| Index
to articles on replacement tyres available on the V8 website Replacement tyres are a regular topic so here we have a "gateway webpage" to the useful information on the V8 website. What are the key issues to consider when deciding whether to fit 175 or 185 tyres on an MGBGTV8? More This gateway also covers winter tyres and snow socks too. More Spacesaver wheels and tyres. More Where can I get a full set of V8 or V8 Workshop Notes? Full sets are available in PDF format on USB Twister memory stick. More 
Back to entry webpage Updated 150113 |
Members'
views on replacement tyres Finding good comparative tyre test information Choosing replacement tyres has been made easier by the compulsory performance labelling but if you want comparative performance information on the top tyres then you need to see the results of recent tyre tests. 150113 More Which? magazine tests summer tyres The popular UK consumer magazine Which? has been lab testing summer tyres again. 130412 More Vredestein SnowTrac Winter tyres on a V8 Gordon Hesketh-Jones' finds the sense of improved grip from Winter tyres a real benefit when driving on cold wet roads. He has two sets of V8 wheels so when the warmer weather returns the set with Summer tyres is used again. 130110 More Which? magazine tests summer tyres The popular UK consumer magazine Which? has been lab testing summer tyres again. 230312 More Which? magazine tests winter tyres The popular UK consumer magazine Which? has been lab testing winter tyres. 171211 More Hankook all season tyre is an option worth considering Gordon Hesketh-Jones provides useful feedback on his tyre choices as a heavy MGBGTV8 user. 121112 More Results of the latest Which? tyre test report The independent UK consumer group Which? carries out comparative tests on summer tyres on an annual basis and the results of their latest tests are in the November 2011 issue of their magazine. 201011 More Replacement tyres - members' comments in V8BB postings Replacement tyres are a regular topic on the V8BB. Here are some of the archived postings. V8BB1 & V8BB2 & V8BB3 & V8BB4 & Tyre age concerns Get ready for cold conditions this winter Adverts for winter tyres have been appearing in the British press for a few weeks now and it seems more interest in them. 141011 More Comments on replacement tyres from MGV8 enthusiasts Feedback and V8BB comments on replacement tyre choices. More Replacement tyre survey - MGV8 members views An ongoing survey records members' views and choices of replacment tyres for their MGBGTV8 and RV8 models. Survey report RV8NOTE160 - Replacement tyres for an RV8 As most RV8s seem to be low mileage vehicles, the topic of replacement tyres had not been covered in the RV8 Workshop Notes series in 2002, so a request for members' views on tyres was sent out by email and a message posted on the V8 website Bulletin Board. This note is a summary of the feedback received from our RV8 members. 011102 RV8NOTE160 Understanding tyre sidewall markings What are the key issues to consider when deciding whether to fit 175 or 185 tyres on an MGBGTV8? A question often posed by V8 members is "I need to fit some new tyres shortly and had a look around at what fellow members have on their cars. Currently I have 185s but am considering going back to 175s. Are there any strong views on what is best?" 110715 More How old can tyres be before it is wise to change them? Over time the suppleness of the rubber reduces so that by around 7 to 8 years old the ageing effect on the rubber will have reduced the flexibility of the rubber to something that begins to have characteristics similar to that of wood with consequent adverse effects on handling and ride. For most classic car enthusiasts doing modest annual mileages this will inevitably mean the tyres age well before they wear out. For many it will feel wrong to throw away tyres which appear to have plenty of tread remaining but with a high performance car which has a suspension package from an earlier age, good dry and wet grip and braking performance are essential together with supple rubber for a comfortable ride. So be prepared for a tyre change well before 10 years and preferably at 7 or 8 years from new. If you are offered “brand new” tyres that have been in dark storage and are claimed by the supplier to be “as good as new”, then walk away as they will not be a wise purchase. Remember your classic car Insurance policy will include a condition that you maintain your car in a roadworthy condition – tyres well over their prudent service life may well be regarded as not meeting that condition and in the event of your making a claim, a vehicle inspection by an insurance assessor may well note that in their report and the insurer may regard that as a breach of the policy and decline to pay out. 051011 What are the key issues to consider when deciding whether to fit 175 or 185 tyres on an MGBGTV8? See our useful note on the four sets of issues you will need to review in assessing your tyre choice. 200711 More Tyre sidewall markings Understanding the markings on the sidewalls of tyres will help you to choose the right tyres for your car. Here's a guide to those sidewall markings using a 175/80 R14 88H tyre as an example. 290608 More Aspect ratio, rolling circumference and gearing The aspect ratio of a tyre is the ratio of the "section height" of the tyre to the "section width", expressed as a percentage - see the sketch in V8NOTE187. Traditionally radial ply tyres have nearly always had an aspect ratio of 82% and because this was so universal, it was never marked on the tyre. Thus for example the correct tyre for the MGBGTV8 is a 175/82 although the 82 is rarely referred to. Nowadays of course we see a proliferation of different "low profile" tyres with aspect ratios of 70, 65, 60 and even lower. A 185 tyre for a 14 inch wheel will typically have an aspect ratio of 70. So the section height on a 185/70 tyre is lower than that on a 175/80 and consequently the rolling circumference is lower too. For the 185/70 it is 2019mm and 175/80 1931mm or 4.36% less which of course affects the gearing of the car. V8NOTE187 - Tyre aspect ratio A useful insight to tyre aspect ratios. 010591 V8NOTE187 Contact patch size The tyre's contact patch is the only connection between the road and the vehicle. The size and shape of the contact patch, as well as the pressure distribution over the contact patch, are important to the ride qualities and handling characteristics of a vehicle. Since the wear and performance characteristics of individual makes of tyre are sensitive matters for tyre manufacturers and a source of competition between them, very little is published on the subject other than marketing claims to promote individual tyre products. As pneumatic tyres are flexible, the contact patch is different when the vehicle is in motion and when it is at rest. As observations of the contact patch can be made so much more easily when the tyre is stationary, it is more common to conduct studies of the static contact patch. Then the size, shape and pressure distribution of the contact patch are determined by a number of factors, the most important being the load on the tyre and the tyre inflation pressure. The greater the load on the tyre then the larger the contact patch. The larger the inflation pressure, the smaller the contact patch. Unfortunately, changes in these factors are not linearly proportional to the area of the contact patch because whilst either of those factors can be varied by additional loadings or increases of pressure, the resulting impact on the area of the contact patch is constrained by the structure and geometry of the tyre. Tyre pressures for an MGBGTV8 and RV8 What tyre pressures are suggested today for an MGV8? Although much has been written about tyres on the V8BB, I haven't seen anything about tyre pressures used by other members. In this note Ron Gammons sets out his personal views on tyre pressures for the MGBGTV8 and RV8. 301210 More Winter tyres and snow tyres Member's views on all season tyres as a good option for an all the year round MGBV8 user. More See the review of the Hankook all season tyre. More Pneus-Online is a possible source of Continental winter tyres for an MGBV8. More AutoExpress tests winter tyres. More Consumer magazine tests on winter tyres The popular UK consumer magazine Which? has been lab testing winter tyres and Continental's tyres came out on top. 171211 More Reminder on winter tyres See our reminder of the benefits of winter tyres in the UK. 141011 More Insurance concerns with winter tyres clarified Useful clarifications from a leading classic car insurer, the Ecclesiastical, will ease some of the concerns many motoring enthusiasts may have when considering fitting winter tyres. 151210 More & More Are winter tyres worth the expense? Winter tyres are not snow tyres. One of the most common reasons we hear winter tyres aren't needed in the UK is because we don't get enough snow. Winter tyres are designed to be more effective than regular tyres in any temperature under 7C (44F) on any type of road. Cold weather tyres are designed with a larger percentage of natural rubber and silica in the compound which doesn't harden up as much as synthetic rubber in cold conditions. 051210 More Are snow socks for tyres a low cost alternative to winter tyres or snow chains? 161210 More Winter tyres thread on the V8 Bulletin Board in December 2010. Follow an interetsing thread when the UK was hot by early snow! More Winter wheels for the MGBGTV8 Dr Gavin Bailey (Glacier White 0199) from Surrey uses his V8 all the year round and has found a specialist firm who refurbish V8 wheels in a finish that is ideal for Winter conditions in the UK. 101103 More Spacesaver wheels and tyres Spacesaver wheel for an RV8 David Sutcliffe sent in a set of photos of his modified SAAB 900 spacesaver spare wheel he uses with his RV8 when he needs boot space. He had a local engineering shop to make a spacer ring which is permanently fitted to the inside wheel centre. His photos show the improved boot space. (Nov 09) RV8NOTE316 Critical views on spacesaver wheels Some of the feedback on the spacesaver thread on the V8BB was critical of the idea of a spacesaver following the release of RV8NOTE304 on Tuesday 4th August . (Aug 09) RV8NOTE307 Spacesaver wheel and tyre for an RV8 John Bolt provides details of the spacesaver wheel and tyre he has used on his RV8. (Jul 09) RV8NOTE304 Space saver tyre for the RV8 Gavin Bailey (BRG 0766) from Surrey obtained an RV8 spacesaver tyre and as they are not readily available, he has provided some photos. (Feb 09) RV8NOTE297 Space saver spare wheels for V8s David Waterton (Tornado Red 4330) from Buckinghamshire acquired a beautiful V8 Roadster in 2005 but after the Factory MGBGTV8 he had owned for many years, found space tight in the boot. So he set about finding a good space saver tyre and wheel combination. (Jan 06) V8NOTE344 |
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