[NAC] wide wheels with rather narrow tires

[Theron J. Bliss]

You would have done much better going with 215 or 225 50/15's

Peter Berrevoets wrote:

> My preferred way of getting a car to handle better. Stock wheel and tire
> combo's give a compromise biased towards comfort and ride over handling and
> performance.
>
> Wider tires on stock wheels are the american ;-)(nomex on!) way to go for
> improved performance when actually the cars handle better with narrower
> tires. My 200TQ with stock 205/60 15s had far too much (IMO) sidewall roll
> when cornering. Dropping to 195/60 15s maintained relative speedo accuracy
> and produced effectively stiffer sidewalls with a crisper handling feel and
> more predictability in the corners. I did sacrifice some straight line ride
> comfort but I certainly could care less!
>
> IOW:   wider wheel + narrower tire = more roll stiffness (not of the
> chassis, just the tires)
>
> narrow wheel + wide tire = donut roll comfort with wallowing in the twisties
>
> HTH
>
> Peter Berrevoets
> 1990 200TQ
> Toronto, Canada
>
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: quattro-admin at audifans.com
> > >[mailto:quattro-admin at audifans.com]On
> > >Behalf Of BenediktRochow at oaktech.com
> > >Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 5:07 PM
> > >To: quattro at audifans.com
> > >Cc: lindgre at online.no
> > >Subject: [NAC] wide wheels with rather narrow tires
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >>> This is the certainly desired bumper fitted to a B4
> > >>> http://home.germany.net/100-504219/treffen/celle/07.jpg
> > >(it looks too
> > >big
> > >>> with with rather small looking wheels I might add).
> > >
> > >>This is the same as the coupe/cab bumper, with a deeper
> > >front spoiler. The
> > >>"toilet-roll" wheels are THE trend in Germany on VW's, 8x14
> > >or 9x14 wheels
> > >on
> > >>Golf 2's are not uncommon.
> > >
> > >What I've been wondering for years - what is the reason for wheels
> > >as shown/described above, with low-profile tires where (as
> > >somewhat visible
> > >in the above photo) the sidewall angles inward drastically,
> > >as the tread
> > >is apparently a lot narrower than the wheel.
> > >I saw that occasionally in Germany in the late 80s, and now on a lot
> > >of 'tuned' cars in Europe, and very rarely also in the US.
> > >Is there a point? Is this setup not a problem, e.g. when going
> > >around a curve faster than walking speed?
> > >
> > >Another illustration, particularly visible at top
> > >edge of rear tire:
> > >http://www.motorscene.de/Opelgalerie/Stefan_s_Astra_/Untoucha
> bleAstra03.JPG
>
> ??
>
> -gbr