[BuzzaB]

Hey everyone,
doesn't look like my tires will get through the mot, and the spare (propeller) is flat.

so like many i began to think "£250 on tires could go towards wheels"

problem 1 is I love the look of 17's but don't want the extra weight.

problem 2 then is I cannot find the weight of the stock puma prop wheels, so I don't know what I'm aiming for.

or has anyone done this research before or can recommend a pair of 17's that don't ruin the handling? (pref 5 spokes)

thanks as always
BB

This post has been edited by BuzzaB: 28 July 2009 - 03:32 PM

[BuzzaB]

Ok weighed one. for the record,

mk1 Props weigh 13.6 kilo's including tyre (which was a continental Premium contact)

just got to find the tyre weight now

what a bugger, even if the tyre turns out to be a light one (8kg-ish) that means puma stock wheels are under 6kg. thats racing light!

no wonder everyone complains about handling on 17's, it's gonna be hard finding a 17 that light.

but I'll try!

[Matt & Tiggr MKIII]

Speak to Compomotive, probably your best bet if going lightweight, but dont expect them to be cheap...

[Dom36]

Just been out to weigh a 17inch TYRE for you and its just over 8kg...
So I'd be suprised if the 15 inch conti's are 8kg

[Matt & Tiggr MKIII]

CXR series are their light weight range, and 17 inch start at around 9.5kgs

[BuzzaB]

cheers guys.

I've seen a table of tire weights, and the same size can vary by over 2kgs depending on make and compound! so I really need to know the weight of that specific tire i think

[Pat_T]

My 17" Speedline Corse Turini's (Speedline, Compomotive & OZ seem to offer the lightest roadcar alloys) with Toyo T1 tyres added a total of 7.6kg to the total weight when compared to the original Ford 9 spokes so that's just under 2kg per wheel & tyre. Toyo R888 tyres that I now have fitted felt lighter than the Proxes, so although rotational inertia will have increased the actual mass increase with Speedlines going from 15" to 17" isn't too bad.

(..and I think props are heavier than 9 spokes!)

This post has been edited by Pat_T: 18 August 2009 - 05:02 PM

[Pat_T]

http://www.speedlinecorse.co.uk/motorsport/cat2120.htm

this wheel

[BuzzaB]

My 17" Speedline Corse Turini's (Speedline, Compomotive & OZ seem to offer the lightest roadcar alloys) with Toyo T1 tyres added a total of 7.6kg to the total weight when compared to the original Ford 9 spokes so that's just under 2kg per wheel & tyre. Toyo R888 tyres that I now have fitted felt lighter than the Proxes, so although rotational inertia will have increased the actual mass increase with Speedlines going from 15" to 17" isn't too bad.

(..and I think props are heavier than 9 spokes!)

So how was it to drive? any noticable lag in the turn in, or off the line?

[Pat_T]

I've gotta be honest and say I didn't really feel a difference to the acceleration, but then I have other mods and my car's lighter than a standard puma anyway. Neither can I quantify any changes in turn-in, cos I was going from old sh*t tyres, to brand new Toyos...

I would say the ride became harsher, probably due to the increase in wheel mass that the damper has to deal with, and also the lower profile tyre having stiffer sidewall and so being less forgiving. It sometimes feels a bit "crashy" over bad potholes now (I have coilovers and polybushes too).

But the car is still lovely to drive especially on smooth tarmac, and the minor increase in weight is more than made up for aesthetically with the 17"s I think!

Get yourself some Speedlines or OZ Superleggeras maybe 16"s would be a happy compromise?

[BuzzaB]

how did you go about lightening yours?

[Pat_T]

removed the spare wheel & tray, the aircon system, all the sound deadening under the carpets (very messy job!), taken off the acoustic stuff and various non-essential things in the engine bay, the exhaust system is lighter and has no CAT, fitted lighter suspension components.....

This post has been edited by Pat_T: 23 August 2009 - 10:15 PM

[BuzzaB]

Well,
the lightest 17"s on the market (in ford fitment) according to several sources, are indeed O.Z. Super leggeras.
at 6.9kg, that's pretty amazing for a 17", and approx 0.5-1kg heavier than a prop if my calculations are correct.

Anyways, took the cat to Pumaspeed for a service (and new bushes all round!), and they confirmed at least one of my tyres wouldn't make it through the mot.

on the drive home, i got some serious steering wobble above, presuming the new bushes were lettin me know how far my tracking was out, I booked into a good tyre centre the next day for tracking and a new set of toyo proxes all round.

Guess what was lying on the floor next to the ramp?
a set of O.Z super leggeras! 1 was new, the other 3 were 2nd hand. I just had to check! they were 17", et37, pcd 4x108! matt silver,
now they're c£1000 new, so credit card in pocket I told myself if they were 400ish I'd have 'em. he came back and told me even less! Deal!

photo's below

This post has been edited by BuzzaB: 26 August 2009 - 12:30 AM

[BuzzaB]

Before.


After

[BuzzaB]

Well,
my lesson in rotational dynamics/inertia is a harsh one:

light as they are, acceleration is definitely affected. I can't get it to 'jerk' of the line when i drop the clutch anymore, it just rolls smoothly forward even though I'm revving the ar*e off it. but at least there's no wheel spin.
Revs are generally higher now even though it doesn't feel as nippy. also 70-80 took ages on an incline on the motorway.

On the plus side, I can take roundabouts at 60! there's mountains of grip, and the steering has actually lightened up.

each time i drive now i'm equally disappointed by the acceleration, then happy with the handling and the looks.

problem is, before, grip was never a problem, and acceleration was the only aspect of it i wasn't completely happy with, so I'm really only up on looks!

[BuzzaB]

My essay pt4 (has anyone even got time to read any of this?)

Having said all of the above, over the course of 2 days, I had a service (new sparks etc), new bushes all round, tracking fixed (it was 6ml out after lil accident!), all new tyres and the wheels.

So I honestly can't conclude any of the current issues are down to the wheels.

there, that helped no-one!

as the fast show's unlucky Alf once said; 'Bugger'

BB

[Turby]

I guess you need to find a set of 15x7 OZ Superleggera's, they weigh in at only 4.9 Kg eaach (without the "centre cap").

[Dom36]

Those wheels look really nice, just needs a beefy exhaust sticking out the back now lol

[BuzzaB]

Those wheels look really nice, just needs a beefy exhaust sticking out the back now lol

Don't worry, soon as this one falls off (I give it about another year), it's a Milltek de-cat system for me

[happy-kat]

Colin had very light 15" wheels on his Milleniumm.
Can't recall what they were, but were very light I think.