Tyre sizes for 500 wheels -Please

[barreti]

I need new rears for the Griff, but because its a 4.3 and has 500 wheels, before I go shelling out £250 I want to be sure I get the right tyres in the right size and with the right air pressure. None of which I am certain of because of the change of wheel size.

It currently has S02's on 16" wheels. Tyres are 225/50/ZR16 and set at 21psi.

I'm looking at 4 potential replacement tyres;
SO2's
Toyo Proxes T1-R
Goodyear GSD3 Eagle F1
Avon ZZ3

The last 3 being recommended alternatives if you cant get S02's and I don't have any real inclinations either way. I'm only a road driver and I like to press on a bit on the twisties but nothing serious as I still haven't quite banished the ghost of last years accident.

Most important is tyre size and pressure for the 500 wheels. But if anyone wants to recommend something in the way of tyres I am all ears.

I would have searched for this but the search is down and I want to get the tyres as soon as possible while I am getting the front alignment and balance checked.

Oh, one last thing. Is there a special tool to get the disk off which covers the wheel nuts or do you just use a screwdriver.

Thanks chaps
Ian



>>> Edited by barreti because I'm a muppett who cant remember my tyre sizes for just 12hrs

>>> Edited by barreti on Saturday 23 April 12:58

[stringbag]

I'll leave the tyre question to someone who knows more about it than me, but I can help with the caps.
Yes there is a tool but it just as easy to use a big screwdriver (carefully).

[big dazza]

barreti said:

I need new rears for the Griff, but because its a 4.3 and has 500 wheels

Thats a lot of wheels!

[Sooty]

I have just bought some rear S03s for mine in 225/50/W16 although the same place had S02s as well. I went for the 3s as I already have a decent pair of 3s on the front.

They were £82+VAT fitted at Crewe Tyre & Exhausts.

[barreti]

big dazza said:

Thats a lot of wheels!

Pedant!

[19560]

barreti said:

It currently has S02's on 16" wheels. Tyres are 225/50/ZR16 and set at 21psi. I'm looking at 4 potential replacement tyres; SO2's Toyo Proxes T1-R Goodyear GSD3 Eagle F1 Avon ZZ3

SO2s are generally not favoured for TVRs - not to be confused with the much loved SO2PP - so I wouldn't bother with them.
The T1-R usually gets good reports and is available in 225/50/16, 235/50/16 and 245/45/16.
The Eagle F1 GSD3 is available in the 225/50/16 and is IMHO your best choice.
The Avon is usually fitted to much heavier casr like Aston Martins and Bentleys so I wouldn't bother with them either.

[steve-v8s]

I think all the Griff wheels have been the same size 15 x 7j front, 16 x 7.5j rear. Loads of differnt tyre sizes fitted though.

[pum]

IIRC 225/50/16 is standard rear on Grif 500. I have 245/45/16 on mine, and they work fine.
Standard pressure from handbook is 24, but apparently less is suggested for tyres with stiffer sidewalls, such as S03.

Pum.

[FlipFlopGriff]

Ian,
205/55/15 front and 245/45/16 rear.
Ours were 225/50/16 rear originally but the 245 looks better.
Toyos or GSD's are favoured. We've got Toyo's (T1-S)on the OZ's and they are a significant improvement on the SO2/SO3 on previously. Don't think you can get either GSD2 or GSD3 in both sizes.
FFG

[DustyC]

FlipFlopGriff said:

Ian, 205/55/15 front and 245/45/16 rear. Ours were 225/50/16 rear originally but the 245 looks better. Don't think you can get either GSD2 or GSD3 in both sizes.

Just to add to that.

Apparently the 245 can give a smaller, or at least wrong, contact area due to it actually being too big and causing a wrap around effect.

Having said that I still replaced my 245's with the same size.

Goodyear Eagle F1:
And GSD3s can't be bought for the front.
GSD2s will fit the front though.
This will mean having a mix of tyres though.

[19560]

DustyC said:

Apparently the 245 can give a smaller, or at least wrong, contact area due to it actually being too big and causing a wrap around effect.

Certainly with a 7.5" rim and a 9.625" tyre the rim will tend to float over the tyre under hard cornering thus negating some of the benefit of wider tyres but describing the contact area as wrong or smaller is a new one. Upon what do you base that? shpub (amongst others) has stated that he prefers the wider tyre.

[DustyC]

I base it on the usual bollox that goes around on the PH forums....hence fitting them anyway!

edited cos I kant speel

>> Edited by DustyC on Friday 6th May 16:15

[catretriever]

DustyC said:

I base it on the usually bollox that goes around on the PH forums....hence fitting them anyway!

Marvellous, a philosophy of a kind of enlightened cynicism

[19560]

catretriever said:

DustyC said: I base it on the usually bollox that goes around on the PH forums....hence fitting them anyway! Marvellous, a philosophy of a kind of enlightened cynicism

Yes, that appears to be a good honest explanation, lol