Wheels

[Morgan]

what’s the consensus on staggering wheel sizes on a 2002?  I’m thinking about running 175/65/15 on the front and 185/65/15 on the rear. Wheels are 6” mini light style. I’m looking at Continental TRUE CONTACTS

[TobyB]

The consensus is that'll give you transitional oversteer.

 

t

 

[visionaut]

It’s not very common on 02s. Most run a square setup. The few staggered I know it’s with wheels not just tires.

 

Why do you want to add understeer to your 02?

[PhilC]

I run 6 on the front and 7 on the rear offset 22 on the front 16 on the rear. However, I run the same 185/45/15 tyres all round. Even on my old 911 the rotational circumference was the same even though the widths varied.

[Tommy]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

what’s the consensus on staggering wheel sizes on a 2002?  I’m thinking about running 175/65/15 on the front and 185/65/15 on the rear. Wheels are 6” mini light style. I’m looking at Continental TRUE CONTACTS

Both are way too large in diameter. Why not 195/50/15 square setup? 

True contact seems to be all-season tire and not available that pretty common size. I'd suggest looking for something else.

[d.hitchcock]

Run 195/50-15s all around.

 

[Conserv]

14 hours ago, Morgan said:

what’s the consensus on staggering wheel sizes on a 2002?  I’m thinking about running 175/65/15 on the front and 185/65/15 on the rear. Wheels are 6” mini light style. I’m looking at Continental TRUE CONTACTS

Your car’s original tires, 165/80R13, had an overall outside diameter of 23.2” (perhaps 23.4”, depending on your reference source). A 185/65R15 would have an overall outside diameter of 24.5”. That additional 1.3” (or 1.1”) matters in terms of fitment!

 

If you’re not driving your car in snow — for which you should mount true snow tires (Alpine symbol) — go for summer, not “all-season” tires.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

i"

[Morgan]

Thanks so much for the info. I am currently running Kumho 195/50/15 on the front and 205/50/15 on the rear. I was hoping to ease some of the steering by going to a smaller tire. And still keep my 6 inch mini lights. Will definitely go for a summer tire. Any advice on 185/55/15 or 185/60/15 all around?

[Squid's 02]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

Thanks so much for the info. I am currently running Kumho 195/50/15 on the front and 205/50/15 on the rear. I was hoping to ease some of the steering by going to a smaller tire. And still keep my 6 inch mini lights. Will definitely go for a summer tire. Any advice on 185/55/15 or 185/60/15 all around?

What steering wheel are you running? If you have a smaller Momo steering wheel, then going back to factory will make a big difference in the ease of steering at slower speeds. 

[Gordon]

8 hours ago, Morgan said:

I was hoping to ease some of the steering by going to a smaller tire. 

What size steering wheel do you have? A small steering wheel makes low speed steering a bitch. Other option is to start weight lifting. ?

[Conserv]

6 hours ago, Gordon said:

What size steering wheel do you have? A small steering wheel makes low speed steering a bitch. Other option is to start weight lifting. ?

And to manage expectations, even with the original 165/80HR13 XAS’s and the factory steering wheel, parallel parking an ‘02 can be a bitch, if somewhat less of a bitch than with fat tires and a small wheel… ?

 

I have a restored 1961 Ford F-350 pickup. Manual steering. 19.5” rims. Enormous Michelins. Much easier to turn at driveway speeds than an ‘02 with stock rims and tires. What’s up with that? ?
 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[TobyB]

14 turns lock- to lock, I'd imagine!

 

heh

 

t

more likely the Ford has a much lower scrub radius. 

The struts on a 2002 swing

the tires in a rather large arc...

 

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, TobyB said:

14 turns lock- to lock, I'd imagine!

 

heh

 

t

more likely the Ford has a much lower scrub radius. 

The struts on a 2002 swing

the tires in a rather large arc...

 

Not a lot of turns, Toby,

 

So I’m going with your “lower scrub radius” theory. How low is it? That truck’s scrub radius is so low it’s a negative number… ?

 

That’s my new story and I’m stickin’ to it!

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Steve

 

[ray_]

2 hours ago, Conserv said:

Not a lot of turns, Toby,

 

So I’m going with your “lower scrub radius” theory. How low is it? That truck’s scrub radius is so low it’s a negative number… ?

 

That’s my new story and I’m stickin’ to it!

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Steve

 

Because you're a manly man when you drive that!

 

[Morgan]

Thanks for the input. Unless I can find chromadora or campagnola wheels I will probably stay with my mini lights and the 195/50/15 front and 205/50 rear set up.