8" Front rims

[Chilliman]

Anyone running 8" front rims?

My fronts are currently 7.5" on ET35 (standard rear wheels), and they're 13mm less clearance on the inside (i.e. nearer the chassis/wishbones) and 1mm retracted on the outside (dissapearing into the arch). As per the last Griffs.

Looking at new wheels, 8" rim rear, and 8" fronts. 8" fronts with the original 15" x 7" wheel offset (ET25) means 13mm less inside (same as my current 7.5" ET32), but 13mm more outside. I know some guys are running 10mm spacers with no front inner arch rubbing problems, but just a bit concerned that 13mm might be a bit much and require fettling of the inner front arches (which I don't really want to have to do).

I also don't have power steering, so 8" fronts could be a bit of a handfull

Just to add, thinking of staying at 16" front and rear not upping to 17"....

Wotcha fink guys???

[Andav469]

Chilliman said:

Anyone running 8" front rims?

My fronts are currently 7.5" on ET35 (standard rear wheels), and they're 13mm less clearance on the inside (i.e. nearer the chassis/wishbones) and 1mm retracted on the outside (dissapearing into the arch). As per the last Griffs.

Looking at new wheels, 8" rim rear, and 8" fronts. 8" fronts with the original 15" x 7" wheel offset (ET25) means 13mm less inside (same as my current 7.5" ET32), but 13mm more outside. I know some guys are running 10mm spacers with no front inner arch rubbing problems, but just a bit concerned that 13mm might be a bit much and require fettling of the inner front arches (which I don't really want to have to do).

I also don't have power steering, so 8" fronts could be a bit of a handfull

Just to add, thinking of staying at 16" front and rear not upping to 17"....

Wotcha fink guys???

Chilli, I'm running 16's on the front with 12mm spacers, the wheels are nowhere near rubbing the arches

[mgjc]

I really want to widen then stance of my chim without catching the arches - so whats the maximum spacers you can put on if you have the standard Imolas (15" front and 16" Inch rears).

Does this help stability and cornering at all or is it not worth?

[Andav469]

mgjc said:

I really want to widen then stance of my chim without catching the arches - so whats the maximum spacers you can put on if you have the standard Imolas (15" front and 16" Inch rears).

Does this help stability and cornering at all or is it not worth?

My car has 16" Estoril Wheels both front and rear, I am also running with 12mm spacers at the front and rear with no issues.

The 16" fronts have a -7mm offset than the standard 15's (so set inside the arch by 7mm) with the 12 mm spacer, the wheel fill the arches by 5mm more than standard.

With the rear track pushed out by 12mm and the front pushed out by 5mm, this increased the turn in and was quite noticeable, the car also feels more planted on the corners

[Chilliman]

Andav469 said:

The 16" fronts have a -7mm offset than the standard 15's (so set inside the arch by 7mm) with the 12 mm spacer, the wheel fill the arches by 5mm more than standard.

That's interesting, my 16" x 7.5" ET 32's (standard rear Estorils) only have -1mm on the front, not -7mm

[Andav469]

Chilliman said:

That's interesting, my 16" x 7.5" ET 32's (standard rear Estorils) only have -1mm on the front, not -7mm

I am quoting details given to me by Sportmotive when I was looking into the change, I have not checked the actuals, you've got me thinking now........will take a look over the weekend

The information given made sense as some people have issues with the wheels clashing on the wishbones at full lock

[QBee]

I am a beginner, but here's my thoughts FWIW - get out the cannons and shoot me down

Wider tyres/wheels don't necessarily mean better grip and handling - quite the opposite in anything other than totally perfect conditions, especially at this time of year.
Look at what the rally boys use - ultra wide with slicks for hot dry tarmac rally stages, virtually bicycle tyres for snow, and somewhere in between for wet and muddy conditions.
I wonder if TVR made the wheels 7" front and 7.5" rear for a reason?

I am just buying some more Toyo R888s for next year's track days, and am sticking with 215mm front tyres and 235mm rear tyres on my SP12s, which are 7.5 and 8 inches respectively. I didn't choose those widths BTW, but I think they handle nicely, warm up quickly and give me lots of grip from before the end of my first lap on a dry track. And as we love track daying all through the year, including winter, I like to think that being a little narrower than the max possible, I might be better able to keep them up to operating temperature even on a cold damp day?

When I bought some road wheels recently for all year use I intentionally stuck to 7 inch wheels and am very happy with my grip on country roads in this cold wet weather. The tyres seem to bite through the surface crap pretty well.

All just IMHO, but I wonder if we are being wise trying for greater and greater wheel/tyre width on what is a light weight, nicely balanced, rear wheel drive car?

[Andav469]

QBee said:

I am a beginner, but here's my thoughts FWIW - get out the cannons and shoot me down

Wider tyres/wheels don't necessarily mean better grip and handling - quite the opposite in anything other than totally perfect conditions, especially at this time of year.
Look at what the rally boys use - ultra wide with slicks for hot dry tarmac rally stages, virtually bicycle tyres for snow, and somewhere in between for wet and muddy conditions.
I wonder if TVR made the wheels 7" front and 7.5" rear for a reason?

I am just buying some more Toyo R888s for next year's track days, and am sticking with 215mm front tyres and 235mm rear tyres on my SP12s, which are 7.5 and 8 inches respectively. I didn't choose those widths BTW, but I think they handle nicely, warm up quickly and give me lots of grip from before the end of my first lap on a dry track. And as we love track daying all through the year, including winter, I like to think that being a little narrower than the max possible, I might be better able to keep them up to operating temperature even on a cold damp day?

When I bought some road wheels recently for all year use I intentionally stuck to 7 inch wheels and am very happy with my grip on country roads in this cold wet weather. The tyres seem to bite through the surface crap pretty well.

All just IMHO, but I wonder if we are being wise trying for greater and greater wheel/tyre width on what is a light weight, nicely balanced, rear wheel drive car?

I wonder why TVR put wider tyres on the front and rear of the 500's as standard, 225 front and 245 rear

The time to put the power down is in good road conditions, so it makes sense to get more rubber on the road on the rear

Edited by Andav469 on Friday 20th December 18:04

[ctsdave]

Chilli, I wouldn't worry too much about lack of pas. On Griff racer we run 11" wide slicks right round. At very slow speeds steering can be heavy but once moving it's fine! You should be able to adjust your castor to overcome any heavier steering??

Hth!!

[Chilliman]

ctsdave said:

Chilli, I wouldn't worry too much about lack of pas. On Griff racer we run 11" wide slicks right round. At very slow speeds steering can be heavy but once moving it's fine! You should be able to adjust your castor to overcome any heavier steering??

Hth!!

Thanks Dave

This is what I use for offset calcs...

http://www.1010tires.com/Tools/Wheel-Offset-Calcul...

[Quinny]

8" rims front and rear.... Fronts are running 215/40-17.... With PS

No problems other than the tyre looks a little stretched on the rim..... A 225 would be better.

[Goaty Bill]

You already know what I think...

[QBee]

Quinny said:

8" rims front and rear.... Fronts are running 215/40-17.... With PS

No problems other than the tyre looks a little stretched on the rim..... A 225 would be better.

Very stretched. 25mm to an inch, and 205s look stretched on a 7 inch rim.

[Chilliman]

Quinny said:

8" rims front and rear.... Fronts are running 215/40-17.... With PS

No problems other than the tyre looks a little stretched on the rim..... A 225 would be better.

Hmmm... Any piccies Quinny? Also, what make are they? Don't spose you know the offsets F&R? (appreciate you recently got the monster).....

Chilli

[Chilliman]

Goaty Bill said:

You already know what I think...

C'mon then, Captain original, let it out..... You know you want to...

[Quinny]

QBee said:

Very stretched. 25mm to an inch, and 205s look stretched on a 7 inch rim.

215 is near as dammit 8.5", so not "very" stretched, but more than I'd like.... According to the inter web 215 is the minimum size recommended for an 8" rim...

Car handles fine, I'd just prefer a different look

[RichB]

Andav469 said:

I wonder why TVR put wider tyres on the front and rear of the 500's as standard, 225 front and 245 rear...

205 45x15 on non-PAS Griff 500s

[Quinny]

Chilliman said:

Hmmm... Any piccies Quinny? Also, what make are they? Don't spose you know the offsets F&R? (appreciate you recently got the monster).....

Chilli

Best I can do at the moment.... Not sure of offset but 35mm rings a bell..

[RichB]

These are mine: 215 40x17 on an 17x8 rim 40mm offset (got that wrong and had to use a 6mm spacer) so 35 mm sounds right.

[QBee]

Do remember to fit longer studs when playing football in muddy conditions, or when using spacers over 6 mm thick. Otherwise your nuts might drop off, with disastrous consequences.