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Author: Subject: Can I have a wider rear than front????
Jasper

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:13 AM Reply With Quote
Can I have a wider rear than front????

Is there any reason that I shouldn't have the back of the car wider then the front?

I want to fit 225s on 8 rims on the back, but just 205's on 7 inch rims on the front, and I want the rears as wide as possible to give me a decent footprint.

Thoughts appreciated....

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RazMan

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:15 AM Reply With Quote
That practically my setup (except I've got 245/35 on the rear) and it handles beautifully





Cheers,
Raz

When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box

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macnab

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:25 AM Reply With Quote
I think people get a bit carried on this site when it comes to handling, lets face it these cars are really low with great suspension systems compared to you average car. They are always going to handle well, unless someone does something really extreme like bike tyres on the front and balloons on the back. Slight differences in tyre size ain't going to make the slightest difference. More important is the quality of the tyres when it comes to grip. IMOP






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Jasper

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:36 AM Reply With Quote
One of my worries is overtyre-ing, don't want to be sliding around in the wet too much...
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miegru

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:38 AM Reply With Quote
In my previous seven (a VM) I used to have 235/16/35 on the back and 205/16/40 on the front. This was what the factory was running on their demonstrator (german company).

Looked good and drove good on good dry roads. It was tramlining like hell on bad roads and it really scared me in wet conditions.

Now I have 185/15/60 on the front and 205/15/55 on the back. I find this gives traction enough (Yokohama A048) for my 200bhp seven.

For a seven I would always go with the smallest diameter wheel you can have (my previous 13"did't give me enough clearance unless I went for a bad setup), relatively high tyrewalls and when in doubt; go smaller!

Offcourse from the looks perspective it is a matter of taste. I actually like a seven with 13" wheels and highwall tyres. The current owner of my old seven went and installed some 18" rims on 25 section tyres.......

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Jasper

posted on 19/2/07 at 11:43 AM Reply With Quote
Ahh yes, but mine iisn't a Seven
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macnab

posted on 19/2/07 at 12:06 PM Reply With Quote
yip for yours roller skate wheels should do fine






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macnab

posted on 19/2/07 at 12:09 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
One of my worries is overtyre-ing, don't want to be sliding around in the wet too much...


if you have seen tyres that won't slide in the wet when you put 300bhp/ton through them, let me know...






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wilkingj

posted on 19/2/07 at 12:24 PM Reply With Quote
I have 235/40 x17 on the back, and 205/40 x 17 on the front.
I dont bother with a spare, (Spare is a can of puncture seal).

In Hindsight I should have gone 245 or even 265 on the rear...

I just cant get all the power onto the tarmac, in the dry.
Sod the Wet... it stays in the garage for that weather.

Been out when its a bit greasy on the road, ie not really wet, and its a bloody handful if you are silly with the right foot.
Stilll thats half the fun of a rear wheel drive V8 weighing in at approx 700Kgs.







1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk

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Guinness

posted on 19/2/07 at 12:56 PM Reply With Quote
I have 235/45/17's on the tin top and in the wet it's drift city. Hmm fun. As mentioned find me a set of tyres that can cope with 300bhp RWD set up AND rain and I'd buy a set!

Mike






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G3OFF

posted on 19/2/07 at 01:19 PM Reply With Quote
265/30/18 rear, handles like its on rails...







no such thing as to much power......

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Peteff

posted on 19/2/07 at 01:23 PM Reply With Quote
and it handles beautifully

Handling and (roadholding) grip are two different things, handling is what you find out about when the grip runs out You want something that you can catch when the grip runs out or you'll be claiming off the insurance.





yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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miegru

posted on 19/2/07 at 01:29 PM Reply With Quote
With those wide rear tyres; what kind of pressure are you running?

My 205's at the rear run only at 14psi (when cold). Any higher and I can't get the heat evenly distributed.

With 40 series tyres the sidewalls must be very stiff or am I wrong in this? How can you make the middle of the tyre carry any weight?

This gave me problems with my last seven (toyo proxes; 235/35 16). I needed at least 22 psi to avoid the tire getting 'wobly' during cornering. Then again I was only running 150bhp).

How do you guys do that?

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NS Dev

posted on 19/2/07 at 02:05 PM Reply With Quote
ooohhhh this is so amusing!!!!!!!!!

I know of cars in autograss weighing 500or so kg, running 195mm wide tyres, putting down 500hp onto MUD, without issue.

I think this statement says a lot:

"265/30/18 rear, handles like its on rails...
"

30 profile tyres on a 7 will give launch (and bumpy road) grip akin to soap on lino.

There are a few on here that seem to understand how tyres work, and an awful lot that don't.

May I suggest looking at your suspension BEFORE looking at tyres, and using the HIGHEST profile, lightest tyre that you can find in a 185, 195 or 205 width. You don;t need any wider than that on a 500-600kg car, physics prevents use of more rubber than that, have a think first and you may see!





Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion retro car restoration and tuning

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NS Dev

posted on 19/2/07 at 02:08 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by miegru
With those wide rear tyres; what kind of pressure are you running?

My 205's at the rear run only at 14psi (when cold). Any higher and I can't get the heat evenly distributed.

With 40 series tyres the sidewalls must be very stiff or am I wrong in this? How can you make the middle of the tyre carry any weight?

This gave me problems with my last seven (toyo proxes; 235/35 16). I needed at least 22 psi to avoid the tire getting 'wobly' during cornering. Then again I was only running 150bhp).

How do you guys do that?


sorry for this and who it may insult, but you have hit the nail on the head!!

You are actually driving your car, not pansying around in it, that's the difference!!!

You are exactly right, a 7 type car with low profile tyres will not handle, for exactly the reasons you say.

I'd hazard a guess that a tyre temp gun has not been near the tyres of those talking about 30 and 40 profile tyres!!!





Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion retro car restoration and tuning

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Jasper

posted on 19/2/07 at 02:45 PM Reply With Quote
Thought I might have stirred one up here......

So answer me this one then, I followed a CSi Caterham around damp alpine roads for a week and it ran 245 rears (Avon CR500) and never missed a beat, it looked absolutely planted. The only time it got loose was a last minute complete lock-up headed into a hairpin (luckily there was an open gate and a filed )

I was originally gonna fit the same tyres on mine (similar power/weight) but I thought I'd go a size down....

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macnab

posted on 19/2/07 at 03:02 PM Reply With Quote
been looking at this car for some time, thinking to myself - damn that could do with some wide tyres!!! Rescued attachment sidewaysA.jpg
Rescued attachment sidewaysA.jpg







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RazMan

posted on 19/2/07 at 03:22 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Handling and (roadholding) grip are two different things, handling is what you find out about when the grip runs out You want something that you can catch when the grip runs out or you'll be claiming off the insurance.


Sorry Pete, you are quite correct - I often mix up the two terms. I was referring to grip in this case.





Cheers,
Raz

When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box

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RazMan

posted on 19/2/07 at 03:24 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by miegru
With those wide rear tyres; what kind of pressure are you running?

My 205's at the rear run only at 14psi (when cold). Any higher and I can't get the heat evenly distributed.

With 40 series tyres the sidewalls must be very stiff or am I wrong in this? How can you make the middle of the tyre carry any weight?

This gave me problems with my last seven (toyo proxes; 235/35 16). I needed at least 22 psi to avoid the tire getting 'wobly' during cornering. Then again I was only running 150bhp).

How do you guys do that?


I find that 18psi works well in my case, although it is a middy so the wider rear tyre has a little more weight to deal with.

[Edited on 19-2-07 by RazMan]





Cheers,
Raz

When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box

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macnab

posted on 19/2/07 at 03:52 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Handling and (roadholding) grip are two different things, handling is what you find out about when the grip runs out You want something that you can catch when the grip runs out or you'll be claiming off the insurance.



I had read that cross ply’s though not having the same amount off grip as a radial, are easier to control due to them losing grip more gradually than a radial allowing relaxed driffing. I have also noticed that the wide very low profile tyres on my 'sporty' Bluebird do much the same when compared to the other Bluebirds standard narrow tyres which have quite a pronounced point where the let go.






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miegru

posted on 19/2/07 at 07:32 PM Reply With Quote
When I chose my tyres I took advice from Polley Motorsport where I bought the wheels and tyres. The discussion:

Me: What is the best tyre for a seven of 500kg and 200bhp?

- A good driver will be faster on any tyre than a shitty driver on perfect tyres. What are you?

Me: a novice. Some brains, less balls and no talent and a lot of ambition.

- Go with a tyre that gives you good feedback and is smooth around the edge of its grip: not too wide and as high a side as possible.

The I saw that price difference and it was an easy choice. I am happy with it.

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britishtrident

posted on 19/2/07 at 07:45 PM Reply With Quote
I am very much with NS Dev & Peteff on this I have driven more than a few cars spoilt by tyres that were too wide and too low a profile.
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britishtrident

posted on 19/2/07 at 07:51 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by miegru
snip

- A good driver will be faster on any tyre than a shitty driver on perfect tyres.

snip



Not strictly true in the wet at least certain big brand name tyres tend to be significantly better than nearly all Japanese or east european brands. In the wet my tyre of choice is Dunlop (now japanese) or Goodyear or Avon.

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britishtrident

posted on 19/2/07 at 07:58 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev


sorry for this and who it may insult, but you have hit the nail on the head!!

You are actually driving your car, not pansying around in it, that's the difference!!!

You are exactly right, a 7 type car with low profile tyres will not handle, for exactly the reasons you say.

I'd hazard a guess that a tyre temp gun has not been near the tyres of those talking about 30 and 40 profile tyres!!!


Not just a problem for home builders Mg-Rover had a problem with the tyre contact patch on the fairly hefty 75 because they over tyred and wheeled later models to boost showroom apeal as a result the central area of the tyre would be totally unworn even after 30,000 but the edges would be knackered at 20,000.

[Edited on 19/2/07 by britishtrident]

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Simon

posted on 19/2/07 at 08:26 PM Reply With Quote
Wish I could get close to 15k miles on my ZT

I have (alledgedly) posey 17" wheels on my car and as far as I'm concerned, they're fine. My car isn't the lightest by any stretch of the imagination so maybe that counts for something. And they were only a 100 quid

Given the conjested nature of our roads and the fact that actually doing more than 40 mph for more than about a minute is fairly unlikely, I think you need to bear that in mind. If you live in a fairly remote part of the country, or live for trackdays then it's probably a different matter.

ATB

Simon






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