I missed the initial post on this - but I assume it was asking if a huge
tyre will fit.
http://www.mintylamb.co.uk/tyresize/ may help...
However... what is this obsession with wanting to fit huge tyres and
wheels? I just don't understand it... considering the amount of grip my
Mk3 has with 145/80s after the suspension was setup properly - going
silly-wide seems just, well, silly...
Even the racing boys here in the UK don't go above 185/60s on 13" wheels
- some have tried it and reported that they get worse performance...
larger wheels too - worse performance around the track...
That together with how the Spitfire's ancient suspension works - it was
designed to work with 145/155 - you'll need to make sure you adjust
camber etc to make it work with anything else. And once you do adjust it
- you're probably at the end of the adjustment - and your snap-turn-in
ability will be none! I may move up to something like 165 at max - but
even as it is - if my car looses grip going around a corner on the road
- I am going far too quickly for my own health! And that is coming from
someone who does thrash his Spit within an inch of it's life! Me likes
going fast, don't get me wrong.
There was an article in our club magazine - the best handling tyre size
were found to be the original 155/80s! Plus - this is a small sports car
with a tiny engine - not a Lambo Countach! Part of the fun is driving it
on its limit - by putting wide tyres on you're destroying the fun of
hearing the rears squeal right on the edge of traction as the tiny
engine pushes out all 20bhp it has... as I've found with my PO-enforced
145s!
Wide tyres (anything above 185 in my book) will cause rubbing and will
make you slower on the motorway due to increased rolling resistance -
and therefore harm your MPG...
So why silly-wide tyres? I am open to suggestions...
James
69 Signal Red Spit
Terry Thompson wrote:
>They should fit. But the big question is, will they
>stay on in a hard turn or over a bad pothole? Maybe
>not.
>Manufacturer specs show they require 5.5" minimum
>width rims.
>BF GOODRICH T/A
>Sumitomo HTR4
>are both 205/60R13 and 5.5-7.5" recommended rim width.
>More importantly, they are 8.1" at the bulge and may
>cause scraping (on the frame) in very tight turns.
>-Terry T.
>http://www.firespitter.com/spit.html (Spit with 16" wheels)
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