Almost sold my Tuscan due to poor handling! Fixed for £20!

[so called]

This is interesting regarding the Mk2.
I changed my Mk2 Tuscan Spiders for SP12's which I took off my Mk1 (and which was handling great thanks to Geo and new shocks by Derek and the SP12's).
On the Mk2 I've had my geo done and shocks changed and again, Derek set up the shocks BUT the steering still seems strangely numb and at speed on B roads doesnt feel at all safe.

I wonder if the SP12's are contributing to this. As mentioned, the spacers are not needed if you have SP12 wheels so they must have the off set built in.

I called and e-mailed SP a few weeks back but they havnt replied.

[blueg33]

Guys I need some advice please.

I have just bought an Nov 2000 MK1.

It has 18 inch spiders, the early type separate disks and bell. Spacers are fitted.

The car tramlines/bump steers like mad, I can look at suspension upgrades to Racing Reds etc, but I noticed that the front and rear tyres are the same size at 245/40/18, I note from the handbook that the fronts should be 235/40/18. Will this be adding to bump steer? The tyres are wearing evenly.

So the questions are:

do I need to change the front tyres?
will racing reds etc cure the problem?
do I need the spacers with the early discs?
or do I live with a white knuckle ride?

Cheers

Nick

[softtop]

blueg33 said:

Guys I need some advice please.

I have just bought an Nov 2000 MK1.

It has 18 inch spiders, the early type separate disks and bell. Spacers are fitted.

The car tramlines/bump steers like mad, I can look at suspension upgrades to Racing Reds etc, but I noticed that the front and rear tyres are the same size at 245/40/18, I note from the handbook that the fronts should be 235/40/18. Will this be adding to bump steer? The tyres are wearing evenly.

So the questions are:

do I need to change the front tyres? No
will racing reds etc cure the problem? No, though poor shock absorbers will make any ride feel nervous at speed.
do I need the spacers with the early discs? Yes.
or do I live with a white knuckle ride? To a degree. Get the car angles set up, If it is new then well worth the money.

Cheers

Nick

[dvs_dave]

Very early Tuscans also had the Cerbera steering rack which is too short so creates excess bump steer. There is a mod out there to correct it though.

[GT TVR]

blueg33 said:

Guys I need some advice please.

I have just bought an Nov 2000 MK1.

It has 18 inch spiders, the early type separate disks and bell. Spacers are fitted.

The car tramlines/bump steers like mad, I can look at suspension upgrades to Racing Reds etc, but I noticed that the front and rear tyres are the same size at 245/40/18, I note from the handbook that the fronts should be 235/40/18. Will this be adding to bump steer? The tyres are wearing evenly.

So the questions are:

do I need to change the front tyres?
will racing reds etc cure the problem?
do I need the spacers with the early discs?
or do I live with a white knuckle ride?

Cheers

Nick

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18 and get the geo done to these settings:
FRONT
toe-in per wheel -4 min
toe-in total -8 min
camber -1

REAR
toe-in per wheel -12 min
toe-in total -24 min
camber -1,5

and get some decent shocks like Nitrons or Gaz Golds with Eibach springs and set the dampers a bit softer.

[dvs_dave]

GT TVR said:

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18

Why? The generally accepted and advised by experts optimum front tyre size is 235/40/18.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 11:28

[GT TVR]

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18

Why? The generally accepted and advised by experts optimum front tyre size is 235/40/18.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 11:28

yep, you're right, it's 235/40/18; he's now running 245 front which is too wide.

I was confused with mine which will go to 225/40/18 coming from 255/35/18.

[Avalanche]

mine just arrived in the post. Er, how come there's only 2? As there's only 2 do they go on the rear or front?

cheers

[dvs_dave]

There's only two because they only need to go on the front wheels.

[dvs_dave]

GT TVR said:

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18

Why? The generally accepted and advised by experts optimum front tyre size is 235/40/18.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 11:28

yep, you're right, it's 235/40/18; he's now running 245 front which is too wide.

I was confused with mine which will go to 225/40/18 coming from 255/35/18.

It's not so much the width, more the tyre profile height which is important. It should be as close to 94mm as possible.

[blueg33]

Thanks guys, I will change the tyres and do the geo. Shocks and springs will have to wait. Anyone in the market for 2 hardly used pirelli Pzero rossos to fit the rear of a Tuscan?

[GT TVR]

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18

Why? The generally accepted and advised by experts optimum front tyre size is 235/40/18.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 11:28

yep, you're right, it's 235/40/18; he's now running 245 front which is too wide.

I was confused with mine which will go to 225/40/18 coming from 255/35/18.

It's not so much the width, more the tyre profile height which is important. It should be as close to 94mm as possible.

Why 94 mm?

[JR]

GT TVR said:

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

dvs_dave said:

GT TVR said:

I'd change the fronts to 225/40/18

Why? The generally accepted and advised by experts optimum front tyre size is 235/40/18.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 11:28

yep, you're right, it's 235/40/18; he's now running 245 front which is too wide.

I was confused with mine which will go to 225/40/18 coming from 255/35/18.

It's not so much the width, more the tyre profile height which is important. It should be as close to 94mm as possible.

Why 94 mm?

235 x 40%? Which is odd because that would give you a tyre diameter which is 15mm too much.

This whole thread is about bringing the geometry back to that which the car was originally designed for on the 16" wheels carrying 225/50/16 tyres but what we've learnt is the following: there are early cars, mid cars and possibly late cars as well as those on 16" or 18" wheels with differing tyre diameters. Ideally someone should work out an offset table so that people can identify what is applicable for each car instead of this hit and miss system pretending that one size fits all.

[blueg33]

blueg33 said:

Thanks guys, I will change the tyres and do the geo. Shocks and springs will have to wait. Anyone in the market for 2 hardly used pirelli Pzero rossos to fit the rear of a Tuscan?

I now have the correct tyres on the front. A huge difference, I can do do 70 on an undulating road without constant fear of immediate death.

So 2 x Pirelli Pzero's for sale 245/40/18. Hardly used with circa 6-7mm of tread left - any offers?
(they fit on the rear of a Tuscan)

[Full SP]

so called said:

This is interesting regarding the Mk2.
I changed my Mk2 Tuscan Spiders for SP12's which I took off my Mk1 (and which was handling great thanks to Geo and new shocks by Derek and the SP12's).
On the Mk2 I've had my geo done and shocks changed and again, Derek set up the shocks BUT the steering still seems strangely numb and at speed on B roads doesnt feel at all safe.

I wonder if the SP12's are contributing to this. As mentioned, the spacers are not needed if you have SP12 wheels so they must have the off set built in.

SP12s are 8x18 and et36.5 at the front. This normally works well on all "Spider wheel" cars including Mk2 Tuscans and as you say, deals with the incorrect offset issue associated with Spiders. I'm at a loss to explain why the SP12s wouldn't work well on your car when they have on others (although, to be fair, there is less than a handful of Mk2s out there with SP12s on).

blueg33 said:

I now have the correct tyres on the front. A huge difference, I can do do 70 on an undulating road without constant fear of immediate death.
[quote]

Excellent to hear!

[blueg33]

Full SP said:

so called said:

This is interesting regarding the Mk2.
I changed my Mk2 Tuscan Spiders for SP12's which I took off my Mk1 (and which was handling great thanks to Geo and new shocks by Derek and the SP12's).
On the Mk2 I've had my geo done and shocks changed and again, Derek set up the shocks BUT the steering still seems strangely numb and at speed on B roads doesnt feel at all safe.

I wonder if the SP12's are contributing to this. As mentioned, the spacers are not needed if you have SP12 wheels so they must have the off set built in.

SP12s are 8x18 and et36.5 at the front. This normally works well on all "Spider wheel" cars including Mk2 Tuscans and as you say, deals with the incorrect offset issue associated with Spiders. I'm at a loss to explain why the SP12s wouldn't work well on your car when they have on others (although, to be fair, there is less than a handful of Mk2s out there with SP12s on).

blueg33 said:

I now have the correct tyres on the front. A huge difference, I can do do 70 on an undulating road without constant fear of immediate death.
[quote]

Excellent to hear!

Thanks for your advice on the phone. Sorry to hear you are closing especially as you are/were quite close to where I live.

[softtop]

I know this was a while ago and the sensitivity around SP and thinking about the article in Sprint. Did it raise the orders placed? This has to be one of the best 'finds' in recent years. I hope X SP can still continnue to sell them and make some money.

[magpie21]

I agree, I'd like to purchase a set but am now unsure as to who to order them from.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[dvs_dave]

Str8six I believe now sell them, as do most of the online TVR parts suppliers.

[nrick]

Matt (SP Performance) is selling them on ebay, got mine the other day next day, great service. Just search for tuscan spacers.