TD up and running.

[KevG]

Mk1 ZS/ZR alloys were 7.0Jx17" and used 205/45x17 tyres
Mk2 ZS alloys are 7.5Jx17" use the same tyre, 205/45x17, I think MGR should have spec'd these tyres for lesser models and kept the 7.5J wheels and a spec'd a 225 tyre for the 180.

[will-w]

Originally Posted by KevG

Mk1 ZS/ZR alloys were 7.0Jx17" and used 205/45x17 tyres
Mk2 ZS alloys are 7.5Jx17" use the same tyre, 205/45x17, I think MGR should have spec'd these tyres for lesser models and kept the 7.5J wheels and a spec'd a 225 tyre for the 180.

Yup, I'd agree... 215 at a minimum, 205 always looks too stretched (IMO of course!)

To put it into perspective, my 6.5Jx16 Gridspokes use 205 tyres

[starfire039]

Dad's 206 has hubcaps

I was always lucky with my alloys on the Z, the wheels had almost no kerbing at all when I got her, I scraped a little bit off one of the wheels but the MG-Rover touch up paint soon sorted that out!

[p_b82]

i took the derv out yesterday as i am due at the airport tomorrow for work.

after 2 inifinitly slow chugs/coughs i thought i s**t dead battery, and then it just basted into life with a the clutch pressed and some accelerator. Made a nice black patch on the snow behind me

have to say was great fun pratting about with the diff - even flooring it and getting wheel spin the car accelerated forward much quicker than i had expected it to - our road has got about 5cms of snow that is now compoaced ice on it. only place you can see the road is where some-one has done a 'burnout' to melt the snow to get some traction lol

funny thing was that we went out to get some food and a shovel, and it seems that bristol has sold out of them.. ah well saves me having to do the path clearing

[peterzs]

Originally Posted by will-w

Yup, I'd agree... 215 at a minimum, 205 always looks too stretched (IMO of course!)

To put it into perspective, my 6.5Jx16 Gridspokes use 205 tyres

Hi Will, or Kev, does that mean that on the Mk2 straights you are better putting 215 or 225 x 45 x 17 tyres on and this will give some protection from kerbs??

[will-w]

Yeah, you should also notice that the turn-in is a little sharper too on the 215's...

Something to bear in mind next time you need some new tyres!

[p_b82]

i thought to keep the rolling radius the same if you went to 215's you had to drop it to 40? so 215x40x17?

[peterzs]

OK, thanks for that, I,ll just have to try harder until I need to change the tyres!!

[ZS]

Originally Posted by peterzs

OK, thanks for that, I,ll just have to try harder until I need to change the tyres!!

215's offer not much protection over the 205's IMO... having 215's on my MK2 wheels at the moment and still curbing them as easy... plus there seems to be more "give" in the tyres now.. might be that they are not reinforced though!

Could you Really put 225/35/17's onto the MK2 wheels?? would that be the same Rolling Radius and would they then rub?

[will-w]

Originally Posted by ZS

215's offer not much protection over the 205's IMO... having 215's on my MK2 wheels at the moment and still curbing them as easy... plus there seems to be more "give" in the tyres now.. might be that they are not reinforced though!

Could you Really put 225/35/17's onto the MK2 wheels?? would that be the same Rolling Radius and would they then rub?

When you're looking at tyres with very small side walls they should always be reinforced, the 215 size is actually the best size to use on a 7.5J rim due to the angle of the sidewall..

Working it out, the tyre size that is closest to stock is actually 225/40/17 and not 225/35/17 as you might expect! As for scrubbing issues, well I couldn't say to be honest!

205/45/17 - 616mm
215/45/17 - 625mm - 1.46%
215/40/17 - 604mm - -1.95%
225/45/17 - 634mm - 2.92%
225/40/17 - 612mm - -0.65%
225/35/17 - 589mm - -4.38%

In an ideal world you want the difference to be as small as possible