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Tyres advice

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thebullfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

163 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#891332
Hello,

I was just after some advice in regards to what tyres to fit to my bare chassis atm. Low profiles wouold probably be somewhere to start I assume??? Brands don't matter, just sizing as afterall, you pay for what you get.

Chassis specs are, 4 inch narrowed, drop spindles and wilwood brakes.

The rim I have is: BRM 5x205mm, and they are 15x 5's (or 5.5's)

Any advice is appreciated

empi Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,131 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#891372
135 on the fron 165 on the back.
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷

thebullfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

163 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#891393
135x5x R15??

For rears I'll get the. 6.5 inch wide Br m s I reckon

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#891402
thebullfrog wrote:Hello,

I was just after some advice in regards to what tyres to fit to my bare chassis atm. Low profiles wouold probably be somewhere to start I assume??? Brands don't matter, just sizing as afterall, you pay for what you get.

Chassis specs are, 4 inch narrowed, drop spindles and wilwood brakes.

The rim I have is: BRM 5x205mm, and they are 15x 5's (or 5.5's)

Any advice is appreciated
Normal tyres for beetles these days is 165/80x 15

originally 155 x 15.. these are now sold as rare vintage tyres.

remembering that the speedo runs off the LH front wheel..

about 70% of braking is done with the front tyres...
so, 135s or 145s are too narrow IMHO...

I haven't heard of any BAD brands of tyres.. so maybe all those chinese ones are OK too... lol
they also have to be certified to be sold in Australia..
the front track of a Beetle is wider than the rear track so narrowing 4 inches..??? throws it all out of wack...

cheers

LEE

VW Tyre Pressures Front 18 PSI REAR 26 PSI..
from memory.. I do 19 Front and 28 Rear..

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- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

scot70wagon Wolfsburg Wizard

543 posts · joined Sep 2010 ·

#891409
i like 185/45/15 rear and 165/50 /15 front. but i like really low cars.
ALL GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN NEWCASTLE. JUST ASK A NOVACASTRIAN :🥷🥷🥷!!

thebullfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

163 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#891412
68AutoBug wrote:
thebullfrog wrote:Hello,

I was just after some advice in regards to what tyres to fit to my bare chassis atm. Low profiles wouold probably be somewhere to start I assume??? Brands don't matter, just sizing as afterall, you pay for what you get.

Chassis specs are, 4 inch narrowed, drop spindles and wilwood brakes.

The rim I have is: BRM 5x205mm, and they are 15x 5's (or 5.5's)

Any advice is appreciated
Normal tyres for beetles these days is 165/80x 15

originally 155 x 15.. these are now sold as rare vintage tyres.

remembering that the speedo runs off the LH front wheel..

about 70% of braking is done with the front tyres...
so, 135s or 145s are too narrow IMHO...

I haven't heard of any BAD brands of tyres.. so maybe all those chinese ones are OK too... lol
they also have to be certified to be sold in Australia..
the front track of a Beetle is wider than the rear track so narrowing 4 inches..??? throws it all out of wack...

cheers

LEE

VW Tyre Pressures Front 18 PSI REAR 26 PSI..
from memory.. I do 19 Front and 28 Rear..
I should have also stated that the end difference in track is 1/4 inch wider each side.

Do what size should I do on the front and rear?

empi Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,131 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#891414
Have a look at most of the lowered and narrowed cars in mags and on line they will have 135 - 165 set up, i have had this set up on all of my previous Vws and never had an issue.
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." - Anonymous 🥷

thebullfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

163 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#891425
Should I go low profile tyres? Can someone explain the / / / of the tyre world, I find it hard to follow..... Hence the question. I plan to go low. Probably end up on air.....

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#891427
A / B/ C

Basically the first number A is the width.

Second number B is a percentage ratio of the width, being the height of tyre (aspect ratio)
so a 275/50/C tyre will have 50% of 275mm, being 137mm high walls
a 185/50/C tyre will have 50% of 185mm, being 92mm high walls , so it would be a 90mm smaller tyre overall in diameter.

C is the rim diameter size

type 135 tyres into google and see
EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

thebullfrog Seriously Crusin Dubber

163 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#891429
helbus wrote:A / B/ C

Basically the first number A is the width.

Second number B is a percentage ratio of the width, being the height of tyre (aspect ratio)
so a 275/50/C tyre will have 50% of 275mm, being 137mm high walls
a 185/50/C tyre will have 50% of 185mm, being 92mm high walls , so it would be a 90mm smaller tyre overall in diameter.

C is the rim diameter size

type 135 tyres into google and see
I've always understood "A" but not be. A low profile tyre has a low "B" number then?? What would a 145/65/15 be like?

whatnow Custom Title Time!

1,000 posts · joined Jan 2003 ·

#891617
i think you need to start with your intended use of the car, how you expect to drive the car, what look you are going for and will you compromise one or two to improve the other. then go from there.

the choice of tyres will be totally different for a daily driver to a weekend circuit toy to a street legal drag car to a weekend cruiser. particular styles also lead in differemt directions with widths and profiles. answer those q's and you will find the choices narrowed plus people will be able to give opinions based on something other then thier own preferences.

5lam AKA: BlackBug

520 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#891632
You can't go wrong with a Smart Car tyre at 155/60. Low enough profile to clear everything, and plenty of tread on the ground.

Custom doesn't come in a Box

RestoKäfer Commited Dubber

63 posts · joined Mar 2012 ·

#892347
With brakes like those i would go 165/65/15 up front ,I like 185/70/15 on the rear.Suits a 5 inch rim.

XXX-1.8T Bishop of Volkswagenism

3,113 posts · joined Oct 2002 ·

#892533
BlackBug wrote:You can't go wrong with a Smart Car tyre at 155/60. Low enough profile to clear everything, and plenty of tread on the ground.
Has anyone fitted flappers to Smart tyres?

Or is the profile too small?

Somone mentioned that 155/60/15 is the same as 135/80/15 is it true?

5lam AKA: BlackBug

520 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#892566
I wouldn't fit flappers to anything. They give you nothing but problems. Can cause problems with the bead sealing against the rim, constantly pop out of the rim, and destroy the sidewall of your tyre.

And a 135/80 might be the same diameter, but I'd always go for the wider tread.

Custom doesn't come in a Box

RestoKäfer Commited Dubber

63 posts · joined Mar 2012 ·

#893148
XXX-1.8T wrote:
BlackBug wrote:You can't go wrong with a Smart Car tyre at 155/60. Low enough profile to clear everything, and plenty of tread on the ground.
Has anyone fitted flappers to Smart tyres?

Or is the profile too small?

Somone mentioned that 155/60/15 is the same as 135/80/15 is it true?
false 155/60/15 =22.32
135/80/15 =23.5
145/80/15 =24.3 flappers
165/65/15 =23.44

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#893376
thebullfrog wrote:I've always understood "A" but not be. A low profile tyre has a low "B" number then?? What would a 145/65/15 be like?
a 145/65 r 15 is Ø569.5mm
a 135 r 15 is Ø597

I've run both size tyres on stock rims and on rims up to 5.5in wide and never had an issue.

ClockworkMonkey Seriously Crusin Dubber

199 posts · joined Oct 2009 ·

#893380
68AutoBug wrote:Normal tyres for beetles these days is 165/80x 15

originally 155 x 15.. these are now sold as rare vintage tyres.

remembering that the speedo runs off the LH front wheel..
I was wondering about that.. just got some empi 8 spokes with 185/55s on the front. will the speedo be out because of it? is there an easy way to fix it?? i just noticed that it feels a little slower at the marked speed on the dash

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#893934
Assuming the original tyre for your car is a 155r15 (155/80r15),
it is Ø629mm and your new 185/55r15 is Ø584.5mm

Therefore you speedo will be reading fast (Your travelling slower than the indicated speed)
I've rectified this in the past by checking against a GPS and marking the speedo.
I'm sure you could get the speedo re-calibrated but this would be a costly proceedure.

ClockworkMonkey Seriously Crusin Dubber

199 posts · joined Oct 2009 ·

#894075
yeah phat bug, that sounds about right.. isn't there some simple cheaper option though? 🙂 yes i know living with it is the cheapest option hahaha
it's a great excuse for the missus though... oh well looks like i'll have to upgrade something else. new gauges perhaps? 😀

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#894083
ClockworkMonkey wrote:isn't there some simple cheaper option though?
PHAT BUG wrote:I've rectified this in the past by checking against a GPS and marking the speedo.
😉