SP12 Tyre Dimension

[swisschris99]

Hi all

I'm new to the TVR Community and I 'm a proud owner of a Chim 500. I made about 4k miles this summer with road trips to Italy and France and went almost every where in switzerland without any Problems!

Now, to improve the driving experience i'd like to add a GAZ Gold Pro suspension and SP12 rims but I don't know which tyre dimension fits best.

Any suggestiones?

Thanks a lot & happy driving!

Chris

[SILICONEKID345HP]

[quote=swisschris99]Hi all

I'm new to the TVR Community and I 'm a proud owner of a Chim 500. I made about 4k miles this summer with road trips to Italy and France and went almost every where in switzerland without any Problems!

Now, to improve the driving experience i'd like to add a GAZ Gold Pro suspension and SP12 rims but I don't know which tyre dimension fits best.

Any suggestiones?

Thanks a lot & happy driving!



The sp12`s are going to make the experience worse,you can`t beat the original sizes for comfort and handling ,but they do look nice !

From my experience i would go for Nitrons or those new 3 way Protech for road use .

[phazed]

Daz, I agree that standard rims and tyres would give a better, (more compliant ) ride but the handling can only improve with 17" wheels and low profile tyres.

[db484bhpv8]

Fronts 17x8 with 215/40 and rears 18x9 with 255/35

[mgjc]

db484bhpv8 said:

Fronts 17x8 with 215/40 and rears 18x9 with 255/35

is that what you have on your SP12?

How do you find them on our lovely twisty B roads as I'm thinking of going this route myself?

[swisschris99]

db484bhpv8 said:

Fronts 17x8 with 215/40 and rears 18x9 with 255/35

Thanks for your recommendation!

[kevd]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Hi

I have very recently fitted a set of SP12's to my Griff, the tyres I fitted were 215/45/17 front and 235/40/18 rear.
So far I am really pleased with the way the car drives, it is a great improvement over the standard wheels & Toyo tyres combination. cornering feels far more sure footed, with no tramlining, OK a slightly harsher ride than before but nothing I would be concerned about, and I am running GGP's with Leven drop links all round.
I would highly recommend these wheels and the driving improvement.
In the end I bought the tyres from Black circles and paid for the fitting at one of their sites, really good price, and the fitting was spot on.

[db484bhpv8]

mgjc said:

db484bhpv8 said:

Fronts 17x8 with 215/40 and rears 18x9 with 255/35

is that what you have on your SP12?

How do you find them on our lovely twisty B roads as I'm thinking of going this route myself?

Ive had them a few years now and am used to them. I do try and avoid potholes and respect sleepting policemen. I think the handling is good. I have Federal RSRs and run on Nitrons which also help a great deal. My tyres are getting low now so may try a set of R1Rs next.

[swanny71]

SILICONEKID345HP said:

The sp12`s are going to make the experience worse,you can`t beat the original sizes for comfort and handling ,but they do look nice !

I found the opposite - SP12's greatly improved the comfort and ride quality whilst on standard suspension. Now on Nitrons on and I'm still happy.

215/40/17 and 245/35/18 on mine

[OleVix]

16 front and 17 rear is a very good compromise, handles very well, comfy enough and wheels not too heavy

[QBee]

Mine are the same as Kevd. 215/45 17 and 235/40 18. Fronts are 17 x7.5J, rears 18 x 8J.
Beware of going too wide......if they catch on the chassis or wheel arches it will be an expensive mistake.

[SILICONEKID345HP]

QBee said:

Mine are the same as Kevd. 215/45 17 and 235/40 18. Fronts are 17 x7.5J, rears 18 x 8J.
Beware of going too wide......if they catch on the chassis or wheel arches it will be an expensive mistake.

Done that ,been there and sold the wheels 9j with 255`s rubbed the inner wheel arch and the outrigger on one side .

[phazed]

SILICONEKID345HP said:

Done that ,been there and sold the wheels 9j with 255`s rubbed the inner wheel arch and the outrigger on one side .

you lightweights.

18x9" on the rear, 265/40/18"

[db484bhpv8]

phazed said:

you lightweights.

18x9" on the rear, 265/40/18"

I have 265/35/18 but recommended 255 for arch clearance.
I have modified my inner arches a little to clear my drag tyres which are a couple inches bigger in diameter.

I think if you get the offsets right and the ride height not too low then 255/35/18 shouldnt be a problem.
Unless you are Daz and have a wonky chassis

[phazed]

You're correct Derek, i believe mine are 35 profile as well!

[QBee]

To be fair, mine only caught on the wheel arches (rear left mainly) when I was hammering it around right handers on a track day at Cadwell Park, had the ride height a bit low, and had a passenger on board.

My SP12s/R888s are going on a friend's car for a TD tomorrow at Cadwell Park - we will see if we have an issue with his Chimaera with those wheels and tyres (215/235). I will report back. I am not dissing the 255/265 merchants whatsoever, all power to their elbows, but I do question whether you need that wide a tyre with normal levels of power. Derek and Peter probably have 30-60% more power than most of us normal mortals, and need to get it onto the tarmac!

[swisschris99]

Hi all,

thanks a lot for your contribution!

It's highly appreciated.

Chris

[pjac67]

Not SP 12 but TD's:
245 35 ZR18 and 215 40 ZR17 works for me (Griff).

[QBee]

QBee said:

To be fair, mine only caught on the wheel arches (rear left mainly) when I was hammering it around right handers on a track day at Cadwell Park, had the ride height a bit low, and had a passenger on board.

My SP12s/R888s are going on a friend's car for a TD tomorrow at Cadwell Park - we will see if we have an issue with his Chimaera with those wheels and tyres (215/235). I will report back. I am not dissing the 255/265 merchants whatsoever, all power to their elbows, but I do question whether you need that wide a tyre with normal levels of power. Derek and Peter probably have 30-60% more power than most of us normal mortals, and need to get it onto the tarmac!

Reporting back - the SP12/888 combination DID catch quite badly (smoke pouring off the rear right) on my friend's car, as he had his ride height set rather low, so we did an 8-wheel wheel change at the track and put my car on the SP12/888s and put my other set, with smaller diameter Federal 595 RSRs on his car. Problem solved. The larger wheels don't catch on my car as the ride height is set to a less "trendy" height.