[Singletrack Safari]

Hello all,

It seems like you are supposed to be apologetic for starting wheel threads, so, er, sorry! This question might look more complex than it really is, but I am absolutely desperate for help - please can the good folks on here offer some advice? My van is in the bodyshop having lots of new bits fitted and painted, and it is due out tomorrow - and I want to replace my wheels asap - ideally I want to order something this week to finish it off...

Anyway, I am about to buy some 20" wheels for my T5 T30, and have been researching long and hard (I have read hundreds of thread pages!) into best tyre choices based on given offsets and rim widths.

My basic wish is to ensure I have no rubbing at all, but I am looking at tyres which both offer a bit more protection and fill the arch gap a litttle. I am happy to have a speedo which is slightly out (staying within the legal 5%). All the wheels I have identified are load rated for a T30...So, I THINK I am looking at the following wheel sizes:

1 - 8.5J ET 45 all round (Wolfrace Genesis)
2 - 9J ET35 all round (TTRS Rotor Style) style
3 - 9J ET45 all round (SuperMetal Trident or TTRS style also in this size)
4 - 9J ET35 front/ 10.5J ET40 rear (Team Dynamics Silverstone)
5 - 9J ET38 front/ 10.5J ET42 rear (Cruize Blade)

My understanding is that the lower offset (ET) wheel should sit further away from the van, so are more likely to keep the arches filled, and reduce rubbing on lock? But that would probably mean that the wider profile tyres could leave me with lots of "poke" too?

Anyway - the main question is tyre size related - what tyres are going to be best to run on the wheel sizes above? I had 20's with 35's on a previous van (think they may have been 255/35) and they were waaaaay too skinny looking and I ended up getting a lot of rim damage from potholes on motorways!

So my options (keeeping load rating of 101 or more in mind) seem to be:

1 - 255/40/20 - expensive!
2 - 245/45/20 - not sure how these would work on the wider rims?
3 - mixed sizes on the 9/10.5 sets? Maybe 245/45 front and 275/45 on the rear

I am spending way, way too much time researching this, and am now at the point of pulling my hair out - the more I read the more uncertain I am getting! I have been using willtheyfit online calculator, but it seems to me that it doesn't take into account the affects of stretching a tyre on a rim - surely a 245/45 on a 10.5 rim is going to end up with a lower profile, as the sidewalls need to stretch horizontally, losing vertical depth?

I'm taking off a nice set of Sportline 18s in black (the van needs something a bit more loud!) which I will be sticking up for sale once I sort this out!!

Thanks in advance people A:

 

[topliss44]

Good post Bud........... with all the information required so no need for the apology

Quick answer :9" wheels will be good wth 245/40.. Nice & cheapT:
10" wheels 275/35 again inexpensive.....T:
you can mix these on the front/rear as the rolling radius is almost the same.... Thas where i wuld go with those sizes.

 

[Singletrack Safari]

Thanks for the reply! Did you mean 245/40 or 245/45?

The 40 won't be load rated above 99 I don't think?

The online calculator reckons a 275/35 is very different size to a 245/45 - 14mm difference in ride-height/ arch-gap loss, so 28mm total difference?

Like I say, I am happy to go a few percent out to give a bit more tyre....

 

[Rake]

I have just received my 8.5J 20's and am also trying to decide on the same thing.

I 275/40/20 have been recommended by many to me.

A 5mm spacer on the front may be the answer to the rubbing.

I found this site very helpful -

http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.ph...ter2=16&wheelwidth2=8&offset2=0&Submit=Submit

 

[topliss44]

Thanks for the reply! Did you mean 245/40 or 245/45?

The 40 won't be load rated above 99 I don't think?

The online calculator reckons a 275/35 is very different size to a 245/45 - 14mm difference in ride-height/ arch-gap loss, so 28mm total difference?

Like I say, I am happy to go a few percent out to give a bit more tyre....

245/40.......... I know there only 99 rated but that is plenty & complies with europe TUV rules for vans upto the T32

 

[Blaster]

I am running on 275 40 20's fitted to RR stormer alloys. I had a bit of rubbing on full lock so fitted some 10mm spacers but could have got away with 5mm. Going for 275 on a 40 gives you a decent side wall and are reasonable on the pocket.

 

[Singletrack Safari]

I have just received my 8.5J 20's and am also trying to decide on the same thing.

I 275/40/20 have been recommended by many to me.

A 5mm spacer on the front may be the answer to the rubbing.

I found this site very helpful -

http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.ph...ter2=16&wheelwidth2=8&offset2=0&Submit=Submit

That's the site I have spent about 90% of my time looking at this week

I would have thought a 275 on an 8.5J would be a weird fit wouldn't it? Kind of bulgy, and if the ET is low then they will maybe stick out past the arches?

What wheels have you gone for, and what are their offset?

 

[Singletrack Safari]

245/40.......... I know there only 99 rated but that is plenty & complies with europe TUV rules for vans upto the T32

I read that the minuimum requirement was 101 for my T30 174 LWB van was 812.5kg (1625kg total on the rear axle), so that means a 101 or above rated tyre, right?

Don't tell me that after all this research I still haven't got it right? LOL:

 

[Blaster]

That's the site I have spent about 90% of my time looking at this week

I would have thought a 275 on an 8.5J would be a weird fit wouldn't it? Kind of bulgy, and if the ET is low then they will maybe stick out past the arches?

What wheels have you gone for, and what are their offset?

The 275 is for rims from 9 to 11 so an 8.5 would pinch the tyres.

 

[Abx]

A lower ET does not always mean you will not rub on lock, pushing the wheel out may well mean you rub on the arch liner as on lock it will be closer, hard to explain in writing but trust me I've been there, however a hot air gun can help mould the arch liner out of the way!

 

[Abx]

Oh, and I run 9x45 front and 9x35 rear with no rubbing.

 

[Rake]

That's the site I have spent about 90% of my time looking at this week

I would have thought a 275 on an 8.5J would be a weird fit wouldn't it? Kind of bulgy, and if the ET is low then they will maybe stick out past the arches?

What wheels have you gone for, and what are their offset?

Perhaps you have a point - I'm not sure TBH.

I have gone for a set of these - I like them so much I have taken them on as a new product.

20 X 8.5J ET 42

 

[Abx]

It's also worth pointing out that same size tyre but from different brands will sit differently on a rim, I had so Vredsteins on my Subaru that looked really stretched, replaced them with Goodyear F1's in the same size and they sat much more square on the rim.

It's a minefield!

 

[bladesblood]

I wish the wheel fairy would come and fit Cilla with nice 20's that didnt rub at all and looked great and I could just hand over a wad of cash without having to wreck my brain any more. I can them sell my 17's on fairy ebay

 

[Rake]

Hmm now considering 245/45/20 in my 8.5j's

Better option than 275/40 safety wise and available in 103Y

 

[Singletrack Safari]

I'm still struggling here TBH...I have now been suggested that maybe I should mix sizes and go 255-40 at teh front, and 275-35 at the back...but the wheel caclulator tells me that would make the rear wheels sit 5mm lower....

Now, I din't know much about van wheels (obviously!) but I know a lot about the affects of slackening steering geometry due to my job. "Slackening" the angle by dropping the back of the van in relation to the front is never going to be good for handling, braking, and most imoprtantly steering. Dropping the back in relation will certainly make the van steer less stably at high speed...

I am now down to just the two wheel choices though:

1 - 8.5J ET 45 all round (Wolfrace Genesis), probably with 245-45, but got offered some cheap 255-40 also?
2 - 9J ET38 front/ 10.5J ET42 rear (Cruize Blade)

I am still really struggling with the second option....

Really need some opinions here, I am smashing my head against the wall as I type!! :*

 

[Bognor Motors]

275/35/20 is the perfect size on a 20x9 rimT:

 

[Kempy]

My new wheels arrived today.
Only test fitted on one side but they are 9.5" et40 & 275/35 and they look spot on.

 

[Singletrack Safari]

Thiing is, as I said at the start I am looking for a bit of arch gap and extra sidewall height loss too - 275/35 is only 4mm different to my current wheels, and seems like the one size I know that I don't want...

Also a 275/35 won't work on the 8.5J wolfraces...I'm still wondering about 245-45 on the 45ET 8.5J's?

Maybe a combo 245-45 on the 9J fronts paired to a 275-40 rear on the 9(38ET)/10.5(42ET)J Cruize wheels? That gives a 17.9 mm ride height difference...

Or alternatively a 255-40-20 has appeared at a sensible price - that gives just under 10mm extra depth.

Has anyone got any pics of how these sizes look on some rims? I am finding that very few people post their tyre dimensions when they post pics of their wheels...

Van is back from the paint shop now, so I am desperate to finish off the look - the Sportline 18's look lost now!! Also welcome to accept any opinions on which of the above 2 models of wheels people think look better

 

[Singletrack Safari]

Here she is: