GT6 wheel sizes

[ASP123]

Hi all

apologies if this is in the wrong section or be answered before (I did try a search first),

I am looking for some new wheels our mk3 gt6 and have seen some genuine mini lites advertised. 
they are 14x6 and stated as for a spitfire mk4 1500. 
 

would these fit the gt6 without causing rubbing issues and would they be ok on the standard studs ?
 

am I right in thinking it is the replica mini lites that need the longer studs due to the thicker face of the alloy wheel? 
 

thanks all. 

[Pete Lewis]

i dont see any data to support they ever fitted 14" to  mkIV or 1500  we have some GT6 with tryes fouling baulkheads on rebound i dont think 14 is realy suitable

you can go low profile but the old style suspension relies on tyre deflection for some of its ride quality fitting a rubber band will give you a poor ride   and  bigger wheel diameter gives less braking . 

6" can give steering contact  5.5 x 13   would maybe a better option  to look for .

and dont forget unless you change the pressures or loads the footprint remains the same going fat doest have to  give more grip .

then dont forget to  re calibrate the speedo to suit non std diameters

Pete

[Clive]

Depends on the offset.

I have 14" mililite-ish wheels on my spitfire (with rotoflex type rear) and no issues at all. 

In all honesty, std studs are very weedy and if original, I would hesitate to use them. If new, guaranteed high grade maybe. But for the small outlay, the upgrade (and it is a genuine upgrade, with a real advantage) to freelander studs and m12 nuts is very worthwhile. Cheaper than using new quality 3/8 studs...

When you say genuine minilites, do you mean the 1960's ones? otherwise all new wheels are essentially reproduction, and I would assume nothing regarding thickness etc.

[Colin Lindsay]

If you carry out a topic search for 'wheels' you'll find lots of posts on the subject about wheel sizes, fitting and problems with clearance. There are too many to link to here but you'll find all sorts of suggestions and recommendations. Try this one as an example, but there are quite a few recommendations throughout the forum from members who've tried and tested the setup. Hope it helps!

 

[Gary Flinn]

The most popular Alloy wheel and Tyre sizes seem be 5.5J X 13" with 175/70 Tyres for the small chassis Triumphs.

I've used this on a couple of Vitesses's and was happy with the looks, extra grip and the steering wasn't ridiculously heavy. 

I've seen 14" and 15" size wheel fitted, but with low (40/50/60 Profile Tyres fitted) I personally don't like the look of them and the standard Suspension is not suited to Low profile tyres either?

It's the ET Offset that determines if they will catch or not and 6J will be tight even with the correct offset?

I had some Dunlop D1's 5.5J X 13" with a ET19 Offset on my last Vitesse and these didn't catch at the rear but fouled slightly the Bulkhead at the Front on Lock.  

Up-rated studs are a must as the originals are designed for a Herald!

Gary

[ASP123]

Hi all,

thanks for the replies and help. Will give these wheels a miss as it sounds like the size isn’t really appropriate. 

[SpitFire6]

Hi,

 would just like to add that going from 80 profile to 60 as an example would result in more grip if the contact patch remains the same area. Not recommending a 60 profile, just making a statement.

Cheers,

Iain.

[JohnD]

"If the contact  patch stays the same" is the biggest conditional ever!  The feature of Triumph suspension is the high degree of camber change it shows, front of rear.     The lower the wallratio of a radial tyre, the stiffer the wall has to be.   So a low ratio tyre is more likely to lift, and reduce contact patch area.

People have tried  14 and 15" wheels in the extreme situation of racing, with no advantage, so it's not going to help on the road!

John

[SpitFire6]

Hi John,

 & the lower profile tyre is not made of a softer compound?

Cheers,

Iain.

[JohnD]

You are confusing tread compound and the stiffness of the body plies that make up the tyre wall.

John 

[SpitFire6]

No I am not.

[Pete Lewis]

i just love some range rovers with silly wheels and extremely  skinny rubber band for tyres  ....really useful on a 4x4   (aka school  bus )   

one light pot hole and its a goner  

Pete

 

[Colin Lindsay]

I had a Renault Laguna once, the tyres were so low profile that everytime you hit a pothole they just went flat. I hated them, as it was usually on the way home from work in the dark. More than once I drove the last few miles on a flat tyre.

I've just changed cars and the last Mondeo had lower profile tyres on standard alloy wheels; the handling was dreadful and my wife refused to drive it. The current one has taller tyres on exactly the same style of alloy wheel and the car is much less wandery and responds much better to the road surface. That could be down to a lot of things, I suppose, but the different tyres have certainly helped.