Winter wheels and tyres some thoughts

[rupertfinch]

As it looks like I'll be keeping my v40 T4 forever - in a bid to recoup the cost of the new dealer parts it will invariable need, I might as well make it as good as I possibly can. So my thoughts have turned to wheels and tyres.

I'm currently running the 16" BBS rims (craters?) that I believe were originally fitted to the car and whilst I have replaced the ditchfinders that were on it with Falkens I'm thinking of getting some winter wheels and tyres.

Can anyone provide advice on potential steel wheel fitment for a T4?(perhaps from other vehicles, although it may be even easier to source another set of volvo alloys). Indeed might it be possible to drop a wheel size on the car? I've a thought in my head that the spare is a 15 inch, but fitted with no issues. Might be madness!

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by rupertfinch

As it looks like I'll be keeping my v40 T4 forever - in a bid to recoup the cost of the new dealer parts it will invariable need, I might as well make it as good as I possibly can. So my thoughts have turned to wheels and tyres.

I'm currently running the 16" BBS rims (craters?) that I believe were originally fitted to the car and whilst I have replaced the ditchfinders that were on it with Falkens I'm thinking of getting some winter wheels and tyres.

Can anyone provide advice on potential steel wheel fitment for a T4?(perhaps from other vehicles, although it may be even easier to source another set of volvo alloys). Indeed might it be possible to drop a wheel size on the car? I've a thought in my head that the spare is a 15 inch, but fitted with no issues. Might be madness!

In order to get the best braking performance from a car in winter, it might be that the wheel and tyre size is different to the best combination in summer. My P2 1.9D has several different combinations of summer tyre that are approved, BUT only one size of winter wheel and tyre (185/65/15).
Never heard of Falkens and because the wet braking distance performance of some cheap winter tyres is so terrible, I would only consider winter tyres from Continental, Dunlop, Michellin, Goodyear, Nokian or Pirreli. Some of the others are OK, but the bottom of the German test results tables is well worth avoiding. ADAC winter and summer results:
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tests...SourcePageId=0

[gmain1967]

Originally Posted by rupertfinch

As it looks like I'll be keeping my v40 T4 forever - in a bid to recoup the cost of the new dealer parts it will invariable need, I might as well make it as good as I possibly can. So my thoughts have turned to wheels and tyres.

I'm currently running the 16" BBS rims (craters?) that I believe were originally fitted to the car and whilst I have replaced the ditchfinders that were on it with Falkens I'm thinking of getting some winter wheels and tyres.

Can anyone provide advice on potential steel wheel fitment for a T4?(perhaps from other vehicles, although it may be even easier to source another set of volvo alloys). Indeed might it be possible to drop a wheel size on the car? I've a thought in my head that the spare is a 15 inch, but fitted with no issues. Might be madness!

I'd find a cheap set of craters (seem to be plenty available right now) and stick with exactly same size and profile as your current tyres (205/50/16 from memory - I run 17" wheels with 215 section tyres so not 100% certain)

And if I end up putting winter tyres on the current T4, they will be same 215/40/17 as the Yokos I have on at present, though against all my expectations, they got me up the hill at my folks on hard packed snow/ice, when other folks in a Micra with skinny tyres were stuck (don't know what their tread was like admittedly!!!)
My previous T5 was on 225/45/17 tyres and I fitted same section and profile winter tyres and it got me through anything in horrendous snow we had up here in 2010 (snow was above bumper).

[tt82]

A few Jap cars have the same fittment as the X40's, mainly Mitsubushi's. I ran winters on 16 inch alloys with no problem. Whilst skyship does speak sense in paying for a decent tyre, Vredestein are also a good make. Cheaper than the main brands but perform just as well.

[Volvon]

15" S40 alloys are really cheap as they were standard on 80% of S40's made. So get a set of them and throw some 195/55 (official size) or 195/60 (unofficial size, but much more tyre choice and usually cheaper) winter tyres on.

Don't be too picky on the winter tyres, all the big name tyre manufacturers make decent winter tyres. Just get a set on quick, before winter hits.

PS them tyre sizes are PH1. Winter tyres you can go thinner, 185 is fine.

[malteser]

So will 15 inch alloys or steel rims fit on a T4? I thought they had to be 16 inch cause of the discs?

[tt82]

15 inch will fit fine. All phase 2 cars had the larger disc and came with either 15 or 16 as standard.

[Volvon]

Yep, I will just elaborate further on what TT says incase anyone finds this thread via Google;

The 1996/1997 model S40/V40 had 260MM discs so 14" wheels could fit them.

All the rest (1998 - 2004) had 280MM discs which pushed the minimum wheel size to 15".

15", 16", 17" and 18" wheels fit all S40/V40's.

[rupertfinch]

This is super information folks, many thanks. I've wasted a good few hours today trawling the search function and have now filled my head with lots of little jobs to do on the T4!

I'm thinking the 195/60 15 inch combination may be best as (the extra 10mm on the profile would compensate better for the reduction in wheel size).

Original rolling circumference on a T4 205/50/16 - 1865mm

Alternative winter wheel sizes - 195/60/15 - 1876mm
195/55/15 - 1816mm

So from that the 60 profile tyre would seem to be the better choice for more accurately matching the original, in fact (brain not quite convinced, but a slightly larger circumference will mean the car is actually travelling a teeny wee bit slower than the speedo suggests - the trc calculator thinks 0.6km/hr).

Now to google tyre and wheel options...

[S70 B5254T]

Originally Posted by rupertfinch

This is super information folks, many thanks. I've wasted a good few hours today trawling the search function and have now filled my head with lots of little jobs to do on the T4!

I'm thinking the 195/60 15 inch combination may be best as (the extra 10mm on the profile would compensate better for the reduction in wheel size).

Original rolling circumference on a T4 205/50/16 - 1865mm

Alternative winter wheel sizes - 195/60/15 - 1876mm
195/55/15 - 1816mm

So from that the 60 profile tyre would seem to be the better choice for more accurately matching the original, in fact (brain not quite convinced, but a slightly larger circumference will mean the car is actually travelling a teeny wee bit slower than the speedo suggests - the trc calculator thinks 0.6km/hr).

Now to google tyre and wheel options...

A larger rolling circumference = slightly faster, not slower than previously at any given speed; for every revolution of the wheel/tyre, the car is travelling a little bit further.
Most modern speedos are optimistic and over-read, so you are never travelling quite as fast as you think you are; so a slight increase in rolling circumference will make your speedo a bit more accurate.