Wheel & Tyre Sizes

[v8 wanted]

Well, after lurking around the forum for a few years I have finally taken te plunge and bought a stylus (spidermikes yellow 2.0 Zetec) - should collect it some time this week.

I may have to change my user name as I didn't find a V8.

The car currently has 16" Catherham wheels - I think these are too big ( and tyres too expensive to replace) - what are the recomended sizes for a live axle car, kit was supplied in 2003 when Peter Powell owned the company. I have an old copy of "Kit & Specialist Cars" (Sept 99) with a road test that gives wheel size as 185 x 60 x 14 on alive axle/Zetec car.

I'm ideally looking to replace with 13 or 14" Minilites although judging by the way the 16's fill the arches these may be too small - any thoughts / oppinions ?

[stylussprinter]

Personally I found the 14x6 wheels with 185 Tyres lacking grip so went to 15x7 plus 205 Tyres . No problem with arches until I wanted to lower the car so that's what started me off cutting f/glass out of the arches and flaring the edges. Using 13x7 or even 8's isn't a problem because Tyres to fit them are normally 60 profile , also if there's a large gap you have ability to lower the car . Loads of tyre choices for 13's too.

[stylussprinter]

Personally I found the 14x6 wheels with 185 Tyres lacking grip so went to 15x7 plus 205 Tyres . No problem with arches until I wanted to lower the car so that's what started me off cutting f/glass out of the arches and flaring the edges. Using 13x7 or even 8's isn't a problem because Tyres to fit them are normally 60 profile , also if there's a large gap you have ability to lower the car . Loads of tyre choices for 13's too.

Also remember the 16's probably have very low profile Tyres ---- 45 or less .

[CMA]

14" ones are hard to find decent cheap sticky tyres for. I had to go to 195s to get T1Rs and even then they cost £70ish a corner. If I had 15" I could have got the same tyre for about £30 a corner.

So just check on tyre prices before you plunge for a new size wheel

[flipper123]

not sure what your plans are for the car but if its a sunday car surely the miles you do wont be so high you 'd need to be replacing them that often id wear these ones out and have a look when the time comes.
you can get some good tyre/ wheel packages sometimes cheeper than just getting tyres .

[stylussprinter]

True re - above but not always the offset you need --- they're nearly always front drive offsets and no good for ours.

[v8 wanted]

not sure what your plans are for the car but if its a sunday car surely the miles you do wont be so high you 'd need to be replacing them that often id wear these ones out and have a look when the time comes.
you can get some good tyre/ wheel packages sometimes cheeper than just getting tyres .

Car will be quick road use & the occasional track day, I used to run Toyo T1 R's in 195 x50x 15 on my Westfield, the factory specced 205's but the cost difference was massively higher compared to 195's for next to no benefit.

Any one know of any decent minilite style wheel / tyre packages in 195 50 15, I've had a look around at 14" tyre prices and have to agree with the coments here re prices . Love to know where you got £30 a corner from though. I paid £140 for 4 in 2005 and that was cheap then.

[v8 wanted]

Forgot to add, whatt offset and PCD will I need for these ?

[stylussprinter]

Forgot to add, whatt offset and PCD will I need for these ?

I can't recall the pcd but it's simple enough to measure from your existing wheels . Offset wise , when I changed to 15x7 and 205x50's before lowering the car , the ET15 was ok but ran 195's up front . Once I started lowering and cutting 35mm's out of the arches then obviously the Tyres protruded from the body , due to the fact that the wings/arches curve in .
The smaller the offset number the more the wheels/Tyres protrude . Matt runs 12 not 15 like me so his protrude another 3mm's per side .

[CMA]

... Love to know where you got £30 a corner from though. I paid £140 for 4 in 2005 and that was cheap then.

Toyo T1Rs in 195/50/15s at £36 a corner
http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... 3b103s99p0

[v8 wanted]

Not bad, were about £48 each on mytyres last time I looked. Thanks for that.

[flipper123]

how much do you want for the caterham wheels?

[v8 wanted]

how much do you want for the caterham wheels?

I have 4 with Yoko Parada A's ( virtually unused) and 1 with a michelin sport pilot. I'll take £400 for the set - the tyres alone are £100 ish each - daren't look @ what Caterinvan charge for 5 16" wheels

[flipper123]

are they the ones which are on the car in the video of spidermikes sound test at the sva on you tube

[v8 wanted]

yes, and in the Harewood Hill Climb Video , you interested ?