" for16" on the front

[StardustV8]

looking at a 01 Chim in the classifieds, its got 16" estorils all round.

How do they cope with 16" on the front. If i get some normal 16" from the rear of a car, will that width and tyre size be fine?

and what tyre pressures?

Thanks

[Ribol]

You need to fit rack stops which gives you the turning circle of a 747, not ideal.

The correct tyre size without fouling is 225/45ZR16.

HTH

[MJW1977]

Does this tyre size also apply to fitting standard 16" wheels on the front? Are spacers required?

[coetzeeh]

Ribol said:

You need to fit rack stops which gives you the turning circle of a 747, not ideal.

The correct tyre size without fouling is 225/45ZR16.

HTH

Not true actually - if your steering rack is properly centered then you dont need stops.

[Ribol]

coetzeeh said:

Not true actually - if your steering rack is properly centered then you dont need stops.

How do you center a TVR rack then because mine fouled both sides, that would be handy to know, have you done it yourself?

The TVR factory obviously didn't know about this because when I rang and asked them if 16" Estorils could be fitted on the front and they said yes but you need to use rack stops with 45 section tyres (size quoted above). Didn't have any problem getting the rack stops, the TVR Centre in Barnet used to stock them for this exact purpose.

[Bluebottle]

Have you fitted the 16" rims on the front wihout spacers?
Original fitment is - front 7x15 et25 rears 7.5x16 et32. If you are putting rears on the front you will need 7mm spacers.

[Ribol]

Bluebottle said:

Have you fitted the 16" rims on the front wihout spacers?
Original fitment is - front 7x15 et25 rears 7.5x16 et32. If you are putting rears on the front you will need 7mm spacers.

I did what TVR themselves did on the final run of cars - no spacers.

[spend]

Bluebottle said:

Have you fitted the 16" rims on the front wihout spacers?
Original fitment is - front 7x15 et25 rears 7.5x16 et32. If you are putting rears on the front you will need 7mm spacers.

Hmm, the offset is relative to the wheel width, its not quite the 32-25=7..

I'm sure people have reported putting rears on with no-spacers & with larger spacers...

I'm not sure the rack stops are always mandatory, BTW - the only thing I recall from the factory was you will probably need them & you might need more than 1 I guess the body alignments can affect the clearances, different wishbones? and definitely that dam battery step in the n/s wheelarch. The geo set up is also a possible variable, but the cross-sectional profile of different tyre brands I think will be a major difference.

The rack can also be off centre - many adjust the steering wheel centering using the TRE's, but tbh this should only be a minor amount.

Most owners seem to have been quite happy with changing to 225x45x16 as I recall, whether PAS equipped or not

Dave

[V8 GRF]

I have 16" rears on mine, no spacers and a couple of small rackstops on the offside.

Heath Briggs (ex TVR service) said that if you centre the rack then you'll be able to fit the wheeels without
rack stops, I didn't bother as you need to reset everything at the front end re tracking etc

Turning circle is unaffected, and I don't find it any bigger than any car with large front tyres.

In fact the Griff is better than the several 205 1.9 GTis I had. 225/45/16 Toyos 28Psi all round

[Ribol]

V8 GRF said:

I have 16" rears on mine, no spacers and a couple of small rackstops on the offside..........Turning circle is unaffected, and I don't find it any bigger than any car with large front tyres.

In fact the Griff is better than the several 205 1.9 GTis I had. 225/45/16 Toyos 28Psi all round

Not too sure how you could restrict the movement of a rack with stops without it affecting the turning circle?
The turning circle on my Chim has definitely increased by fitting the 16" wheels, although as you rightly say nowhere near to the 205 1.9 GTis though (the 747 comment was a joke).

I wonder if the situation is exactly the same on the Griff and Chim bodywork?

[VictorMeldrew]

coetzeeh said:

Ribol said:

You need to fit rack stops which gives you the turning circle of a 747, not ideal.

The correct tyre size without fouling is 225/45ZR16.

HTH

Not true actually - if your steering rack is properly centered then you dont need stops.

I have 16's and didn't need any stops, and no fouling. 16's were a full set off a Griff SE.

PS the proper wheels for steering are at the back, so turning circle is not affected in the slightest.

Edited by VictorMeldrew on Friday 15th February 19:15

[V8 GRF]

Ribol said:

V8 GRF said:

I have 16" rears on mine, no spacers and a couple of small rackstops on the offside..........Turning circle is unaffected, and I don't find it any bigger than any car with large front tyres.

In fact the Griff is better than the several 205 1.9 GTis I had. 225/45/16 Toyos 28Psi all round

Not too sure how you could restrict the movement of a rack with stops without it affecting the turning circle?
The turning circle on my Chim has definitely increased by fitting the 16" wheels, although as you rightly say nowhere near to the 205 1.9 GTis though (the 747 comment was a joke).

I wonder if the situation is exactly the same on the Griff and Chim bodywork?

Maybe I should have added that the turning circle hadn't been affected to any noticeable extent as I take your point that some loss must have occurred it's just I haven't noticed it.

I don't think the bodywork plays any part, the tiny bit of fouling I had was caused by the rim catching the bottom suspension arm on full RH lock.

Any loss in turning circle would be acceptable in my book though as it's far outweighed by the reduction in understeer and the more 'planted' feel at the front.