I'll be uploading new pics soon...the weather here has reverted back to winter so I'll have to wait a few days!!
It seems like I got to the bottom of my stretch issue.
After speaking with a bunch of different installers in the city who gave me their expert opinions...it's pretty unanimous.
Different tires have different sidewalls....the dimension of the tire (285) is measured from the inside of the tire. As a result the additional rubber thickness on the sidewall varies from one manufacturer to the other. Some brands and models are also much more square which will make a difference....also why some tires will rub and others won't in the same dimension.
The tires I have fitted (Michelin PSS) just sit this way on this rim. A 285 tire is rated to work on a rim that has a max size of 10.5....this tire just looks this way on my rim. There is absolutely nothing wrong or dangerous about this...it's all cosmetic. The tire bead is properly set, the offset is the right one.
At this point it's really a matter of whether I can live with the stretch look. Tirerack has a manufacturer 30 day return policy. If I want, I have the option of returning the tire for full refund minus shipping and removal and try another tire that might have a squarer look and beefier sidewall so it can sit right up to the lip without a stretched look.
Not sure what I'll do...I'll post pics and maybe you guys can share your opinions?
It's been a learning experience for me since prior to this I didn't know the first thing about rims, tires and finding the right fit, size, setup and look.
