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Author: Subject: How much better are 13" wheels?
alistairolsen

posted on 24/9/11 at 08:41 PM Reply With Quote
13 inch rims arent used for performance in F1, theyre used because the rules dictate it!

High sidewall tyres arent a good answer, but necessary because no tyres are made for little lightweight cars.

In many cases larger wheels are driven by larger brakes and nothing else.

If yoy look at any race championship with freedom on wheel sizes they will be large, low profile and extremely light to house the biggest brakes possible and have low profile tyres. The lower profile is less forgiving but acceptable in a race car.





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scutter

posted on 25/9/11 at 09:20 AM Reply With Quote
Stu, After swapping to 13" rims, my car feels a lot better. Ride and avaliable secondhand race tyres also swing it in that direction.

ATB Dan.





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coozer

posted on 25/9/11 at 10:07 AM Reply With Quote
I'll let you know after I get the 13,s to fit!





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Jon Ison

posted on 25/9/11 at 11:18 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by alistairolsen
13 inch rims arent used for performance in F1, theyre used because the rules dictate it!

High sidewall tyres arent a good answer, but necessary because no tyres are made for little lightweight cars.

In many cases larger wheels are driven by larger brakes and nothing else.

If you look at any race championship with freedom on wheel sizes they will be large, low profile and extremely light to house the biggest brakes possible and have low profile tyres. The lower profile is less forgiving but acceptable in a race car.


Your missing the point slightly though , we are talking 7 type cars here, most are over-braked already with no need for all singing and dancing super duper huge brakes, most brakes on a 7 struggle to get up to optimum operating temperature, when was the last time you saw a 7 come off track with smoke coming form the brakes because there so hot ? Ive yet to come across brake fade even after 1 hour non stop runs.

I wouldn't run a 1000kg + track car on 13's, I also wouldn't run a 500kg 7 on 15's with low profile tyres.

All imho of course.

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alistairolsen

posted on 25/9/11 at 12:27 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jon Ison
quote:
Originally posted by alistairolsen
13 inch rims arent used for performance in F1, theyre used because the rules dictate it!

High sidewall tyres arent a good answer, but necessary because no tyres are made for little lightweight cars.

In many cases larger wheels are driven by larger brakes and nothing else.

If you look at any race championship with freedom on wheel sizes they will be large, low profile and extremely light to house the biggest brakes possible and have low profile tyres. The lower profile is less forgiving but acceptable in a race car.


Your missing the point slightly though , we are talking 7 type cars here, most are over-braked already with no need for all singing and dancing super duper huge brakes, most brakes on a 7 struggle to get up to optimum operating temperature, when was the last time you saw a 7 come off track with smoke coming form the brakes because there so hot ? Ive yet to come across brake fade even after 1 hour non stop runs.

I wouldn't run a 1000kg + track car on 13's, I also wouldn't run a 500kg 7 on 15's with low profile tyres.

All imho of course.


You're missing my point

on a seven, I intend to run 13s, because there are commonly available secondhand slicks and because I dont need huge brakes etc and because as a light car, high sidewalls are beneficial.

What Im disagreeing with is people suggesting they are the ultimate in performance and low profile tyres are pointless and specifically quoting F1 as an example, all of which is clearly tosh!

The use of high sidewall 13s on seven type cars is a very application specific compromise!





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Jos Fury

posted on 26/9/11 at 08:36 AM Reply With Quote
I switched from 6x14 185 60 14 superlites, to 6x13 175 70 13 revolutions.
on the scales, the revo was 2 kg lighter. incl. tyre 2,5 kg.
(also saved 7kg in total on front brakes when switching to wilwood powerlites)
car feels more comfy and better handling, more predictable although I haven't drivin that much after the wheel swap

[Edited on 26/9/11 by Jos Fury]

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britishtrident

posted on 26/9/11 at 10:49 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by alistairolsen
13 inch rims arent used for performance in F1, theyre used because the rules dictate it!

High sidewall tyres arent a good answer, but necessary because no tyres are made for little lightweight cars.

In many cases larger wheels are driven by larger brakes and nothing else.

If yoy look at any race championship with freedom on wheel sizes they will be large, low profile and extremely light to house the biggest brakes possible and have low profile tyres. The lower profile is less forgiving but acceptable in a race car.


Yes with a racing slick breakaway characteristic is more controlled by compound than anything else





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Neville Jones

posted on 26/9/11 at 11:17 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident


Yes with a racing slick breakaway characteristic is more controlled by compound than anything else


Breakaway is more to do with tyre construction than compound. The construction dictates how the tread(slick) compound reacts with the road. Crossplys will be very different to radials.

Put the smallest wheel on that you can get away with, and then the lightest tyre, if performance is the end goal. For the road, like Mark Allanson and a couple of others have put, you just can't better a good 13" wheel with a sensible less low profile will keep you comfortable and on the road in all weathers.

Winter is coming. Watch for the BEC's going off the road on their 15"+ wheels with silly ultra low profile tyres, all suspended on ridiculously high rate springs. There's a few every year.

Cheers,
Nev.

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imp paul

posted on 26/9/11 at 12:52 PM Reply With Quote
i just got these 13 wheel porn very rare rims Description
Description


[Edited on 26/9/11 by imp paul]

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whitestu

posted on 26/9/11 at 02:34 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks for all the replies - it was real world experience of switching to 13s that I was after [though the theory is good as well], which given what has been said backs up my thoughts that 13s are definately worth going for.


Stu

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