Technical Questions - Wheels & Tyres
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Page last updated 28 March, 2010

 

 

 

 

Date asked

 Question Answer

23rd March 2010

By Neil Hastle

The wheel nuts holding my standard Wolfrace alloys onto my 3000M are losing their chrome plating, and look rather shabby.

Do you know of anyone who can supply good quality replacement nuts (and perhaps locking nuts too?)

I'm not 100% sure if these are the correct bevel angle (as they are for steel wheels), but they will definately fit the thread as they are for the TR6. Don't choose the alloy option as they are for a different type of wheel with no bevel.

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/

See the TR6 section as a direct link isn't possible.

5th September 2008

By Bob Schantz

My name is Bob Schantz and I bought my TVR in 1973 (new) and joined the TVRCCNA
in about 1980. While reading the information you present at http://tvr.m-fix.co.uk/

it dawned on me that you may be the man that can answer my question.
The question is about tires for the 'M'. When the auto was new it came with Pirelli Cinturato
in size 165/SR15 (still have the spare and holding air, it was never used). The original size has
since been discontinued and replaced by the Pirelli Cinturato size 175/70 HR15 I purchased in
about 1990. Note that the width is increasing on the tires. I still have this set on the car,
however my fear that they maybe to old ( like me ) to be safe, has prompted me to consider obtaining a new set. I should state that the TVR has about 50K miles on it.

In my attempt to buy new Pirelli Cinturato tires, I am confronted by a problem that I hope you maybe able to provide me with some insight toward the solution. The old tire sizes are a thing of the past, like me, and require information that I do not posses or know where to obtain.

This potential conundrum, is why I have contacted you for help; i.e. Today's tires have new sizes
that are larger in tread width than the 175's and a changed aspect ratio (AR) that is smaller than

I bought 18 years ago.

The new Pirelli Cinturato tires have increased the width again, changed the aspect ratio

and put the higher speed rating on the wider tires:
Information from Pirelli Tires (2008)
@http://www.pirellityre.com/web/car-suv-van/tyres/cinturato/default.page

205/65R15
94 H

P6 Cinturato

195/55R15
85 T
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

195/55R15
85 H
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

195/60R15
88 H

P6 Cinturato

195/60R15
88 V
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

195/65R15
91 T

P4 Cinturato

195/65R15
91 H

P6 Cinturato

195/65R15
91 V
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

195/65R15
95 H
Extra Load / coming soon
P6 Cinturato

185/60R15
88 T
Extra Load / coming soon
P6 Cinturato

185/60R15
84 T
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

185/60R15
84 H
coming soon
P6 Cinturato

185/65R15
88 T

P4 Cinturato

185/65R15
92 T
Extra Load
P4 Cinturato

185/65R15
88 H

P6 Cinturato

175/60R15
81 T

P4 Cinturato

175/65R15
84 T

P4 Cinturato

165/65R15
81 T

P4 Cinturato


With a 15 in. tire:
How large a width and with what 'AR' tire can the TVR 'wheel-wells' and suspension travel tolerate?
Will a 'M' permit a 205/65RH15, a 195/65RH15 or a 185/65HR15 mounted or will any of them

interfere with the operation of the car?
Will an 'M' take different size tires on front/back without handling characteristic changing?
That's All I want to Know!!
I hope you can help me or can steer me to someplace that will be able to solve my problem and

I thank you for just reading my problem.

In short, I don't have much of an idea regarding 15" wheels as it is a trial & error case for most owners.

All I can provide is some info on wheels/tyres that have been sucessfully fitted - I answered this to someone only last week. However those sizes involved fitting a set of SE arches (see my for sale section - I am selling a set at the moment).

>One owner has these fitted and uses the following size rims:

>

> Front 15" dia rims x 71/2" J Tyres 205/50/15

> Rear 15" dia rims x 8"J Tyres 225/50/15

>

> Not sure on wider ones - look in my website gallery at John Livesey's

> 3000M for a pic."

>

>The offest on the front wheels was 4½", inset 3", and the rear wheels were offset 4½", Inset 3½". These are what he had made, but just make sure you check the front wheels' offset as they can catch the >wishbones on full lock.

Hope that helps a bit, but as I said it's trial & error. You could contact Adrian Venn at Exactly TVR Ltd - http://www.exactly-tvr.demon.co.uk/ - he is sure to have some more information for you, otherwise you could contact David Gerald (see my links pages for info).

4th July 2007

By Martyn

I want to purchase a set of panasport minilites
for m car.
What is the back set or backspace of rims that will fit a 2500M.

I measured my existing rims. I meaured 3.5" from the inside edge of the rim
to the mounting surface (rear wheel). i think you call this backset. I
got 3.25" for the front rims.

Any help would be appreciated.

 Ok from the info. I have from someone making a set of 15" diameter wheels
for their M series, they had:

Front Wheel Inset = 3" from mating face to inner lip of rim
Rear Wheel Inset = 3-1/2" from mating face to inner lip of rim

You have measured almost the same so must be correct. The above could have
been altered of course - he did talk about the wheel could hit the
wishbones on full lock if incorrect.

See further down this page for dimensions.

1st August 2005, amended with info on 30th December 2005

By Kevin Smeaton

I am seeking advice re the original Wolfrace wheels fitted as optional equipment to M Series cars , I am unable to find information as to their width . Also Compomotive split rim alloy wheels were fitted to some M Series cars and I would appreciate advice as to their width as well .

Thanks for your enquiry.

I don't have any further details regarding the size of these wheels I'm
afraid. I will put your question up on the website and someone reading it
should reply with an answer.

Will let you know as soon as I get any info.

New Information kindly submitted by Alan Nicholls:

"Wolfrace wheels, mine are marked 6.00 x 14 x 105 out, which may help one of your contributors."

24th May 2005

By Stan Vowles

 I have a 1976 2500M and was wondering if parts are available to switch the wheels from 4 bolt to 5 bolt. I would like to fit some torq thrust D rims to my car. This is something I haven't heard of I'm afraid. The only way to do this would be to machine new front & rear hubs which would cost perhaps £1000 in the UK.

28th June 2004

by John Buszard

 Do you know what the standard off set of the wheels are? My imperfect
measuring of a bent one gives an offset of 2.5 mm. I.E. the tyre being moved
2.5 mm closer to the centre of the car than zero offset. I am about to
purchase 16 X 7" wheels to replace the standard wheels and fit 205/55 tyres
and any experience would be gratefully received, especially about offsets
front and back.
It is a shame to go away from the standard size wheels but really good tyres
are no longer available in the standard sizes and I don't want to embarrass
myself or the TVR brand in slaloms and sprints!

Answer kindly provided by John Livesay, well known at TVR Car Club Track days in the UK for his very fast and superb handling 3000M:

"Not sure about 16" Rims with 205/55 on. The point to watch for is the offsets because the fronts can catch the wishbones on full lock.
The details of my wheels and tyre sizes, which were cribbed directly from David Gerald's 3000S race car, are: -

Front 15" dia rims x 71/2" J Tyres 205/50/15
Rear 15" dia rims x 8"J Tyres 225/50/15
I have attached a scan of a sketch of the offsets on my set up which may be some use.


The rears were originally 215/50/15 and I have run 235/50/15, all with no problem or discernable difference in performance or handling.

I'm fairly sure you have to have the arch extensions to fit this configuration. I have put 205/60/14 on a set of standard 14"x6"J wheels before I had the extensions done and they were OK but a little too much flex in the tyre wall for track driving.

I have been involved in the restoration of a Taimar with a friend of mine, Dave Crook, who you will have met at the track days with me, and we are essentially setting Dave's car up the same as mine, in terms of the body, wheels tyres etc. I have attached a some pictures of Dave's car showing the wheels we had made by Image wheels (pictures below):


We went to Image because we couldn't get Compomotives and Image said they would be able to make them using mine as a template, which they did.

Dave has gone for a different style wheel, I'm fairly sure they couldn't do the slots, but I guess Image will still have records or even patterns to produce more of the same.

Contact details are: -
Image Wheels International Ltd.
Unit 3, Fountain Lane Industrial Estate,
Fountain Lane, Tipton,
West Midlands.
DY4 9HA
Tel 0121 522 2442

As for how the set up works, well, the car certainly handles well and although I have done lots of other things to the suspension I am fairly sure this configuration contributes an awful lot to the equation.
The ride quality and steering weight is as good as the standard set up.
The rolling radius of the wheels is effected however and because the overall wheel diameter is smaller, this gives a false speedometer reading, but I'm sure that could be rectified should it be an issue, (I personally don't find it a problem not knowing exactly how fast I am going)"

by John Livesey 30th June 2004

7th May 2004

by Neil

I have a 1975 3000M fitted with 14in Wolfrace wheels and 195/70 tyres. The
wheels are in good but not great condition and so I am contemplating an
upgrade.

What are the possible options for 15in wheels - were these standard on later
models?

What size tyres would fit?

The largest tyres I have seen on an M Series car were 205 x 15 Front & 225 x 15 Rear - on 15" split rims. The car did have the SE arches though which mean there is more scope to fit wider rims. As far as I know 14" rims were always fitted as standard.

However - please see question below for a place that has fitted 16" wheels.
28th April 2003

by Aiden McConnon		 What make of tyre were they (M Series cars) originally fitted with and can you recommend a modern version? The original Tyre size was 185HR 14 for the T Slot alloy wheels, obviously a lower profile tyre is going to give slightly better handling, but slightly reduced ride height and speedometer readings will be altered (this can however be sorted by having your speedo re-calibrated if you're worried about this). Another option is to go for 15" wheels with wider tyres, but it depends on whether you want the car to remain original or not. If not, then the sky's the limit - some have even fitted larger wheels but I'm not sure on their suitability.

See this website for a nice set of wheels fitted to a Cosworth engined M series car. Maybe something like this would suit a V8? http://www.bornemann-fahrzeugtechnik.de/
Just for your info they told me the size of the wheels on this car were 7.5J x 16, ET16

 

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