Volvo Community Forum. The Forums of the Volvo Owners Club

Forum Rules Volvo Owners Club About VOC Volvo Gallery Links Volvo History Volvo Press
Go Back   Volvo Owners Club Forum > "Technical Topics" > 200 Series General

Notices

200 Series General Forum for the Volvo 240 and 260 cars

Information
  • VOC Members: There is no login facility using your VOC membership number or the details from page 3 of the club magazine. You need to register in the normal way
  • AOL Customers: Make sure you check the 'Remember me' check box otherwise the AOL system may log you out during the session. This is a known issue with AOL.
  • AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net users. Forum owners such as us are finding that AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net are blocking a lot of email generated from forums. This may mean your registration activation and other emails will not get to you, or they may appear in your spam mailbox

Thread Informations

240 GLT Tyre Size Conundrum

Views : 834

Replies : 6

Users Viewing This Thread :  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old Nov 27th, 2017, 12:44   #1
liamcafs
Member
 

Last Online: Oct 13th, 2021 17:10
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Milford Haven
Default 240 GLT Tyre Size Conundrum

My 87 GLT has four different crappy tyres on the rough 15" virgos that came with the car.

I also have a set of good condition Scorpius 14" wheels but all have cracked but brand new tyres so will need replacing.

I've read a lot about peoples recommendations for tyre sizes for these particular wheels. So I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question.

I have some very nice brand new Yokohama A539s which I'd considered putting in the Virgos HOWEVER they are 195/50-15's

Also I have the same tyre in 195/60-14 which I'd also considered putting on the Scorpius wheels.

I know the profile is lower than stock in boths cases so the speedo will under read, the car will sit slightly lower but generally what are the downsides to running with either of these tyres.

They are £Free£ as they're left over from another project.

Any advice gratefully received.

Many Thanks
Liam Mc
__________________
'95 960 RWD 105k miles (Donor Vehicle)
'87 240 RWD 92k miles
'02 S40 FWD 100k miles
'99 V70 AWD 155k miles SOLD
Link to my 240 Engine Swap Build Thread
liamcafs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Nov 27th, 2017, 13:14   #2
Antz
No I'm not the redhead
 
Antz's Avatar
 

Last Online: Nov 25th, 2022 10:49
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: North Yorkshire Coast
Default

I found that 240 speedos already under read on stock tyres anyway so by going even smaller it'll read further out, your engine will be revving higher so you'll use more fuel per mile, less top speed and itll look odd with little tyres on the wheels.

But.....

It'll accelerate quicker and stick like poo to a blanket on A539s which are an epic tyre. If only they made them in bigger sizes
__________________
1988 Volvo 240 GLT T5

Swap a T5 motor into your RWD Volvo:The Guide
Antz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Nov 27th, 2017, 15:26   #3
Derek UK
VOC Member
 
Derek UK's Avatar
 

Last Online: Yesterday 14:34
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Chatham
Default

Here's a 185/80/14 on a Scorpius (14") alongside a 195/60/15 on a Virgo (15"). As you can see, the Virgo pairing is smaller in diameter than the Scorpius pair. Car is much more lively on the Virgos due to the lower gearing. With the Scorpius I was having to drop to second gear on a local hill which the car romps up on the Virgos in third. Scorpius did cruise well but they were shod with very budget tyres so no fun in the wet.
I will go to 195/65/15 on the Virgos if I ever wear these Dunlop's out.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg P1050974pscs.jpg (174.9 KB, 17 views)
File Type: jpg P1050973pscs.jpg (241.7 KB, 16 views)
Derek UK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Nov 27th, 2017, 16:13   #4
liamcafs
Member
 

Last Online: Oct 13th, 2021 17:10
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Milford Haven
Default

Thanks for the info guys, still not sure what to do
__________________
'95 960 RWD 105k miles (Donor Vehicle)
'87 240 RWD 92k miles
'02 S40 FWD 100k miles
'99 V70 AWD 155k miles SOLD
Link to my 240 Engine Swap Build Thread
liamcafs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 15th, 2017, 19:09   #5
Nicholas Lewin
newish member
 

Last Online: Nov 8th, 2020 00:35
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: London
Default

Hi Liam

Belatedly, if you stick something like car tyre size or wheel size into Google, there are loads of good references which you can play about with to see what happens when you alter the width/height ratio of different tyres/wheels

Longer term, you might also think about availability of tyres - might 14" become less widely available than 15" for example?

hope that helps
Nicholas Lewin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 17th, 2017, 14:31   #6
classicswede
Trader Volvo in my veins
 
classicswede's Avatar
 

Last Online: Yesterday 23:41
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Anglesey
Default

As you have them it would be tempting to stick them and get the use from them. Speedy is going to be reading even faster than normal. Once you have worn them down and had your use stick on some 205/60 15 tyres on the Virgos
classicswede is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 18th, 2017, 17:17   #7
liamcafs
Member
 

Last Online: Oct 13th, 2021 17:10
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Milford Haven
Default

In the end I stuck some new tyres on the Scorpius wheels. Really improved the ride.

Thanks for the replies

Liam Mc
__________________
'95 960 RWD 105k miles (Donor Vehicle)
'87 240 RWD 92k miles
'02 S40 FWD 100k miles
'99 V70 AWD 155k miles SOLD
Link to my 240 Engine Swap Build Thread
liamcafs is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 15:53.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.