Wheel Dilemma!

[cre8toruk]

Right chaps I need some advice...

I'm looking to change my wheels for some black alloys... I've put a cheeky bid on some second hand genuine lotus one's on ebay but I'm not hopeful..

There are these http://www.hangar111.com/shop/335-elise-exige-part... which all seem fine except it says:

" Compatible with the following Tyre Sizes

16 and 17 Inch Wheels:

- 195/50 R16 front

- 225/45 R17 rear"

So does this mean I can't use my AD07's and would have to source different size tyres ?

TBH I'm not 100% sure I know what all the no's mean but I think my winter Pirellis are this size already (fronts definitely), does this mean I can fit a 175x55R16 to this alloy, the rears on the other hand seem to be the same size as the standard wheel..

Worth buying new one's or trying to source some second hand ?

Aggggh... never as simple as you might think....

8.

[MGTS]

Can you not refurb and then paint your existing ones - then you get the exact colour you want, you know they fit and you keep your existing tyres. Costs about £60 / £70 a wheel so cheaper too?

[Tickle]

Would getting the wider (195) fronts not save you money in the long run though. There seems more options open at this size including AD08-r.

Or as said, just get you wheels re-furbed for a couple of hundred quid.

[cre8toruk]

well I suppose that is the 64 million dollar question... if I get the wider alloys e.g.
http://www.hangar111.com/shop/335-elise-exige-part...

I can fit 195's but what 195's should I get ? AD08r's ? I've only ever bought AD07's so I really don't know what I'm talking about.... can I get AD08r's all round ? Or are there alternatives.

The only issue I have with getting my wheels refurb'd is that I would be without the car for 3 - 4 days (that's what they've quoted me anyway)...

8.

[mick_coupe]

I've had wheels painted here, http://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/ all done the same day !

Mick

[The Bandit]

cre8toruk said:

well I suppose that is the 64 million dollar question... if I get the wider alloys e.g.
http://www.hangar111.com/shop/335-elise-exige-part...

I can fit 195's but what 195's should I get ? AD08r's ? I've only ever bought AD07's so I really don't know what I'm talking about.... can I get AD08r's all round ? Or are there alternatives.

The only issue I have with getting my wheels refurb'd is that I would be without the car for 3 - 4 days (that's what they've quoted me anyway)...

8.

AD08Rs all round here and have used them for over4 years.
Fronts you need are 205/45/16. A full set of tyres will cost you less than £500.
No brainer really

[cre8toruk]

Mick_Coupe: Sounds impressive though Farnborough / Guildford not open at the moment.. I'll have a look for their next nearest...

As for running AD08's all round... alloy says it will run 195's not 205's, so do I want to be forcing an extra 10mm on the alloy ? Also wouldn't running 30mm wider than standard have a handling affect?

8.

[The Bandit]

cre8toruk said:

Mick_Coupe: Sounds impressive though Farnborough / Guildford not open at the moment.. I'll have a look for their next nearest...

As for running AD08's all round... alloy says it will run 195's not 205's, so do I want to be forcing an extra 10mm on the alloy ? Also wouldn't running 30mm wider than standard have a handling affect?

8.

Ran those exact same TDs on my first S2, no problem at all using 205s (feel free to look up max size tyres for that wheel size).
Only noticeable difference is less understeer, more stability on the brakes and slightly heavier, 'meatier' steering.
It really is win win.

[The Bandit]

Found some pics of my old car with TD 1.2s running 205 AD08s.

[mikeulster500]

The Bandit said:

cre8toruk said:

well I suppose that is the 64 million dollar question... if I get the wider alloys e.g.
http://www.hangar111.com/shop/335-elise-exige-part...

I can fit 195's but what 195's should I get ? AD08r's ? I've only ever bought AD07's so I really don't know what I'm talking about.... can I get AD08r's all round ? Or are there alternatives.

The only issue I have with getting my wheels refurb'd is that I would be without the car for 3 - 4 days (that's what they've quoted me anyway)...

8.

AD08Rs all round here and have used them for over4 years.
Fronts you need are 205/45/16. A full set of tyres will cost you less than £500.
No brainer really

Can't argue with this.
I have the same wheels as the Bandit and I'm running the bigger tyre size up front and therefore AD08R's all round

[cre8toruk]

Wow lovely pictures... and they really fit and don't foul the wheel arch even on full lock ?

really nice to see those wheels actually on a car,
thanks guys.

8.

[kambites]

You can buy a full set of AD07s for <£500 too, at least for now.

The wider fronts give more grip and better balance but they do hurt steering feel a bit. Which is better is just a matter of personal preference, really - if I was going to buy new wheels for some reason I'd have a very hard time choosing which width to get.

[cre8toruk]

Just a though / question really... do I have to buy these team dynamics alloys or would any set of 16" / 17" one's do ? e.g. anything from here ?
http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/alloy-wheels/lotus/... ??

8.

[Tickle]

cre8toruk said:

Just a though / question really... do I have to buy these team dynamics alloys or would any set of 16" / 17" one's do ? e.g. anything from here ?
http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/alloy-wheels/lotus/... ??

8.

TechWiki is your friend http://wiki.seloc.org/a/S2_Wheel_Options

The answer is that you are limited to wheels that are made for the Elise/Exige. You do have more options though with a Toyota powered car. A K-series S2 needs spacers to run Exige or Toyota Elise rears.

Edited by Tickle on Sunday 15th February 22:01

[Tickle]

This may be a spanner in the works or a wild goose chase as I don't know if they make Toyota compatible wheels but Compomotive have started trading again.

The MO in IMHO a very very good looking wheel, not sure on their new prices either.

Pic nabbed of SELOC showing S2 with MO's



Edited to Add: if that is a 2007 car they do make Toyota compatible wheels

Edited by Tickle on Sunday 15th February 22:14

[kambites]

cre8toruk said:

Just a though / question really... do I have to buy these team dynamics alloys or would any set of 16" / 17" one's do ? e.g. anything from here ?
http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/alloy-wheels/lotus/... ??

Most places that sell "sets" of wheels wont do you the different diameters for the front and rear that the Elise needs.

I'd also be very wary of the weight of cheap alloys. An extra 10kg a corner in unsprung mass effects an Elise a lot more than most cars because it's a higher proportion of the car's overall weight.

When I was last pondering wider wheels, the Team Dynamics ones were the cheapest decent option by some margin.

Edited by kambites on Monday 16th February 08:20

[cre8toruk]

yeah ... agreed the Team Dynamics ones are the one's that all the other Lotus parts sites seem to sell... I'm just not 100% convinced on the whole bigger tyre side of things. Part of me wants to keep the car as near original as I can.... Perhaps I can afford to buy one new black alloy from Lotus at a time :-) Problem I have is that the winter tyres should really come off the car soon so the tyres I buy would need to go on the rims a. that I've got or b. that I buy .... oooh decisions decisions.

8.

[cre8toruk]

Right then nearly there, nearly go the money together....
I was thinking of buying a set of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Team-Dynamics-Pro-Race-1...

But... I count 5 holes ! Wondering if I should buy from these guys or from someone else ?

Any suggestions ?

8.

[cre8toruk]

ok panic (for me) over... I've taken the plunge and bought a set of team dynamics off rimstock for <£500 including delivery which I thought was pretty good.

Now then just to confirm I can fit AD08r's to these 205/45/R16's to the front and 225/50/R17's to the rear and they should fit no problem ?

8.

[cre8toruk]

BTW... since the rears are standard size is their any reason why I couldn't / shouldn't fit standard AD07's to the rear and AD08's to the front ?

8.