Width of 15" wheels

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Yes I only ask simple stuff on the interweb....

Right so my initial "calculations" are correct. Thanks.

I really do want to know what those "star" wheels are actually called. I would need a spare wheel after all and one the same would be best.

I thought you woz ging away for the weekend Prufrock. Enjoy yourself.

Stephen

Down to Sussex tomorrow.

Jon.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by loki_the_glt

There are several web-sites that let you compare tyre (or tire in the case of the American sites) rolling radius against your current set-up, and there are probably links on either this section or the 700/900-series section of the Forum.

Generally speaking the lower the profile the harsher the ride, since the sidewall is shorter on a 60-series tyre than on a 65-series one.

Well, in principal it's a truism about tyre sidewalls and comfort but there's little real difference between a 65 and a 60 (ignoring gearing issues for a moment), and a 65 could be harsher than the 60 depending on tyre construction.

Jon.

[Lucien]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

a 65 could be harsher than the 60 depending on tyre construction.
Jon.

Jon is correct. I know all of us who have investigated this are aware, but for those who haven't ... the sidewall 'height' number is relative, not absolute, being the percentage of the tyre's width, so a 205/60/15 has a sidewall height of 60% x 205mm, ie 123mm. So theoretically a 185/65/15 would have a sidewall height of 120mm. More steel in the sidewall wold also be harsher.

Regards
Lucien

[Stephen Edwin]

So. I should look at 6 x 15. Perhaps Omega or Virgo.

That is, unless anyone knows a road holding/practical reason to consider 7 x 15. I begin to wonder if some people just like the look of wider tyres.

And with 6 x 15 then 195 65 15 has its virtues as the tyre size. Including better comfort and wider choice compared to the 60s.

As my rhetorical question implied I would need to check for van tyres/ply, which is not always clearly indicated in adverts. Van tyres good or bad for 240s is an issue much debated previously.

Let Pru's rather neat looking star design wheels remain innominatus.

[baggy798]

Because of how tyres transfer load to a rim, going overly wide can often not give you any more effective tread than the right sized tyre for a given rim.
Often you will just get more rim roll through corners, actually giving you less cornering traction. Going larger than a 205 on a 6-6.5" rim is not really going to gain anything other than looks.

I would go for a 195/65 on a 15x6.

195/60 is 24.2" diameter, quite small for the size of car.

205/65 are massive and fill the arches, got them on the back of my 940, not recommended for 6" wheels though.

Those star wheels are probably closer to FWD offset. They might still fit if they are around ET30 but they will be sunken in the arches, and stock wheels are already pretty lost!

Here's a 195/65 on a 15x7 Volvo wheel:

[baggy798]

Omega with 195/65.

[Stephen Edwin]

Thank you Baggy. That confirms my quietest guess thoughts and alerts me to things I hadn't exactly addressed in the remnants of my brain.

I'm not keen on fat tyres anyway and on a 240 I have a gut feeling against them.

The innominatus wheels have a clean look and I like them. I'm not a purist but also I'm not one to customise. They look OK. But the 7" potential issues and the possible offset issues.

I would guess I shall keep looking for Omegas. I've seen them looking good on a 240 estate. They suit in the sense that they are nicely made alloys but they nod towards the originality of plastic wheel trims that Volvo fitted to the SE.



14" Scorpius and 15" Omegas take your choice might be the wheels for 240s owned by grown ups with style and more than a touch of class....
Which probably means I'll end up buying Virgos and leather seats and driving a GLtSE.

[Antz]

I have a set of 5 virgos I'd sell.

[Stephen Edwin]

Thank you Antz.

[mylittletony]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

The innominatus wheels have a clean look and I like them. I'm not a purist but also I'm not one to customise. They look OK. But the 7" potential issues and the possible offset issues.

I would guess I shall keep looking for Omegas. I've seen them looking good on a 240 estate. They suit in the sense that they are nicely made alloys but they nod towards the originality of plastic wheel trims that Volvo fitted to the SE.

Prufrock's wheels I believe are Borbet C.

Have you seen this thread? https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...5&postcount=10

In reality, the difference between 15x7 and 15x6 is barely noticable.

185 80 14 is 652mm diameter, nominally - different brands vary quite a bit
195 65 15 is 634mm
205 65 15 is 648mm

(all from http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator/)
Bear in mind a new tyre comes with 8mm of tread or so, the legal limit is 1.6, so the diameter could vary by 12mm depending on how much life you get from your tyres

Offset is more important, find a wheel that is very close to ET25.

There is scope to fit much wider stuff than what you're worrying over... At the back I've got some 8.5x15, ET2 fitted with 195/65 15 and they don't rub, even though I've lowered by ~60mm. The front has 7.5x15 with 185/65 15 ET 8 (from memory), again no rubbing despite being lower still. Not to everyone's tastes but I like them.

In summary, there are no issues in fitting a 7" wheel. There may be strut or brake clearance issues from fitting something with ET over 25.