20 replies to this topic

[barrybethel]

I know there are always posts regarding tyres but this might still interest a few people. I have 16" front rims and standard size rears for track days, currently with 225x45x17 rear and 195x50x16 front yokohama A048 tyres. These are ace track tyres (like cut slicks but road legal) but are very expensive. In fact £150 a corner expensive - maybe more. But, I have seen Toyo proxes same size rear and 195x45x16 fronts for only £83.60 and £40.60 respectively each on mytyres website. 40 quid for vx front tyres!!! How good is that? Are you listening Partridge you tyre shrederer?

[Thorney]

I'm gonna be testing them soon.

[BogBrush]

I've got the Toyo's on my rears. I've yet to test them on a dry circuit yet. But on the roads I loved the amount of grip they gave when cornering over the bridgestones. Fingers crossed for a dry bedford circuit on sat

[barrybethel]

Thorney you're way ahead of me as usual. Did you notice the 195x45x16 Toyos were £20 cheaper than the 195x50x16's? I reckon I could cope with a little extra rake for a £40 saving considering how quickly you get through 'em on track What size will you be testing? If you need any help let me know. As you know I have the correct rim sizes and use the car as my daily driver so in a good position to judge

[Thorney]

Thus far the Toyos give better traction in the dry but less in the wet (rears only) so far. Just finding time to swap them over on the front for a fuller test.

[earlystock]

Any news on the wheels so I can try new tyres also?

[Thorney]

Out of my hands now....with Vauxhall and Speedline. Prices they've sorted sound good though, a lot less than they'd do for me on my own so thats good.

[SILVERSPEED]

Where will be able to buy the Speedlines from - VX dealers only? cheers

[Pidgeon]

Received loud and clear BB. Bought myself a spare set of rims last week, so I am clear for some cheap rears, but what front rims do you have??? Narrowest 17'' I have seen is 205 section. I will give them a try but it will bugger up the balance. First I have to chew up the Bridge's still on the new rims!!! Andrew

[barrybethel]

Mr Partridge You need 16 inch rims on the front as Thorney and I have. Then you can run 195's - not too wide but get rid of a lot of understeer. Do what I do and keep your Bridgestones for road and swap to your track wheels the day before the track day. That way your Bridgestones will last forever and you can spin off the cheapie Toyos to your hearts content. Will save you loadsa money. You know it makes sense....

[Pidgeon]

WHAT FRONT RIMS DO YOU HAVE???

[Thorney]

HE HAS OZ SUPER LEGGERAS

[Ducati996Senna]

Rimstock are providing me with a race pro 2 wheel next week with spacers to sort what offset is best. I'm looking to fit 16" ers front and rear with a wheel width of 7" which is all that is available. Hoping to get a 205/50 R 16 Yoko AO 32 on the front without any major problem. I can foresee that they may be slight contact on the rear of the outer wing approx 6-7" down from the top. This is only on full lock and it would take an hell of a lot of suspension compression to cause the tyre to rub. The rears don't appear to be a problem. Yes they are half inch narrower but with an adjustment in offset I can bring the wheel out to match the oem wheel. The tyre size would be 225/50 R16. Rolling radius at the rear would be the same give or take 1 or 2 mm. The front would be reduced by approx 10mm. I'm hoping for a wider track on the rear of 8mm per side over the oem wheel. This will increase the rear track to somwhere around 1505mm with an different offset of 23mm. As the front track will increase by the wider wheel and change in offset again of approx 23mm, I estimate this would increase the front track by approx 40mm taking it to approx 1490mm. Keep you posted.

[clipping_point]

Thought of buying Toyos as my next tyre. A combination of 205-40-17 front and 235-40-17 rear seems good but the diameter of the fron is reduced by 1". Is that a problem? The 215-45-17 ones will have the same diameter as the 175-55-17 original, but I suppose it will not fit into the wheelhouse? Anyone?

[barrybethel]

Are 205/40x17's really a whole inch shorter than the standard 17's? They are a lot wider than standard. Are they ok on the standard rim width? Remember if you are going an inch shorter on the front then there will be more rake on the car, with more weight over the front wheels. As for if it's a problem, I guess the only answer is to try it and see.

[clipping_point]

Are 205/40x17's really a whole inch shorter than the standard 17's?

Yep, check it out:
http://www.miatanet....e/tirecalc.html

My car already leans on the front wheels cos of my Eibach kit. Have to test that mod on a race track first, before i I go for the 205-ish Proxys

[barrybethel]

Thanks for that link; really useful and saves doing maths. My 195/50x16 fronts are 601.4 diameter. Standard is 624.3mm. The tyres you suggest are 595.8. Not much different to mine and so will prolly be Ok but getting to the point where they may look a bit small - my OZ's do. Having said that keeping the 17" rims may help on that score. Do the 205's fit on the standard rims?

[clipping_point]

No, it will not fit the standard rim

[B.A.D]

I have tested 7.5-17 wheels with et35 and 10mm spacers at front with 215/45-17 Dunlop supersport race tires and I got a clearence of about 5mm behind the wheel at full lock. In the back I will have 8-18 wheels with 235/40-18 tires. On the testrun I had Saab Wheels on as they are the same pattern as Vauxhall..... //Anders W

[clipping_point]

Anders?! En Speedster-Anders till! Välkommen till "För oss svennar-threaden" förresten. SAAB-fälgar ska jag fälle kunna hitta några!