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Posted

Currently have 185/70/14's on my 03 SV, factory manual states 185/60/14's are optimal. Not much available in a street tire for either size, wondering whether I should switch back to the 60 series to bring the car back in to factory spec. The question I guess I have is whether dropping the sidewall height is worth it for the more accurate speedometer and perhaps a little more clearance for the front cycle fenders.

 

What say you?

 

tires-comparison.thumb.jpg.12a27a7a7bab9afb375e3b5bfdbaa97d.jpg

Posted

Consider 195/60-14 size for which there are some 200 tread wear rated tires.

Or switch to 13” wheels. 
 

 

tire dia. (in)

tire circum. (ft)

tire revs/mile

195/60-14

23.21

6.08

869

185/70-13

23.20

6.07

869

185/65-14

23.47

6.14

859

185/60-14

22.74

5.95

887

 

Posted (edited)

Aspect ratio alters tread width to fit the same general rim width range, so a 185 60 is wider than a 70. It is also lighter for better grip over rougher surfaces, increases rear wheel torque through gearing multiplication, and lowers the chassis for better handling. In this case, the differences are small but they are all in the right direction if you have adequate ground clearance.

Edited by MV8
Posted (edited)
49 minutes ago, MV8 said:

Aspect ratio alters tread width to fit the same general rim width range, so a 185 60 is wider than a 70. It is also lighter for better grip over rougher surfaces, increases rear wheel torque through gearing multiplication, and lowers the chassis for better handling. In this case, the differences are small but they are all in the right direction if you have adequate ground clearance.

When delivered to the 1st owner in the UK it wore 185/60/14's , somewhere along the line these got swapped for 185/70/14's. Could it be during or after the owners honeymoon trip to Australia (24/9/03) mileage 5,369 and (27/10/03) mileage 10,694, or after the car was imported to the US by the same owner in January of 2005. Or perhaps his central to west coast, then east coast, then back to central US journey after the 202hp Zetec was installed by him in 2005. I've attempted to contact the original owner but have come up empty with this attempts. Current tires are Pirelli, but they are aging out, which is why I started this thread. Right now I'm looking at the Michelin Pilot Exalto in a  185/60R14 (currently on national back order) or General AltiMAX RT45 in the same 185/60/R14 size (in stock) Should be more than plenty for the car. Thought about a R888, but I do have a tendency to drive my cars all year round, and in all sorts of weather.

 

Bill 

Edited by mrmustang
spelling
Posted

Check out the Dunlop Direzza ZIII in the 185-60-14 size. They have a 200 tread wear rating and are available at your local Discount Tire/Tire Rack.  I'm very pleased with the handling, but have not used them in rainy weather. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Dave W said:

Check out the Dunlop Direzza ZIII in the 185-60-14 size. They have a 200 tread wear rating and are available at your local Discount Tire/Tire Rack.  I'm very pleased with the handling, but have not used them in rainy weather. 

If I was tracking the car as well as driving on the street, that might work, yet, I drive in sub freezing temps, yeah, I'm "that guy". :918766748_biggrinjester(1): 

Posted

Anyone else care to chime in with a brand/model of tire in the 185/60/R14 size that they have experience with?

 

 

 

Posted

I haven't driven any Azenis past the original one (RT215s?) but this is what I'm looking at when I get a second set of wheels in 14"...

 

Price is right too, although I guess it's a closeout price (at Tire Rack)

 

image.thumb.png.3f48b87671c486a990e28d0e6a8f1e7e.png

 

  • Thanks 1
Posted

R888Rs (what I actually run on my 13" wheels for lack of any other options) also come in that size but they're nearly $200 each

Posted

Eco Waterfall in 185-60-14 is about $50 each. Could be carried out to your installer. I have my own equipment.

Posted
1 hour ago, MV8 said:

Eco Waterfall in 185-60-14 is about $50 each. Could be carried out to your installer. I have my own equipment.

Never heard of them

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Been a few weeks, the Caterham was put on the back burner (actually all the cars were), but after careful consideration, I replaced the eight plus year old Pirelli 185/70/14's with Falken Sincera SN250 A/S tire in the Caterham suggested 185/60/14 size.

newtires1.jpg.43a43d169500387ca030bafd13ea95b3.jpg

newtires2.jpg.91fc55c994954bc1c5c23b071370ad22.jpg

 

Sure not as aggressive as the R888, (still "H" rated up to 130mph )but also safer for all year round driving, and especially in the rain, which has been known to pop up with little notice in my neck of the woods. Had the car out for a test spin earlier today (11:30am, already 87 degrees). Car feels sure footed with no clearance issues, even at full lock. 

 

Bill 

  • Like 2
Posted
12 hours ago, mrmustang said:

 

Sure not as aggressive as the R888, (still "H" rated up to 130mph )but also safer for all year round driving, and especially in the rain, which has been known to pop up with little notice in my neck of the woods. Had the car out for a test spin earlier today (11:30am, already 87 degrees). Car feels sure footed with no clearance issues, even at full lock. 

 

Bill 

 

Do they make you miss the splatter of road debris sounds against the body work and tossing small stones into the cockpit?

 

UnderSeat Treasures:

Underseat_stuFF.JPEG

  • Haha 2
Posted
1 hour ago, Anthem said:

 

Do they make you miss the splatter of road debris sounds against the body work and tossing small stones into the cockpit?

 

UnderSeat Treasures:

 

They still pick up road debris, but not as much as the Pirelli tires did. Nothing in the cockpit so far, but I only drove about 18 miles on my test loop.

 

Bill

Posted
12 hours ago, Anthem said:

 

Do they make you miss the splatter of road debris sounds against the body work and tossing small stones into the cockpit?

 

UnderSeat Treasures:

Underseat_stuFF.JPEG


My crappy ancient Kumho all seasons will do that too 😀

Posted
11 hours ago, wdb said:


My crappy ancient Kumho all seasons will do that too 😀

 

FYI my Caterham has Clamshell fenders.

For me the trajectory of the debris are at low speed 25mph when warming the drivetrain while in my subdivision trying not to disturb thy neighbors, luckily always wearing sunglasses (eye protection) in the Caterham. The Avon's ZT7's that came on the car didn't do much of anything as they were old and hard, now running the 195/60-14 RT660's 200 treadwear that's when the showers started. I have other cars with 180 and 260 treadwears but body designs impede the showers, before the Caterham last time I got showered was riding my mountain bike in muddy conditions:classic_biggrin: 

Posted

If you have a spare tyre carrier,  the mount bung will be fixed at the center height of the specified tyre and wheel

Posted
9 minutes ago, IamScotticus said:

If you have a spare tyre carrier,  the mount bung will be fixed at the center height of the specified tyre and wheel

I'll let the picture speak for itself

sparerack.jpg.814755e07e5f660a8848b361eb9e48f9.jpg

Posted
51 minutes ago, IamScotticus said:

If you have a spare tyre carrier,  the mount bung will be fixed at the center height of the specified tyre and wheel

I do not believe that is the case. My car came with two different spare tire brackets. One has a single arm and therefore only uses a single lug nut. That is what is on my car now with the OEM 16” HPC wheels. It is still in the body shop, DON’T ASK, so I cannot take a photo of it. But the second bracket is like mrmustang’s photo with two arms for two lug nuts. It’s shown in the circle with other parts that came with my car.

I cannot see Caterham making up four different drill jigs for four different wheel diameters (let alone consider different sidewall heights) so the spare tire will sit nicely on spare tire frame. It would make more sense to have one hole set for halfway between the center of the 14” and 15” rim sizes with a bracket that would work for those sizes. Then have an adaptable bracket for the other rim sizes.

I know this is plausible because I have seen a Caterham 1700 Sprint which was shipped with Revolution wheels, I assume 14” when first ordered. Later the original owner had James Whiting make a number of changes. One was to modify the mounting bolt and the accessories (I assume the bracket) to fit 16” HPC wheels. See the final line items at a cost of 30 GBP on the work sheet.

Spare Wheel Bracket.jpg

James Whiting page 1.JPG

  • Like 1

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