Tyre/wheel recommendations for 18" Chimaera rims
Discussion
Want to fit 18" rims to the Chim
What are the widest rims I can sensibly get on the front & rear without putting excessive wear on the steering(I have PAS)
Can you go wider than standard 7.5" rim on the back without problems?
I was thinking 225 on the front & as wide as possible on the rear (Tyre & rim)
What profile is best, is 35 too harsh, 40 better ride?
Thoughts please......
What are the widest rims I can sensibly get on the front & rear without putting excessive wear on the steering(I have PAS)
Can you go wider than standard 7.5" rim on the back without problems?
I was thinking 225 on the front & as wide as possible on the rear (Tyre & rim)
What profile is best, is 35 too harsh, 40 better ride?
Thoughts please......
WazzaL said:
JR said:
BryanWilton said:
Can you go wider than standard 7.5" rim on the back without problems?
255/35/18 on 9" rims works well on the rears.
9"!!!!
Hmmm. Best start wearing down my current tyres...
BryanWilton said:
Can't I go up to 265 on the back on a 9" rim?
Assuming that you keep the rolling radius the same then larger wheels will: Downside: - cost more, have more expensive tyres, perform worse in the wet, perform worse on bumpy roads, be more susceptible to tram lining, increase the weight of the car, increase the unsprung weight, produce a harsher ride, increase the rotating unsprung weight (second moment of inertia) and be more liable to scuffing on kerbs when parking. On the plus side they should: - prevent the tyre from distorting thus giving greater cornering grip in the dry and on smooth roads, be more direct giving greater steering feel and control, have less tyre wall flex (thus reducing both heat and fatigue and be better for long high speed journeys) and they should look good. Perhaps most of all they allow you to use top quality (UHP) rubber.
Larger wheels will effectively increase the spring rates and fitting lower section tyres with less sidewall flex can make the car more sensitive to suspension geometry changes.
We also know that if a car was set up for one wheel size then by increasing the wheel diameter, keeping the same rim and tyre widths and the same rolling radius then the matematical advantages are not as much as the disadvantages, even after minimising them by adjusting the suspension set-up; as long as the car's weight and cornering speed are not enough to mean that the tyre rolls onto its sidewall causing sidewall scrub during cornering.
The real world isn't always as clear though. For the Griff/Chim cars it appears to be simple: if you fit 16" or 17" wheels all round then this allows you to fit bigger front brakes, higher performance tyres such as GSD3s, and rims usually more suited to the tyre widths; this appears to have been shown by quite a few to outweigh the disadvantages.
Thanks for advice & link to chart, very useful
Think I'd rather go as wide as possible without possible risk of involving altering bodywork, etc
Would that be a 255 or just have to stick to 225's I already have on rear?
I believe I can fit 225's on the front as some of the last Chim 500's (PAS) had them fitted?
Think I'd rather go as wide as possible without possible risk of involving altering bodywork, etc
Would that be a 255 or just have to stick to 225's I already have on rear?
I believe I can fit 225's on the front as some of the last Chim 500's (PAS) had them fitted?
The Chim started off with 205/60/15 on the front to make it softer than the Griff. You could fit this size or 205/55/15, 225/50/15 and 215/50/15, all of which have been used. The biggest problem is tyres; this is two fold, firstly finding tyres in the correct speed rating and then secondly finding good quality tyres. Practically 225/50/15 are easiest to source, then 205/55/15 are a little harder with 205/60/15 and 215/50/15 in UHP rubber near on impossible. Generally the PAS cars had the wider rubber but this was not a hard and fast rule.
Which tyre sizes are you considering?
Which tyre sizes are you considering?
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