tire rubbing rumor. The last time the rear wheels were off my car, I could see what looked like evidence of rubbing on the strut. There is some clearance between the tire and the strut when the car is in the air and on the ground. I can't say with any certainty that there is rubbing or not, but if there is, it is probably only during extreme cornering. What I'm seeing just looks like a dirty strut, with a clean spot right behind where the tire goes.

 

I'm also running 225/55/16 on stock wheel (Bridgstone Potenza 960) and have had no rubbing at all. I've pushed the car pretty hard and still nothing.
If you are rubbing, you can always try a spacer if you want to keep the tires.

 

Called Falken..

and yes its 16.5" diameter rim. :shrug:

 

and yes its 16.5" diameter rim. :shrug:

^^ Something doesn't sound right! You're you're running stock rims?

Bobby...

 

^
your rim is 16.5"?!

_taF

 

Thanks everyone.

talked to falken yesterday and everythings cool. Thanks for the help..