Just a quick question, I need to get new tyres, and I'm considering getting larger ones (I think what I have is smaller than the usual size; I can't remember what I've got off the top of my head though). My question is, are there different standard wheels? Are larger tyres simply more rubber/can I put larger tyres on my current wheels?
Std size would be 155 80 13
you can squeeze (and it is a bit of a squeeze) 175 70 13's on (I think the std wheels are 4 1/2J wide?)
Probably won't make much difference to handling though. You may be better off getting some good 155 tyres....
For 175s to fit well you ideally want 5 1/2j wheels, (5's still better than 4 1/2)
Of course, you could be silly (like some of us) and fit MGF wheels. 185 55 15 but I have to "adjust" the rear arches. A set of mgf 14" steel wheels would work well, I ran a set for a few years with no clearance issues. 185 60 tyres would fit on them OK, and are very well priced.....
Some years ago when TR's were a cheap alternative to an MGB I used to sprint and hillclimb a TR4 and then a TR5. The owners of these car would fit Jaguar tyres to the 5.5 J rims and after copying them I found they were in fact useless because the tyre rolls about and actually less grip was the outcome. The tyre that really worked and was the answer to bringing a lap time of Goodwood down from 1min 58 to a 1min 49 was to use the 195x6015 off the then new Saab Turbo.
As stated you are probably better off using the correct size as a tyre that is not squeezed side ways delivers more grip.
I am looking for a set of 155x13 for a Toledo that I am babysitting for a friend so let us know how your search goes please.
Cheers
Jon
Hmm, thats very strange indeed! I felt sure I had smaller tyres than standard, but apparently not! I searched online before for 155 80 13's Jon, and they seemed easy enough to source?
As I wrote a recent post on this subject, just last week, I researched and took advice and opted for the uniroyal rain expert 3. That was just a pair but at £39 each they're not at all pricey. My other designs were for some falken sincera 832 but they only came through black circles.
[quote/]
Of course, you could be silly (like some of us) and fit MGF wheels. 185 55 15 but I have to "adjust" the rear arches. A set of mgf 14" steel wheels would work well, I ran a set for a few years with no clearance issues. 185 60 tyres would fit on them OK, and are very well priced.....[/quote]
Yes. Well, a set of the 14" maestro/montego wheels, which is what the MGF spares are.Used them for 3 years with winter tyres when I was doing a lot of 12 car night rallies over the winter. Some were very icy, and a couple even snowy (flashbacks to fishtailing down a narrow country road still haunt me, winter tyres are all well and good, but snow over ice is a tricky combo when trying to make up time)
I used spitfire plastic wheel centres that I cut down the outside edges on to fit the centre recess. All very satisfactory....
One word of warning should you go down this route. Don't assume that the spares with "new" tyres are anything of the sort. They are unused, yes. But ancient and only fit for the bin.
My set will be up for sale at some point....when I get round to it. Think they need a clean up and lick of paint first though..
