DeTomaso Mailing List: January 2001, Message #222

Mike, what is the outside diameter of the new tires? Most of the new 16
and 17 inch tires come with very low side walls,and are probably 26-261/2
inches compared to the stock diameter of the BFG's at 27 inches, Running
Silver State we need every inch of outside diameter, one of the reasons
for not going to the new wheels.

On Sun, 7 Jan 2001 03:26:03 -0500 "Mike Dailey"
<mdailey@tectelsolutions.com> writes:
> When I was analyzing my new wheel and tire combination I carefully 
> selected
> wheels and tires that should have only raised the front of my car 
> 4/10" and
> lowed the back of the car .5".  When you go from a 15" wheel with 
> 225/50s on
> the front and 305/50s on the back to big wheels it is not possible 
> to keep
> the same tire diameter.    After I put the new wheels and tires on 
> the car I
> found that the car is now higher in front and back than I expected 
> by about
> 5'.   At first I thought that the suspension had not settled as the 
> car had
> been off the wheels for a couple of days.   It usually takes some 
> driving
> around for everything to get set back to the correct ride height.
> 
> After driving around some yesterday and today I found to my 
> amazement that
> the car is at the same height.   I'm beginning to think that the 
> incorrect
> wheel back space (the wheels stuck out way too far) that I had on my 
> old
> wheels changed the leverage that the A arm had on the springs and 
> caused the
> springs to compress more to hold the weight of the car.    This 
> lowered the
> car about .5".   What does the forum think about this concept?   I 
> also
> expect the lack of side wall flex on the new tires also has some 
> small
> impact.  As the ride height has changed it looks like I'll to need 
> to get
> the alignment redone again.  Darn!
> 
> For those of you that might be undecided about going from 15" wheels 
> to 16"
> or 17" wheels, find a car with big wheels and go for a test drive 
> (or ride).
> You will be amazed at what the big wheel and tire combination does 
> for the
> ride and handling.   The car drives like it is on rails.   And now 
> that I'm
> running Z rated tires I took the car all the way to 80 MPH today.  
> It felt
> great and I felt safe.   80 MPH is the unofficial speed for the 
> Atlanta I285
> loop!
> 
> Mike
> 
> T  e  c  T  e  l    S  o  l  u  t  i  o  n  s
>  "An Information Technology and Telecommunications Consulting Group"
>  mdailey@TecTelSolutions.com            
> http://www.TecTelSolutions.com
> 
> 
> 

World's Fastest "Stock" Pantera

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