SP12 Opinions

SP12 Opinions

Author
Discussion

kevd

Original Poster:

177 posts

160 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
I am thinking of changing the wheels on my Griff, and the SP12 option from ACT is one that I am seriously considering. If anyone has any experience of using these wheels I would be glad to hear your thoughts on them and whether it changes the driving experience.
If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them, as it seems like a minefield of different options.
Cheers
Kev

GlynMo

1,140 posts

248 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
I have no experience of the SP12s but they were on my short list when I wanted to change my wheels last year. As with most things, everyone has different tastes, but I ended up choosing Compomotive MO6s and I'm really pleased with them.

Pupp

12,206 posts

271 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
Can honestly say they made the single biggest difference to my Chim of any change made - the correct offsets of the design coupled with the stiffer sidewalls of the lower profile tyres made the car track better, steer more directly, and tramline far far less. Access to some tyre choice is a bones.

Only gripe is that after 6 or 7 years of all weather year round use the powder coating is flaking but I doubt any other wheels would have coped better. Looks are subjective but I think they work well aesthetically and they stay round too to boot. Go for it and don't be put off by the minor surgery needed to the rear stub! smile

griffdude

1,819 posts

247 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
Demon Tweeks have something VERY similar at 38% off list at the moment.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/competiti...

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
I have a set with Toyo R888s on - feel great on the car, no negatives.

Here's what they look like on a navy TVR of superior design hehe



If you find yourself venturing up t't frozen Nooorth, you are welcome to try them on your car, take it for a drive, photos etc. Sorry they are not for sale. I am one mile off the A1 at Newark on Trent

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Friday 5th September 2014
quotequote all
PS, mine are 17 inch fronts and 18 inch rears. Tyres are 215/45 17 front and 235/40 18 rears.

kevd

Original Poster:

177 posts

160 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Many thanks for all the info guys.
The Team Dynamics do look very similar, but I am really put off by the writing round the rim.
Many thanks for your kind offer QBee, I think they really suit the car I was worried that the 17/18 inch combination may be to big for the car, but it does look really nice. I was thinking of using 205's front as I have no power steering, and it is heavy enough at low speeds as it is. Does this wheel combination throw your speedo calibration out much?

mgjc

129 posts

175 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
I spoke to Tim about going to SP12 and this was his recommendation for PAS. Also as they are made to original TVR specs all offsets are correct with no need for any spacers.

Front 215/40-17
Rear 245/35-18

I hope this helps and Tim is very helpful so just drop him a line.

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Bit of Saturday morning maths for you.

The standard rear tyres on my car when I bought it were 225/50 16s
Assuming the tyre people tell the truth (they don't, but we will come back to that) then the diameter of the rear wheel and tyre is :

225mm width x 50% aspect ratio = tyre wall height of 112.5 mm. That 's the sidewall at the top
Same again for the sidewall at the bottom
Plus the wheel 16 inches x 25.4 mm per inch = 406.4 mm

Wheel diameter pls sidewall twice is 406.4 + 112.5 + 112.5 = 631.4mm

The 18 inchers on my car in the pic are

Wheel diameter 18 x 25.4 = 457.2mm
Sidewall = 235 x 40% = 94mm

457.2 + 94 + 94 = 645.2mm

So 14mm bigger, just over 2%, or 1.5 mph at 70. Is yor speedo that accurate? Mine actually is.

On my other tyres, 215/45 17, it is spot on all the wy up. Both my German cars read 3mph fast.

The important things are to be reasonably close to standard, but without going berserk. After all, a new tyre has 8 mm of tread, a nearly worn out one has 2mm. So that's a 12mm difference that wouldn't concern you. And to keep the front to rear difference as per factory, which is an inch in diameter (25mm).

My SP 12 fronts are 215/45 17, which is 624mm diameter. In fact my fronts are more worn than my rears, so about 620 mm, ie I do have the 25 mm difference and the nose down attitude.

And to finish the argument, 888s only come with 5mm of tread new, so are in fact 6 mm diameter smaller.........until you factor in the fact that 888s are wider and squarer shouldered than standard road tyres, which can catch out those trying to buy the biggest sizes possible.

GlynMo

1,140 posts

248 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
One of the factors that made me decide against the SP12s is their reputation for being soft, therefore easily marked or buckled. Perhaps someone with experience of them can debunk the myth, if that's what it is.

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
After all that bks, if you want to try before you buy, I will be just off the A12 at Chelmsford on business on Thursday all day and can easily pop the wheels and tyres in the daily Audi. I have them in bags, so it won't muck up the car. And I can bring a couple of low trolley jacks, a wheel brace and a wheel gun to make things quicker. Just let me know.

GlynMo

1,140 posts

248 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
QBee said:
After all that bks, ...
Oooh, that Chimp lot aren't half rude rolleyes

Pupp

12,206 posts

271 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
GlynMo said:
One of the factors that made me decide against the SP12s is their reputation for being soft, therefore easily marked or buckled. Perhaps someone with experience of them can debunk the myth, if that's what it is.
Not my experience at all - are you sure you're not confusing with the TVR Spiders, which do seem to go out of round quite easily?

GlynMo

1,140 posts

248 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Pupp said:
GlynMo said:
One of the factors that made me decide against the SP12s is their reputation for being soft, therefore easily marked or buckled. Perhaps someone with experience of them can debunk the myth, if that's what it is.
Not my experience at all - are you sure you're not confusing with the TVR Spiders, which do seem to go out of round quite easily?
Perhaps you're right.

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
My SP12s have a couple of chips, made by the previous owner hitting a high kerb hard on a race day, but they are not buckled and aren't soft.
I agree, it's Spiders that are made out of chocolate.

MischaV8

161 posts

207 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Have them on my car, go for it nice wheel!

My first set Team Dynamics pro race 1.2 was 16 inch front & 17 inch rear; 205 50 16 & 235 45 17 but i didn't
like the writing on them and wanted the bigger brutal look, drive was good with this set up and more tyres choice!

Now i have the SP12's and they are great in satin black with red car (see topic best Griff pic) but the ride is slightly harsh due to tyre pressure 2.1 bar (tyre shop) mainly, i have to drop to 1.8 bar / 1.9 bar and with my Nitrons the ride will be ok /good!

tyres; front 205 45 17 & rear 235 40 18, i did not want wider tyres so this set up for me is perfect!




Edited by MischaV8 on Saturday 6th September 23:09

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Your tyre pressure should be 1.5 bar front, 1.6 bar rear

kevd

Original Poster:

177 posts

160 months

Monday 8th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the advice and helping me with my decision making process. SP12's are now on order with Tim, and hopefully they will be arriving in the next day or two ( would put smiley woohoo thing here if I knew how to do it!).
I will get some piccies up when I have it all fitted up.
Cheers Kev

gammav

118 posts

194 months

Tuesday 9th September 2014
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I have had SP12 17" front 18" rear on for 3 years now and they still look new.

I was surprised at just how much lighter they are than Estorils... or more truthfully I was surprised at how heavy the Estorils are.

TOYO T1R on both sets of rims and the Handling is chalk and cheese. I always felt like I was fighting the car with the original wheels.

The way my car is set up suits the SP12's ... still on standard suspension no track days just road use.


QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
There is a good point here. It's all very well spending over £1,000 on new wheels and tyres to make your car look pretty, but 95% of making it handle great is in the suspension and set up.

My car really handles thanks to a trip to my TVR expert when the car was horrible to drive.

He checked the entire suspension for wear, play etc, inspected the dampers and changed 2 which were quite simply not damping, and then, satisfied that all was as it should be, charged me an extra £75 for a full four wheel geo on his brand new Hunter machine. Best £75 I have ever spent. Car is totally trustworthy and predictable on the roughest country road at speed, and really handles on track.