The following is a summary of an off-line thread on the new 16X7 inch
Panasports. Although I have the wheels with tires mounted (105 - 55 VR16
Dunlop 8000) it will be a little bit of time before I get to test the
puppies due to fact that I have a spinning wheel stud. Oh yeah I almost
forgot that the engine and transmission are still out of the car. I will,
however, make the following observations:
- Even with a narrow 205 series the tire sidewalls extend a little past the
fender line.
- The diameter of a 205 - 55 R 16 looks small when compared to the large
wheel well. I'm accustomed to seeing a 205 - 70 tire in there. I would
expect most people would want to run with a 215 - 60 R16 which has a 2%
smaller diameter than stock. This will hang out and additional 5 mm or 3/16"
but I doubt anyone will care!
- Interference between the inner wheel and the upper A-frame that was noted
with the 15X7 inch Panasport is not present with the 16X7.
- The offset appears correct, any additional negative offset will result in
the tire hitting the sway bar at full wheel lock (I am running a Good Parts
front sway bar, stock may be different). It is important to note that this
was a quick check with the front end off the ground.
The following was extracted from several mail messages:
I was just checking what it would cost to get a set of 15" Panasports when I
called K speed America at 800-494-0708. They indicated that the 16" was
recently available in the 8 spoke pattern (designated FS-16, 15" is the
FS-15). They are zero offset which is the same as specified by the VTR 15 X
7 Panasport web page by Shane Ingate. Both wheels are actually listed for
240 Zs but will also fit TR-6s. I was also told that the 16" eliminates any
rubbing between the A frame and the wheel which has occasionally been a
problem with the 15X7. I was quoted a price of $225 and promptly called
another place in Alabama (sorry no name provided with ad in Grassroots
Motorsports) at 800-552-2532 and got a price of $208. Although they were a
little less knowledgeable, they called Panasport and confirmed that this was
a probable fit. Since my wallet does the talking I went with the cheap guys.
I also ordered the lug nuts at $2 each (so maybe I'm not too cheap).
I could be wrong but what I understand both places simply take the orders
and tell Panasport where to ship the rims.
Given that I'm going to a different rear (3.45) I think I'll drop down to a
205-55 R16. This will lower the car by about 7/8" but maintain the same rpm
out of the transmission. Also ensures that I don't hit the fenders which is
a real concern after seeing someone else's TR6 that was eating tires.
Dave Gauthier wrote:
It makes sense that the
larger diameter wheel solves the interference problems with the
suspension components as experienced on the 15x7. However, I fear that
like the 15x7s, you will experience problems due to an increased scrub
radius.
A stock TR-6 has a moderate positive scrub radius. Even thought the
16x7s are zero offset, I believe the stock TR6 rims are around a 1/4 to
1/2" negative offset. Therefore, the 16x7s have the center of the wheel
outboard of the original design--increasing the scrub radius. This
causes a big increase in the side loading of the sliding suspension
members, which causes higher friction loads. Also, a large scrub radius
will throw the steering wheel around a lot in the bumps.
Tires have more effect on how well a car handles than any other
component associated with the front suspension. Therefore, the right
choice will be critical in reclaiming handling with this wheel choice.
Like you say, I would consult some knowledgeable rubberheads before
making your choice.
Well I didn't know any knowledgeable rubberheads and I have no clue what
scrub radius is, however, but I did find the Tire Rack web site at:
www.tirerack.com
It had some nice information about tires including customer surveys and some
comparisons of different brands. In the end price drove me to pick up the
Dunlop 8000 at $101 each, otherwise I think it would have been the Firestone
Firehawk SZ50. The Yokohama A520 was not offered in the size that I wanted
and the Michelin Pilot was just a little too rich for my blood.
Hope this helps anyone considering new Panasports.
later
Lee
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