New Problem - Wilwood V8 brake setup with SE wheels scrape...

[MikieP]

Shop finally got around to fixing my Parking brake that refuse to hold the car. Turns out the PO had installed Wilwood brake calipers and once the new cables from JAE (due to them keeping the cables from releasing I have been told due to dirt, rust, etc.), were installed it turns out that the arm hits the inside of the wheel itself and I now need new, bigger wheels. I have some (Saturn 17x8 fronts and 18x10 rears) but they stick out of the wheel wells so much they would be unusable. Wheels currently on the car are 15 fronts and 16x8 rears as shown in the one picture.

 

Anyone have any ideas on how to remedy this problem without buying a third set of wheels and tires?

[deecee]

Can you post a photo of the Wilwood park brake calipers?

[MikieP]

No, though now I wish I had taken pics of them while at the shop today.

[sanj]

I run V8 wheels on my SE without issues, other than some rubbing at full lock. I see no reason why you can't use the Saturns.

Edited September 16, 2014 by sanj

[MikieP]

Hi Sanj,

 

Do you have the rear arches installed? The ones I have seem to have most of the outside rim too far beyond all but the very top of the wheel arch. Looks weird to me.

[Vulcan Grey]

V8 wheels like the Saturns are fine on the SE, fit nice and flush.  You just have to do something to get the front wheel bore to fit on the SE's larger 60mm spigot.  Either the wheel center has to be machined to fit, or the hubs.

 

These are the V8 AWI wheels, but are the same size and offset as the Saturns.

 

It should be possible to bend the will wood bracket, or have a new one made that doesn't hit the wheel, but can still be adjusted to work with the cables...  Though a pic would help figure that out.

[sanj]

Hi Sanj,

 

Do you have the rear arches installed? The ones I have seem to have most of the outside rim too far beyond all but the very top of the wheel arch. Looks weird to me.

I do not. I guess it's a matter of taste.

[MikieP]

Sanj,

 

What tiring do you have, please?

[sanj]

On the V8 wheels I currently have 235/40-17 and 305/35-18. The rears ought to be 285/35-17 or 295/35-18, but they were not available in the type of tire I wanted..

[MikieP]

Having difficulty finding matching tires for both front and rear. What did you choose, Sanj? So far all I can find that match front and rear are Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and Pilot Sport in the proper sizes...

[Vulcan Grey]

Nitto NT-05

[sanj]

They are Toyo RA-1's, but are no longer available. Try Nitto NT-05, others may have suggestions.

 

The front size (235/40R17) is pretty easy to find. The correct size for the rear is 285/35R18, but you can also use 295/35R18 or 295/30R18 without too much effect on rolling diameter.

[MikieP]

That is a weird looking tire! looks like driving in rain is out of the question. lol. Will look harder at them if shop figures getting them on and reaming out the front holes for the hub fitment. Much thanks!

[MikieP]

what about going down to 275/30 or 35/18 in the rear and going down to 225/40/17 in the fronts to keep it from lifting off in rain?

[Vulcan Grey]

275/30-18 would be much too small diameter wise.

[sanj]

Edit: 275/35R18 would work, leave the fronts alone.

 

Or try these:

http://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/detail/advan_neova_ad08_r

The rear would be 295/30R18. These might be my next 'street' tires.

Edited September 16, 2014 by sanj

[MikieP]

Neat looking and pricing might be in my domain! Have to go to pool league now but will follow when I get back. current tires are 215/40/15 and 245/4016 i think. FLloats like a boat in 1" of water. terribly risky to be caught out. Much thanks to you both.

[MikieP]

After looking around:

 

Nitto 05 has 235/35R17 and 235/40R17's for the fronts but their ratings are 200/AA/A - not so hot.

Nitto 05 has 275/40ZR18 and 285/35ZR18 for the rears. again 200/AA/A

 

Neova AD08R with a W Speed rating, has 235/40R17 (correct size) for the fronts and 285/30R18 (correct size) for the rears, but even poorer ratings of 180/AA/A Also, they have reports of blowouts....

 

Michelin has Pilot Super Sport with a Y speed rating (excellent reviews in all that have been published so far) BUT only have a 245/40ZR17 (PERHAPS TOO WIDE AND TOO TALL to fit the wheel well?) for the fronts and 285/35ZR18 (perfect) for the rears with 300/AA/A ratings.

 

I have a GPS Speedo so do not care about rotational differences - and do not mind a small increase in top end by a bigger tire as that should better my cruising mpg slightly. But does not bigger wheels place more strains on the drive train and also produce slower acceleration?

 

Nuts.

[sanj]

Are you looking for a higher wear rating? Unless it's a daily driver the tires will probably dry out before the tread wears away. I would be more concerned with rain performance, assuming you drive in the wet. My Toyo RA1's have a 100 wear rating, and are doing just fine for my limited mileage use, including numerous track days.

 

A heavier wheel/tire is going to cause more wear, but Lotus used the same bearings on the SE and the V8, so I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

The better rear choice in the Neovas is the 295/30R18. which is a bit shorter than stock. 285/30R18 is going to be shorter yet. The taller the tire, the higher the top end, a shorter tire will give better acceleration. None of them differ enough to be blatantly noticeable.

 

i would avoid going bigger than the stock 235/40R17 in the front, they are going to rub as it is.

Edited September 17, 2014 by sanj

[MikieP]

Sanj,

 

I have usually had tires in the 400/AA/A on my other cars (SAAB 900's and a 9000, so the 180 and 200 looked a bit off to me.

 

Out of the three brands looked at the only one with proper front and rears is the Nitto 05: 235/35ZR17 and 285/35ZR18.

 

Neova AD08R fits front correctly but only 285/30R18 or 295/30R18 for the rears is available which I think is too small a diameter for reasonable cruising gas mileage and higher engine revs?

 

Pilot Super Sport fits rear correctly but front only comes in 245/40ZR17 which I think is WAY too big to fit the wheel well and WAY to wide to be on the front ????

 

Advice needed.

[Vulcan Grey]

I like the Nitto's so far.  I got Discount Tire to beat the online price $137 ea for the fronts and $235 ea for the rear.

 

I don't recall if I drove in the rain before I took my car apart, but I was told they are fine in the rain.  I often drive in heavy rain in the Esprit (always rains when I drive, I think I single-handedly ended CO's drought a few summers), so it is important to me.

 

I always only get 6000miles out of my rear tires, and I have been had 7 different sets of tires on the car, everything from BFG, Pirelli, Michelin, Pirelli, Pirelli, GoodYear, Nitto.

[MikieP]

Travis,

 

What do you think about putting the larger 245/40ZR17 on the fronts? Too big?

[sanj]

295/30R18 will be less than 3.5% off the original. With the speedo reading 60 you'll actually be going about 58.

 

Here are a couple of handy calculators that make it easy to see the result of changes:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

http://pw1.netcom.com/~sgalaba/tiresize.htm#TireSize

[Vulcan Grey]

245/40ZR17 is a bit too big for an SE.  my 235/40-17 rub a tiny bit at full lock, and I can't lower the car more than 2mm below the 170mm spec without rubbing over bumps.

 

The V8 size 235/40-17 is actually 1" larger diameter than the SE size 215/50-15...  Which doesn't cause a speedo error, since the sensor is on a rear wheel.   A 235/35-17 would be more correct if such a size exists...  And it doesn't

 

This calculator will compare several alternate sizes and show you how many of each are available.

http://www.1010tires.com/Tools/Tire-Size-Calculator

 

So you can put in 285/35-18, 295/35-18, 235/40-17, and 215/40-17, 225/35-17 and see if there are more tire options, and the effect on diameter and speedo reading.

[MikieP]

So, stuck then? Or, my understanding is that it is not safe to mix tread designs front to rear. Is this pretty much the case? I am not concerned about speedo as I have a GPS speedo now due to having the lotussports LSD which does not have a take off for the speedo. One other concern is does the ABS give a damn about tire rolling diameters on these cars?