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What tyres Empi 8 spokes on a stock 68 bug

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matara Custom Title Time!

1,342 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#864244
Just revived my 68 bug thats been in storage over here in Ireland and got it taxed and on the road yesterday. I restored it back in 1995 when cal-look was the thing and its currently on 195/50-15 tyres which wreck the gearing.

What tyres would you suggest I should run on the back, its running stock height (Irish roads aren't that great for a lowered car)





Cheers

Steve

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,476 posts · joined Jun 2004 ·

#864261
205/65 15 is what i use to run. its the closest you can get to the stock 185/100s
“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
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Sbug 71 Seriously Crusin Dubber

123 posts · joined Jul 2011 ·

#864346
I've got 185/65 on the front and 205/60 on the rear with Empi 8's. Lowering it this week so we'll see how that goes.

Paulc1964au, how much did you lower the front of yours? I'm a bit concerned that I'm going to go too low and have to pull the struts out and adjust them again. They're the Empi type and I've gone to about half way. Yours looks good and with 175/65's do you have any tyre/wheel rubbing issues?

P.S. Apologies Matara for hijacking your post.

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#864348
Hi Steve

The stock radial tyre is 155SR15, its 25.1 inches tall or about 635 mm tall. You need to stick with that size or a little larger in overall height to keep your gearing OK.

Steve

esevwbits Custom Title Time!

1,027 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#864374
Steve! more beetles in the collection! when are you back in town?

Paulc1964au Custom Title Time!

1,627 posts · joined Mar 2010 ·

#864418
Sbug 71 wrote:I've got 185/65 on the front and 205/60 on the rear with Empi 8's. Lowering it this week so we'll see how that goes.

Paulc1964au, how much did you lower the front of yours? I'm a bit concerned that I'm going to go too low and have to pull the struts out and adjust them again. They're the Empi type and I've gone to about half way. Yours looks good and with 175/65's do you have any tyre/wheel rubbing issues?

P.S. Apologies Matara for hijacking your post.
In the photo you see the car was very low, I had to install a two inch narrowed beam and then limit the turning circle as the wheels were rubbing on the headlight tubs with the two inch drop spindles and the beam lowered. I have since raised it an inch and readjusted the turning circle. No rubbing what so ever, I was having problems without the narrowed beam so I recommend if you put two inch drop spindles then a narrowed beam is a must
/url]Streetwise Aircooled Volkswagens
My 69 Bug

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 ·

#864429
why put bandaids on the problem of rubbing front wheels by fitting a narrowed beam which is illegal, all you have to is fit a set of wheels with the right offset

Paulc1964au Custom Title Time!

1,627 posts · joined Mar 2010 ·

#864432
vwo60 wrote:why put bandaids on the problem of rubbing front wheels by fitting a narrowed beam which is illegal, all you have to is fit a set of wheels with the right offset
Not illegal if the wheel tract is still the same though?
/url]Streetwise Aircooled Volkswagens
My 69 Bug

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#864434
Hi

Actually if you narrow your beam by a set amount, your new track is the stock track minus the narrowing amount, welding a suspension component is another grey area as well as drop spindles.

Steve

matara Custom Title Time!

1,342 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#864477
The beetle is over here in Ireland, so the laws are not as tough, but I'm really concerned about the rear tyre size. Its only running a 1300TP, so I want to get the biggest tyre I can under it, so it has better legs on the open road. At present it has 195/50-15's on the rear which is way too small. I will be using stock spindles and stock disk brakes up front, and I think I can go a bit bigger than 195/50-15.

Benny, I've had this car since 1994! Its been in my dads garage for most of the time, only coming out once in a while. I will be over here until Feb next year.

Cheers

Steve

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 ·

#864738
Hi Paul1964au
Sorry to disagree with you , if you narrow the beam to fit a wheel that has the wrong offset and it maintains the standard track it is loading up your suspension, it is the relationship between the center line of your wheel and a line drawn through the king pin / ball joints, that determine your scrub radius, when you narrow the beam 50MM and arrive at the same track as standard you are technicly 50MM over track, the relationship to the rest of the suspension has been change well and truely outside the legall limit, a increase in bump steer, tramlining under brakes, increased wear in the front end including the inner trailing arm bushes, kin pins, link pins along with a increase in effort to turn the steering wheel, I have a set of 16 x 6 rims on the front of my convertable with 195 50 16 tyres and have no rubbing issues other that a slight reduction in the turning circle.

aegorov Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Feb 2010 ·

#869625
After searching the forum, I still haven't really seen a definitive answer to the question...

'Has anyone in QLD had a 2.5" dropped spindle and 2" narrowed front beam on a beetle successfully mod plated?'

I'm considering getting this done to my daily driver, but I want to do it legally and without any possibility of getting my insurance rejected if I need to claim.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#869628
vwo60 wrote:why put bandaids on the problem of rubbing front wheels by fitting a narrowed beam which is illegal, all you have to is fit a set of wheels with the right offset
4x130 rims with an array of offsets aren't exactly falling from the sky.
If you dont like Empi 8s and sprintstars there's not much out there unless you want to exchange a testicle and kidney for some simmons.

Change stud pattern it becomes a totally different story but that's abit more extreme than most people want to go.

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 ·

#869633
it is my understanding that any decrease in track is illegal, as for the dropped spindles it will depend on your engineer, you could have one tested and determin its failure point. it has been done on this forum already.