-----Original Message-----
From: spitfires-owner@Autox.Team.Net
[mailto:spitfires-owner@Autox.Team.Net] On Behalf Of Tburke4@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 10:27 AM
To: docnugent@yahoo.com; spitfires@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: 15" Wheels and tire
Doc is quite right. In suspensions designed to use modern low profile
tires
and larger diameter wheels, part of the benefit is that you can put the
suspension pivot points further apart. By the same token, if the
tire/wheel stresses
are focused on certain suspension components from a different angle
(than the
angle it was designed for) there's potential for failure. On the
Spitfire,
that would stress the trunnions, which are none too sturdy to begin
with.
ISTR that when the LPT/LDW craze began, all the manufacturers took great
pains to tell everyone that they would void their warranty if they used
such a
setup because ti stressed the suspension so. Maybe they still do??
I guess we will all have to consider 14" wheels if 13" tires start to
disappear, but 15"-16" rims might be a little extreme.
(Then again, I suppose that's the idea, right, Joe?).
Tom Burke
My take on this is that as long as you keep the overall diameter of the
tire the same and are prepared for a bit harsher ride (because of the
smaller sidewall) nothing is really going to change except the tire
patch.
The reason to go to larger wheels is to increase the selection of
performance tires from which to choose. There is little to choose from
in the 13" category.
Cheers,
Joe
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