what are the best size wheels and tyres for handeling
on this chasiss that people have found from experience?
Thanks for any input
on this chasiss that people have found from experience?
Thanks for any input
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Tyre choice is more important than the wheels they're attached to 
16s are good but don't clear proper brakes
16s are good but don't clear proper brakes 
I had both 16's and 17's on my mk2. For looks the 17's look stunning with a small drop (they are for sale if you interested ) and the 16's were a compromise for everyday driving. Both held the road well.
) and the 16's were a compromise for everyday driving. Both held the road well.
I've had mk2 Ibiza's with 13"s, 17"s and 15"s, be it different suspensions.
Depends more so on the suspension / wheel size match. From pictures I've seen on track days, Ibiza's on small rims have bigger tyre flex and there's a lot more body roll which never looks good in the pics. The fastest I've ever been round corners, I had just lowering springs (rock hard susp) and 17"s, VERY fast round corners. From friends comments in following cars, the arse of my car back then just didn't move, it was very low and rear was very planted, never stepped out on me. Ibiza's on smaller rims seem to achieve the tri-pod look quite often.
But then Revo Kev I think had 15"s at The Ring and was pretty darn quick.
16"s are the best comprimise, tyre choice is very important as H8SV8S says, avoid cheap rubbish, go for reputation ie. Yokes & Goodyears etc
Depends more so on the suspension / wheel size match. From pictures I've seen on track days, Ibiza's on small rims have bigger tyre flex and there's a lot more body roll which never looks good in the pics. The fastest I've ever been round corners, I had just lowering springs (rock hard susp) and 17"s, VERY fast round corners. From friends comments in following cars, the arse of my car back then just didn't move, it was very low and rear was very planted, never stepped out on me. Ibiza's on smaller rims seem to achieve the tri-pod look quite often.
But then Revo Kev I think had 15"s at The Ring and was pretty darn quick.
16"s are the best comprimise, tyre choice is very important as H8SV8S says, avoid cheap rubbish, go for reputation ie. Yokes & Goodyears etc
goodyear eagle f1's yes, yokohamas, no! the tyre sidewall flex on them is incredible, it feels like you have a layer of plastercine between you and the ground.
toyo's might be a cheaper alternative.
toyo's might be a cheaper alternative.
agree there, no sidewall support at all, and they're so soft. 8k from the rears when I had A539's. no use in the wet either.
16's clear my 312's just fine. I don't think anyone else has bigger. so no need for 17's (which require lower profile tyres to clear the arches etc)
16's clear my 312's just fine. I don't think anyone else has bigger. so no need for 17's (which require lower profile tyres to clear the arches etc)
the a539's are lethal in the wet, roundabouts and bumpy corners were awful. they also have no rim protector whatsoever. never tried any other version of yoko as the 539's set of alarm bells in my head.
Personally, my 195/45R16 history is as follows...
Bought wheels with brand new Michelin Pilot SX GT's on 'em. They were scary tyres, poor in dry conditions and lethal in the wet. Not my favorites... I changed over to Goodyear Eagle F1's in GSD2 variant, and they were great. Unfortunately, Goodyear, in their infinite wisdom, decided to replace the GSD2 with the GSD3, so when the GSD2's died I replaced them with GSD3's. I thought they sucked - flexy sidewall, reduced grip and reduced tyre life. So changed to Yokohama A539's and have not had any problems with them.
I will add that all of the above have been quite sensitive to pressure variations and it's well worth having a play around to see what suits. A couple of psi either way can make a hell of a difference.
Bought wheels with brand new Michelin Pilot SX GT's on 'em. They were scary tyres, poor in dry conditions and lethal in the wet. Not my favorites... I changed over to Goodyear Eagle F1's in GSD2 variant, and they were great. Unfortunately, Goodyear, in their infinite wisdom, decided to replace the GSD2 with the GSD3, so when the GSD2's died I replaced them with GSD3's. I thought they sucked - flexy sidewall, reduced grip and reduced tyre life. So changed to Yokohama A539's and have not had any problems with them.
I will add that all of the above have been quite sensitive to pressure variations and it's well worth having a play around to see what suits. A couple of psi either way can make a hell of a difference.
15's are ace on a car the size of an ibiza and I have run 310mm 4 pots under them - but it very much depends on the design of the brake and the wheel. This is a very common size on race and rally cars of the hatchback design so this says a lot. Tyre choice in 15's is excellent.
Depending on the design again, its possible to fit a 285mm 4 pot under a 13" wheel !
Bigger wheels do give more traction though (bigger contact patch) and allow fitment of bigger brakes but you need a very fast car to need more than a 310 / 4 pot. Downside of bigger wheels is bigger unsprung weight which is a handling negative.
I have recently gone up to a 16" front wheel for racing but the main reason for this is lack of availability for a quality lightweight 15x8" motorsport wheel - 15's would have done just fine for me otherwise and my car is pretty quick
16's are a fairly good compromise but less choice than 15's performance tyre-wise
Depending on the design again, its possible to fit a 285mm 4 pot under a 13" wheel !
Bigger wheels do give more traction though (bigger contact patch) and allow fitment of bigger brakes but you need a very fast car to need more than a 310 / 4 pot. Downside of bigger wheels is bigger unsprung weight which is a handling negative.
I have recently gone up to a 16" front wheel for racing but the main reason for this is lack of availability for a quality lightweight 15x8" motorsport wheel - 15's would have done just fine for me otherwise and my car is pretty quick
16's are a fairly good compromise but less choice than 15's performance tyre-wise
The stock 16s wouldn't clear my old APs calipers with 330mm rotors... though, a motorsport 16 would be fine I'd imagine.
hopkinsgm said:
YES! I'm constantly playing with pressures in mine. Just set back to 34 in the fronts, still a fair bit of flex though, but they are 195's and not recommended 185's on 15"s. Still, a LOT better than standard rubbish that's around, superb in wet especially compared to the rest. Still a lot of flex on 15"s though, which is why 16" is recommended generally.
Didn't know the Yokes were so flexy, I know they're soft = good in dry, shite in wet, bit like Falkens I had 512's IIRC.
I've got to say that I went from the gti 15" upto the 16" 16valve multispoke and found the handling improved a fair bit but then I did go from 185(i think lol) to 205, and the profile is now 45 instead of 55. I think, and I say I think the 15's let the car accelrate a bit easier but for looks and the overall package im more than happy with my 16's. For a road car i;m happy with the setup. The biggest improvement found from my toyo t1-r's though was playing with the amount of air in them...... I went from 31 all round to 33 rear and 34 front.... seems to go a lot more well now
but then I did go from 185(i think lol) to 205, and the profile is now 45 instead of 55. I think, and I say I think the 15's let the car accelrate a bit easier but for looks and the overall package im more than happy with my 16's. For a road car i;m happy with the setup. The biggest improvement found from my toyo t1-r's though was playing with the amount of air in them...... I went from 31 all round to 33 rear and 34 front.... seems to go a lot more well now ive had 15s, 17s and 16s and id say by far my 16 inch borbets (7.5j) handle the best, but then again its also down to what rubber your running. any wheel 15 to 17 inch thats between 7 and 8 inches wide with good rubber will handle well, although if you go for 17s then your more like to have a little rubbage and a heavier wheel, unless you get somin like an 0z super t or similar.
set of 15" five spoke alloys/tyres poss for sale in the next few days.. plenty of tread on tyres too
My Mk1 TDI FR has had Mich Pilot Sports (225, R17) from new & they're ace in the dry. Wet, they're crap. I get about 16k out of a front set, about 30k out of the rears. At a normal price of around £110 each they ain't cheap either!
Dreading my new 170 FR with 18"ers on at renewal time.
Dreading my new 170 FR with 18"ers on at renewal time.
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