Bigger Wheels

[ghollis_84]

Hi Everyone,

What the verdict on bigger wheels?

Yay or Nay

[roger]

Maybe    s:D s:D  

I think you pays your money and takes your choice.

Some prefer bigger wheels, some prefer lowering springs, others have both and have to sort out the rubbing bodywork   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[ghollis_84]

Cheers Roger,

Does anyone have any stock post 03 wheels for sale by any chance or know how much they cost from Mr T.

[roger]

Does anyone have any stock post 03 wheels for sale by any chance or know how much they cost from Mr T.

Ah now, thats a different ball game. Perhaps you should give us the whole story.

If your existing are just knackered, a refurb is your probably your cheapest option. If you buy new ones, they will cost a fortune, and you cannot guarantee they will go again.

2ndhand ones (from somebody who has put on 17") will obviously be less, but again they might not be in tip top condition. If thats the way you want to go keep an eye on Ebay as well.

If you want / need new ones (and are willing to pay the price for these and the rubber), then go for 17".

I am guessing if you put 17" in to the search, you will have enough information to totally confuse you over choice. Just remember that the wheels are wider at the back, than the front, and get the right offset. All explained many times before - I can't honestly remember the finer details   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

[ghollis_84]

Cheers Roger

Well at the moment i have stock 15" on an i would like to get some stock post 03 rims for mine as i like the style, mine are in ok condition apart from bublin. there where some on ebay the other day and my comp crashed when i was about to bid for them and then i lost them. That well anoyed me. i have been looking for ages just thought i mite have some luck on here.

[dreambackup]

if I was to change the wheels, I'd go for 16" in front and 17" in rear...
the problem is to choose a size that's not too big and some lightweight rims not to kill the perfs...  s:? :? s:?  
I think the size of '03s is just perfect for the looks  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

I was just about to make a similar post.

My baby is coming up for her first birthday and I was planning to treat her!

I have already fitted the TTE rear spoiler (ducktail) and also the TTE style bar. But I have also crashed the car, in the wet, which I blame on the stock Yokohopeless tyres! Having looked at the tyre reviews on this forum, decided on GoodYear F1's as they seem great in the wet.  Tried to order them as follows:
185 / 55  R15
215 / 45  R16

No luck with the rears - seems they have stopped making them - a forum search confirms this.

OK, so do I upgrade the wheels to the larger TTE ones and then fit bigger tyres (hopefully Goodyear ones) - would wider rears improve the grip in the wet? I certainly wouldn't mind the look of them!  Bare in mind that I am also planning to lower the car with the TTE springs to futher improve the handling.

Else, do I keep the same wheels and choose another make of tyre.

(Also planning to fit the TTE 'braces' and also a Twin TTE exhaust - she's worth it!)

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Yammas,

Nathan
 w www.agni.gr w
Corfu Greece

[Anonymous]

I'm looking at a new set of 17's. 7" wide front and 9" rear, any idea if this will efffect the balance of the car? I've got 7" wide all round at the moment with 205/17/40 rubber

[jonytom]

...decided on GoodYear F1's as they seem great in the wet.  Tried to order them as follows:
185 / 55  R15
215 / 45  R16

No luck with the rears - seems they have stopped making them - a forum search confirms this.

You can get GS-D3 Goodyear F1's, but not in the stock size. I've just ordered some in 195/50/15 and 215/40/16 as recommended by others on this site - including your fellow countryman 'Xdesign'.

[Anonymous]

That would be perfect. So there is no problem with the larger fonts? They fit on the current rims OK?

Thanks

Nathan

[jonytom]

General consensus seems to be that you can go up to 195 on the front and 225 at the back, but there's no 225/40/16's in F1's - otherwise I'd have gone wider at the back as well.

(Markiii - listen to me, sounding all like I know what I'm talking about!)

[Anonymous]

That's great - thanks mate. I'll see if I can get a set ordered tomorrow.

Cheers,

Nathan

[markiii]

General consensus seems to be that you can go up to 195 on the front and 225 at the back, but there's no 225/40/16's in F1's - otherwise I'd have gone wider at the back as well.

(Markiii - listen to me, sounding all like I know what I'm talking about!)

ROFL
  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

You can get GS-D3 Goodyear F1's, but not in the stock size. I've just ordered some in 195/50/15 and 215/40/16 as recommended by others on this site - including your fellow countryman 'Xdesign'.

Went today to order the above. Quote was 400 Euros - seemed reasonable. But they asked if I needed the 'XL' ones for the rear. What is that, and does the 2 need them?

Nathan

[jonytom]

XL is reinforced - yes get them!

[Anonymous]

What do most have though when they have written a tyer review?
 Being reinforced, I assume the side walls are firmer. So handling is improved, but might be at the sake of ride?  The roads I drive on here in Greece are probably much poorer quality than those in UK. I plan to add the lowering springs (for xmas), so that will firm the ride some what anway.

Cheers

Nathan

[Tem]

Being reinforced, I assume the side walls are firmer. So handling is improved, but might be at the sake of ride?

Yes, they are firmer. And yes, it will affect ride quality. But since the sidewalls of tyres play very little role and the springs/shocks either make or lose the ride quality I wouldn't worry about it.

However, when you enter a corner with speed, a firmer sidewall keeps the tyres where they should be without excess tyre pressures and that's what makes the difference  s8) s8)

[heathstimpson]

Being reinforced, I assume the side walls are firmer. So handling is improved, but might be at the sake of ride?

Yes, they are firmer. And yes, it will affect ride quality. But since the sidewalls of tyres play very little role and the springs/shocks either make or lose the ride quality I wouldn't worry about it.

However, when you enter a corner with speed, a firmer sidewall keeps the tyres where they should be without excess tyre pressures and that's what makes the difference  s8) s8)

The trade off for with firmer sidewalls is generally tramlining  s:? :? s:?

[Tem]

Being reinforced, I assume the side walls are firmer. So handling is improved, but might be at the sake of ride?

Yes, they are firmer. And yes, it will affect ride quality. But since the sidewalls of tyres play very little role and the springs/shocks either make or lose the ride quality I wouldn't worry about it.

However, when you enter a corner with speed, a firmer sidewall keeps the tyres where they should be without excess tyre pressures and that's what makes the difference  s8) s8)

The trade off for with firmer sidewalls is generally tramlining  s:? :? s:?

I always thought that depends most from the angle between sidewalls and the tread surface. If the surface is very wide and the angle is very sharp, almost 90 degrees corner, it'll tramline like bat in the woods. If it's rounded, it's not so bad.

Then again, I suppose round sidewalls and firm sidewalls don't really match anyway...

[Anonymous]

I am planning to order my new tyers today (especially as the weather for the next week looks like rain here in Corfu).
Still unsure if I should order the XL ones. Should I get then for the rears, all round, or just stick with the standard ones.
I certainly would like to aviod tramlining. But, here in Greece our roads can be poor and have many 'pot holes'. I would immagine that firmer tyre walls will help prevent damage to the alloys in the even of hitting a pothole too fast.

Why is choosing new shoes so confusing!

Cheers for any further advice you can offer.

nathan

[jonytom]

I've got XL at rear but not at front - that's what I'd recommend.

After they've scrubbed up (150km) mess about with the tyre pressures a little to find which is best for you. I've got 25 front/34 rear at the minute.

The other thing is to get a proper alignment done after a couple of weeks when everything's settled in.

Tramlining not really a problem (I notice only at relatively slow speeds on white lines). To be honest the only thing you'll really notice is the grip, handling improvement and slightly firmer ride.

They're amazing in the dry and unbelievable in the wet!   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[mph]

Hi Everyone,

What the verdict on bigger wheels?

Yay or Nay

Not why this hasn't been said yet: bigger wheels will kill performance - buy them for looks by all means, but you'll only get slower on the road with bigger wheels.

For those talking about XL ratings - it's more important to look at the tyre load index. Over spec'ing this index for the car, as well as increasing weight, may also loose you traction as the tyre will fail to properly deform to it's designed contact patch.

[Anonymous]

MPH, my tyre fitter said similar, but he could not find out if the MR2 required the XL versions of the F1's. He said ask here at the site. I suppose is the rear heavy enough?

Cheers

Nathna

[jonytom]

To be honest I'm not even sure you can get 215/40/16 in anything but XL.

Load index is 86 (max load 530 kg) which is exactly the same as the stock Yokos at 215/45/16.

[markiii]

they are available in XL and non XL or were when I bought mine
I went non XL