jeffc Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Greetings folks, I have been searching around for wheel/tire combinations when I found a nice looking set-up on a car at www.prorace.com. I sent an e-mail enquiring about the size and received the following response..... ".....You will have to raise your car like a four-wheel-drive truck so the fenders don’t cut the tires. Only our kit allows the car to be lowered without clearance issues ....." This started me wondering what the members of the forum have done. So, my question is… What wheel (diameter/width/offset) and tire combinations have been used and what modifications were required in order to fit the wheel/tire combination? Thanks in advance and best regards, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6 Nick Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Hmmmph! Sounds like PRI Race to me. "Only our kit"... yep, sounds like them. Jeff, where are you and what's your car? There are a lot of Heralds and Spitfires with alloy wheels which didn't need any modifications, as alloys are made by numerous manufacturers with a variety of offsets. If Mr PRI tells you that only his wheels fit because he has the correct spacers, it's because he's fitting wheels designed for a front wheel drive car. I think some of his wheels look good, but spacers are poor engineering, putting strain on wheel studs. He also uses wheels with a 100x4 stud pattern, which isn't necessary because several manufacturers sell wheels with the Triumph stud patterns. I have Superlite alloys (a Minilite replica) on both my Heralds. One has 13x5.5 alloys with 175/70 13 tyres, the other has 15x6 with 195/50 15s. The rolling radius of the different tyres is almost identical. Andre Rousseau's Mk1 GT6 also runs 15" wheels, and I don't think he needed to modify the wheel arches to fit them. Hope this helps, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 are you aware thatyou posted a link to a ski manufacturer? You have got to be more specifiq. Which car do you have? Which size of wheels are you thinking of? Give us a bit of details to work with please. All my alarm bells are ringing when a manufacturer says "only our kit allows to...." He is probly talking bollocks - sounds like PRIRACE con artists to me. Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffc Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 It should have been www.prirace.com (now who swapped the "I" and the "O" on my keyboard?). The car is a 1980 Spitfire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 is it this kit? http://www.prirace.com/hubs.htm What are you using your car for? Do you need the huge wheels for racing? Most people in europe races in significantly smaller wheels and doesn't have clearance issues due to the negative canmer on rear. Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Not to mention that most racers use 13 or 14 wheels because they handle much better with the cambered Spitfire suspension - 15s are too big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveNotSoSideways Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Yep 13 or 14" MAX. 185/55/14 185/60/13 Thats the only two sizes you ever need for "sporty drivin". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffc Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Not racing. I just think the 15" and 16" look better and 13" and 14" tires are usually special order items (at least in north Texas). The rear is being converted to CV axles and rotoflex uprights with fully adjustable suspension, so there will not be the normal camber issue. I have reads where some folks are running 205/45 on 16X7 rims and, although the tires fit, they are a bit close for comfort. GT5R is running the ONLY set of 16X6 rims that I have heard of (not sure of the tire size). I believe the only modification I have read about is where some folks have had to modify the fender lip to add a bit of clearance. I have seen LOTS of 15" rims mantioned. There is one thread on the forum where folks have listed the main specs of their cars (including wheels and/or tires) but there does not seem to be any mention of the work it takes to fit the larger tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 James Carruthers has a useful wheel and tyre calculator program on his website: http://www.mintylamb.co.uk/?page=tyre.htm John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveNotSoSideways Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 It'll be a bit nasty to drive on all but glass smooth roads! No sidewall, these are classic cars they need a nice deep sidewall to work at all. You need some tyre flex, as suspension. To be honest in Europe and the UK everyone uses 13" or 14"... I've never considered using anything else, I'll still use 185/55/14 with 180HP! I would consider using a 205/50/14 or such like...Thats it. The offset of the wheels has to be considered, as the tyre may fit ok, but the offset of the rim dicates where the tyre will be in relation to the wheel arches/lips. If you got rims with the correct offset (bespoke) you may not need to change anything. You'll probably need to roll the fender lips up though or bash them up though...You need to use a special tool to do this correctly, a modifying / wheel shop should have this tool, it bolts to the wheelhub and you "roll" the arches buy using the tool best warm the paint up a bit to make it flexible so it will not crack.. You need to consider and measure what rims you need very carefully. PRI just have the right measurement of offset, no reason you can't replicate their setup...It's just a wheel afterall, they just buy them off the shelf... You often need to do this on 185 tyres! Let alone 205 etc. There are people here using 15" MGF sportcar wheels... I am the opposite to you, I dislike big wheels! If I get some new rims they will be 13", I don't think these 14"s handle as well as the smaller rim. For me thats all that counts. I think these rims look quite big... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffc Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 This site also has a pretty cool tire comparison calculator (multiple target sizes and also gives available tires per size). http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordleonusa Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I have heard a lot of stories about Chris Cancelli at PRI. Mostly concerning money sent and unfulfilled orders. I met him once at a show, and took an instant dislike to him. Hope I never see him again. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zetecspit Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 A few people have fitted 15" wheels from MGF's, they are 15x6 and work fine, with the exception of the rears sufferening a little with camber changes. I had 205/45 on the back, needed the arches rolled vey slightly when I went to CLM FULLY loaded. If I had replaced the tyres I would have gone to 185/55 or maybe 195/50. Reckon just a change of studs to 12mm ford ones would do it. Sorry, don't know the offset, but googling mgf wheels should yield results. I think they are available as 16 and 17" as well, but that may well be too much, although Vin with th bananamobile had 16" wires at one point I believe. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6_sleeper Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I have mgf 15" 6J with 185 55 15 on front and 205 50 15 on rear. its a mk3 GT6 with rotoflex, I had to cut the shock mounting point from the inner arch off and mount the shock to the chassis. I changed the studs to Landrover Freelander ones but the original ones are way to small anyway. I would never go back to the old 13" 4.5j very scary but i would go to a good wide 14" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 What is scary about 4.5J 13"? They are superb in the wet and super progressive (i.e. Lots of fun!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveNotSoSideways Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Lots of good times on 145's and 155's ;D ;D ;D Mostly sideways! Tempted to stick the set I have here back on for a laugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6_sleeper Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 155 are very scary, on yours.... 155's your a nutter ;D saying that my 155's were very cheap rubber : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B. Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I am running 155 on my 4.5 rims. Great fun ;D ;D Next set will be sligltly wider Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I think it's the typical course of progress... Buys car to modify - comes with crappy old skinny tyres Puts on new fancy wheels, wide tyres, gets it all aligned and proclaims improved handling Having said that I will be going for wider rubber on my Spit next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6_sleeper Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 what made me get rid off the 155 was turning at 15mph at a right hand bend on going striaght on, and it was a dry day. all in all if i were to have put better tyres on the car i would have been very pleased. but one wheel had a big flat spot on the rim so i got the mgf ones (only cost me ?50 for the wheels) ;D it then cost me £23.50 fo new bigger studs, £103 for wheel nuts (got them from rimmers, if I would have waited a week could have got them for half that.) and a pair of new tyres for the front toyo proxys the reas had new tyres on them. so all in all about £250 to swap. did feel loads better but as you rightly point out james I could have gone for some better tyres. when i have the spare cash may go for some 14" 4 spoke revolutions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieb Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 may go for some 14" 4 spoke revolutions Do such things exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerard Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Do such things exist? Nope. 13" in 4 spoke 15" in 5 spoke 13" or 15" in 4 spoke modular the only 14's are minilite thingies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6_sleeper Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 i always thought i could get some thats just crap > my new chassis has a sierra back end and ford pcd was gona change it to triumph but may just change the front hubs to ford pcd. there are some nice old school ford alloys. :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieb Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 But you can get 14" 5 spoke: http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk/forum/Blah.pl?m-1233957732/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6_sleeper Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I think Jony just sold them, they did make them but no longer, as stated above only 13" and 14" are now made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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