Wheels and Tires for FG buggy
lee...@my-deja.com
As I build my Signature Manx I am also collecting data on various things
such as wheels and tires. I would like to post what I have in mind and
see what the general consensus is. The Manx will be on a shortened '72
VW pan (balljoint front, IRS rear).
Tires:
I have read excellent reviews on the following two Pirelli tires:
Front - Pirelli P400 Touring All Season 195/65R15 (25" diameter)
Rear - Pirelli Scorpian AT 235/75R15 (29" diameter)
Do these sizes sound good (should the fronts be
wider/narrower/taller/shorter)? How well do all season passenger car
tires hold up off road, such as in the high desert with sharp rocks?
Wheels:
I have decided on the Centerline Modular 5 lug Early VW polished
aluminum wheels. Here are the specs:
Front - 15x6 (available backspacing is 2-3/8", 3-3/16", or 4-3/8")
Rear - 15x7 (available backspacing is 3-3/16" only)
The 15x6 front wheels should give the tires a slightly narrower profile,
as 5.5" is the narrowest you can go with the P400 tires, and 15x7 is the
widest rim you can use with the Scorpian AT tires.
Do these sizes sound ok? Centerline does not make a 14" wheel in this
style so I am stuck with 15" tire sizes. I am especially confused about
the backspacing for the front. I don't know which one would properly
clear the body/pan with the 195mm wide tires. I have to assume that the
15x7 wheels would clear for the back, since this is the only offset
available.
I welcome any and all advice. Since I have never built a fiberglass
buggy I would like to see what the experiences of those who have are.
Thanks much.
Lee
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
ManxManiac
Hey Lee, I'm glad to hear you're giving this some important thought!
I've run across a couple of DuneBuggys lately, that the owners gave no
thought to the tires they put on because in their opinion "one tire is
no different than another"! WRONG! Tire selection on a F/G DuneBuggy is
one of, if not "the" most important decision you'll make when building
one. In my opinion, Pirellis are a great choice for front & rear. I
used Pirelli Scorpion AS (All Season) 235/70R15s (28"tall/27 1/2" when
mounted on the 8" wide wheel) on the rear mounted on 15 X 8 wheels. I
wanted the "AT" but it wasn't available in the 235/70 size. For the
amount of off-roading I do & the type of terrain I'll drive on,
the "AS" will perform just fine. My front wheels have 3 3/16"
backspacing & with my 27 X 8.50 X 14 BF Goodrich All-Terrain Radials on
the front, the tire just rubs the body when the steering is turned all
the way left or right. If I had the 2 3/8" backspacing, I wouldn't have
that problem OR if I had a smaller diameter tire it wouldn't rub! I
also run a set of stock type wheels that are 15 X 5 1/2" wide with
Pirelli 185/65r15 tires & they don't rub at all. Because the F/G
DuneBuggys are fairly light, passenger type tires will hold-up pretty
well, even under some heavy off-road use. Bruce Meyers usually runs
what ever set he has on his buggy at the time he's going off-road. I've
talked to him about tires & his response is "Good tires with a decent
tread is important, but 'tire pressure' is the most important!" He has
told me about different guys he has been running with, who had their
tires aired up & all they had were traction & handling problems, when
he finally convinced them to "air-down" they climbed hills, went
through sand, enjoyed a better overall ride etc. & started having fun!
Bruce also recommends using tires that have a tread with a rounder
edge, as the tires with a squared off tread tend to "grab" the ruts &
usually they have a stiffer side-wall. Hope all this helps!
Have Fun...ManxManiac
ManxManiac
235/75r15s on 8" wide wheels & you won't have any problems. It
will "shorten" the tire to about a 28" to a 28 1/2" height. Under
NORMAL conditions, Pirelli recommends a 7" max width rim. Heck, I've
run 235/75r15s on 10" wide wheels. Have Fun...ManxManiac
lee...@my-deja.com
Thanks for your replies. Would I be correct in thinking that I would
want to choose wheels with backspacing that matches the wheel track the
closest? In other words, I don't think I want front wheels that stick
out farther than the rears. Thanks!
Lee