On Fri, 31 Oct 1997 22:03:08 -0500 Kai Radicke <mowogmg@pil.net> writes:
>Got this in my mail today...found it interesting and thought I'd ask the
experts! (Barney this is yours!). Please send replies to me/him as I'd
like to read them also! .....
>From: Brg67MGB <Brg67MGB@aol.com>
>
>Hello, I find the Wire wheel very informative-but I need some specific
info.I am looking for the best modern performance tire for my MGB. I own
a 1967 MGB which is my daily driver and a car which I autocross several
times yearly. The car runs on the optional 72 spoke 5 inch wire wheels. I
do not wish to purchase a separate set of wheels/tires for autocrossing
at this time.I also think (perhaps incorrectly) that the car gives the
best cornering out of a 185 series tire rather than a 195 series which
may create too much rollover. What brand and model tire do you recommend
for my needs? Currently I run on Pirelli P series tires 185/70/R14 and
find them adequate for touring but a little lacking in ultimate grip.
>Thank you for your assistance,
>A devoted keeper of the faith,
>Matthew Pope
>BRG67MGB@aol.com
I could render up the names of a couple of brands of superb street legal
road racing tires, but .....
a.) He doesn't want to buy a separate set of wheels.
b.) Considering the grip provided, I fear that these tires would
like to eat wire wheels, even the 72 spoke variety. I know they cause
stress cracks in my stock steel disk wheels.
c.) Also, race tires cost about $500 a set and probably wouldn't
last more than 5000 miles on the street.
So, Matthew, I suggest that you reconcile yourself to the idea that you
may not win very many autocross events running on street tires (unless
the race tires are outlawed in Stock class where you compete), but that
it's still a lot of fun trying.
Also, you are probably right about the 185's being more appropriate than
the 195's. 185 is already at least two sizes larger than stock, and
there is a point of diminishing returns. The larger ones can have a few
problems.
a.) Larger tires are a bit heaver and eat up a little more power
for acceleration.
b.) Wider tires do tend to roll over on the shoulder during
cornering when used on narrow wheels. This induces uneven loading across
the tread width and reduces grip. It can also lift the inside shoulder
off the road, effectively making the working tread narrower. The optimum
combination would have the wheel width about equal to the tread width.
c.) A tire which is too large will not warm up quick enough when
autocrossing. If it doesn't get up near its optimum operating
temperature, the best grip will not be achieved.
IMHO, a 185 tire is plenty large for an MG, and larger is pretty much a
waste of money unless you're going racing for serious, in which case you
need real race tires and different wheels. So my advise here is to stick
to a good brand of street tire. 185-70-14 is a good size for street use,
and fairly close in diameter to a 165-80-14. If you're a bit more
serious about handling (especially steering response), you may consider a
slightly lower profile tire, like 185-65-14 or 185-60-14. These sizes
will also give a slightly harsher ride, but my personal preference leans
toward better handling, and the ride comfort is secondary. Each to his
own.
Above all else when considering the purchase of street tires, unless
economy is more much important than performance, look for "Traction A"
and "Temperature A" moulded on the sidewall. Accept nothing less.
"Traction B" is guaranteed to leave you disappointed with the grip.
"Temperature B" means more heat, less fuel economy, shorter life, and
generally implies a little extra squirm in the tread, which usually earns
it a "Traction B" tag. The "B" ratings are often found al all season
tires. The "A" ratings are more likely to be found on "performance
street tires". The performance street tires may have a little less grip
in snow, but I take it easy in the snow anyway.
I would avoid any private label tire such as Semperit, Atlas, Nova,
Century, Road Handler, or anything else that doesn't sound like a tire
manufacturer's name. There are dozens (maybe even hundreds) of these
private labels, and they are nearly always associated with economy as
opposed to performance. Look for a major tire manufacturer's name
moulded on the tire along with the model name. With this (and the A-A
ratings) you will generally get a good quality tire.
Don't worry too much about the tread wear rating moulded on the tire.
These numbers can range from about 140 to 360, but for practical purposes
anything over 200 should have an acceptably long life for street use.
Also in general, lower numbers would go with a softer rubber compound
which would give a better grip (but not always).
IMHO Michellin tires are good life, not necessarily for the best grip.
Pirelle tires usually have a pretty good grip but nearly always give in
to fast wear. I run 165-80-15 tires on my MGA. In recent years I have
been very happy with Dunlop SP4n tires, but they are now out of
production. Now I use Dunlop SP20 tires, which I am equally happy with
for street use. My choice of Dunlop in this case has a lot to do with
the limited selection available in narrow 15 inch tires. You will have a
larger selection of brands and sizes available to you for your 14 inch
wheels.
One tire I can recommend as a good quality tire with very good grip and
good handling and reasonable life for street use is the Yokohama AVS
Intermediate. A friend has a set of AVS 185-65-15 tires on his MGA.
They are a bit wide for the 4" wide wheels, but the smallest available in
a 15 inch size, and they do grip very well.
If you should get particularly serious about wanting real race tires,
drop me another line later.
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
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