205/50r15 R-specs On Standard Speedlines

[205toby 0]

Hi guys,

I have searched for this topic and found some answers, but nothing decisive. I have a full set of 205/50r15 r spec tyres I got given to me and I'm wondering if it is worth putting them on. I read in some past (searched) posts that they will go on but make the car feel soggy.. Worse than road tyres which cook after 2 laps?

I also read they *may* rub the trailing ams- Any decisive, yes or no answers? Jsut don't want to go putting them on only to find I've wated my money getting them fitted and they don't fit on the car.

Thanks and any help is appreciated!

Cheers,

Toby

[Anulfo 22]

Reckon they will be a bit to wide mate and as you say make the car fell soggy!!Think most guys ive come across are running their 205's on 195's as they are a hell of a lot cheaper than the original spec 185's but still offer good handling capabilities.

[Jrod 7]

According to the tyre bible they should be ok on a 6J rim but you might have problems with rubbing.

 

I bought some 7J rims with 205/50's that had been on a 205 and the out tyre wall was cut up loads.

[projectpug 0]

You will definately have problems with them rubbing the rear arches, modifications is needed here even the 195s scrub a bit if left. Have a look from underneath when the wheels are fitted you will see then where its touching.

 

Cheers

Phil

[Anthony 1,003]

You will definately have problems with them rubbing the rear arches, modifications is needed here even the 195s scrub a bit if left. Have a look from underneath when the wheels are fitted you will see then where its touching.

Shouldn't do, not on a GTi shell with a 205 width beam - I'd say 95% of people on here are running that combination without issue! Base model shells you can get problems with 195 width tires due to the different arches, but given the OP has a GTi listed in his signature, I doubt that's an issue.

 

I have seen 205's running 205/50R15 tires and they've been OK, but I've never looked closely to see how close the tyre is to the trailing arm so I wouldn't like to say that it'll definately be OK - certainly it'll be close (there's not alot of space there on 195's) but atleast on the cars I've seen it didn't obviously rub.

[Jrod 7]

When I had 205/50's on the rear of my car with et13 they skimmed the trailing arm a little bit, was enough to mark the tyre.

[Guest smokinslim]

195s r fine on basemodels at standard height/without fat passengers, but lowered u get problems.

[ricdat 0]

195s r fine on basemodels at standard height/without fat passengers, but lowered u get problems.

I use Toyo RA1 205/50/15 tyres on my 1992 S3 1.9 205GTI. I have gone through 2 sets (probably 35000km). The car is lowered 40mm on Eibach springs (30mm lower springs plus relocating the strut in the hubcarrier 10mm lower).

 

There was plenty of rubbing on the plastic flare lips. I just kept trimming wherever it rubbed. There is also a light mark on one of the rear trailing arms and on the gearbox end cover (and one inner rear guard I think).

 

Unfortunately I have never driven another 205 so I can't comment on steering response effects of width. Sure, the car originally had regular tyres that were 185 wide but I haven't compared 205 R spec tyres with narrower R spec tyres. The grip improvement of R specs over regular tyres is of course fantastic. I don't remember but the steering feel/response probably didn't change much (ie did not feel soggier) because R spec tyres have much stiffer sidewalls than regular tyres. If you were to go from 185 regular tyres to 205 regular tyres I'm sure you would be horrified at the sogginess. Years ago I did question one 'serious' 205 person in Australia that ran in a few Grand Prix rallies (a touring and special stage road rally in the leadup to the Melbourne GP) who had compared 205 wide R spec tyres to 195 wide R spec tyres and much preferred the latter for steering feel and so always used the 195s (Dunlop had a 195 at that stage versus Toyo and Yoki(?) with 205s). In all cases this was on std 15" pug wheels. He did say he had used 205s on wider rims that were fine.

 

Anyway, I have a set of new 15x7 OZ wheels that will go on with (the now available) Toyo R888 195/50/15 tyres once I completely wear out my current tyres. I want that better steering response and even small tyre rubs give me the irrits. I would love an extra 5mm clearance on each side of the tyre.

 

- Rick

[205toby 0]

Cheers Rick,

My car is at standard height on koni's and some other suspension do dahs so it should be right. I'll go fit them up and see how I go.. I got them for free so I guess even if they don't fit it's worth a try!

Does the larger rolling diameter affect acceleration or speedo reading noticibly?

Cheers mate,

Toby

 

I use Toyo RA1 205/50/15 tyres on my 1992 S3 1.9 205GTI. I have gone through 2 sets (probably 35000km). The car is lowered 40mm on Eibach springs (30mm lower springs plus relocating the strut in the hubcarrier 10mm lower).

 

There was plenty of rubbing on the plastic flare lips. I just kept trimming wherever it rubbed. There is also a light mark on one of the rear trailing arms and on the gearbox end cover (and one inner rear guard I think).

 

Unfortunately I have never driven another 205 so I can't comment on steering response effects of width. Sure, the car originally had regular tyres that were 185 wide but I haven't compared 205 R spec tyres with narrower R spec tyres. The grip improvement of R specs over regular tyres is of course fantastic. I don't remember but the steering feel/response probably didn't change much (ie did not feel soggier) because R spec tyres have much stiffer sidewalls than regular tyres. If you were to go from 185 regular tyres to 205 regular tyres I'm sure you would be horrified at the sogginess. Years ago I did question one 'serious' 205 person in Australia that ran in a few Grand Prix rallies (a touring and special stage road rally in the leadup to the Melbourne GP) who had compared 205 wide R spec tyres to 195 wide R spec tyres and much preferred the latter for steering feel and so always used the 195s (Dunlop had a 195 at that stage versus Toyo and Yoki(?) with 205s). In all cases this was on std 15" pug wheels. He did say he had used 205s on wider rims that were fine.

 

Anyway, I have a set of new 15x7 OZ wheels that will go on with (the now available) Toyo R888 195/50/15 tyres once I completely wear out my current tyres. I want that better steering response and even small tyre rubs give me the irrits. I would love an extra 5mm clearance on each side of the tyre.

 

- Rick

[ricdat 0]

Does the larger rolling diameter affect acceleration or speedo reading noticibly?

 

205/50/15 has a theoretical diameter of only 1.5mm more than a 185/55/15 so there is no way you could pick the difference. Tread wear is way more significant.

[ricdat 0]

Winton 1:51.3100

 

So now I've got a benchmark. I've booked in for a sprint meeting at Winton on the 17th.

 

- Rick

[205toby 0]

So now I've got a benchmark. I've booked in for a sprint meeting at Winton on the 17th.

 

- Rick

 

I'm booked into that one too.. Should be going all thing being well.

Just need to put on my new sump and remove the rear compensators.

You still running an 8v or mi power?

What sort of specs is the rest of your car>?

Cheers,

Toby

[205toby 0]

I'm booked into that one too.. Should be going all thing being well.

Just need to put on my new sump and remove the rear compensators.

You still running an 8v or mi power?

What sort of specs is the rest of your car>?

Cheers,

Toby

 

Oh and the 1.51 was on average $99 road tyres too.. So hopefully a sub 2min is on the cards..

[ricdat 0]

8V. It has a lumpier cam in it (of unknown specification) but it hasn't been on the road yet. I've nearly finished the revised air filter and air ducting installation so, if all goes well, I can try some tuning (Motec). Otherwise I am still running the RA1s, konis, full air con, ...... hmmm, not much else to mention.

 

I thought 1m51s was less than 2 minutes.

[205toby 0]

8V. It has a lumpier cam in it (of unknown specification) but it hasn't been on the road yet. I've nearly finished the revised air filter and air ducting installation so, if all goes well, I can try some tuning (Motec). Otherwise I am still running the RA1s, konis, full air con, ...... hmmm, not much else to mention.

 

I thought 1m51s was less than 2 minutes.

 

lol.. My bad! I meant sub 1.50!!!

And for future reference guys the 205's didn't fit- They rubbed the rear trailing arm severely.

Cheers,

Toby

[gti_al 1]

Which days do you guys do? I have been up once with some nissan guys to an open practice, but they seem to do lots of laid back stuff at winton.

 

I just got some light 15'' steelies though, so plan on fitting some sticky stuff and seeing how it goes. Bit concerned with just a baffled sump, but i am considering getting a deeper one done so i can extend the pickup...

[ricdat 0]

Which days do you guys do? I have been up once with some nissan guys to an open practice, but they seem to do lots of laid back stuff at winton.

 

I just got some light 15'' steelies though, so plan on fitting some sticky stuff and seeing how it goes. Bit concerned with just a baffled sump, but i am considering getting a deeper one done so i can extend the pickup...

 

I don't really do any days (in the Pug). I have done Winton, Phillip Island and Morwell hillclimb a couple of times each in the Pug though. Phillip Island was the only circuit I really enjoyed in the car - on the other tracks it wasn't satisfying, it just felt slow and dull, the opposite of how it feels on the road. I just looked up the results from the last time I ran at the island; there were five 205GTIs and a big turbo Renault Alpine A610 in our group from PCCV. We had a great day. It was 17 Aug 2002 ....how long have I had this car?

 

I have only ever used the standard sump and never had any problems. Maybe I'm slow around corners you say, well I have almost always used R spec tyres and I reckon I work them a bit. My best at Phillip Island back then was 2:04.4 in a standard engined, full weight S3. Surely I was doing OK in the corners - and they are very long corners there.

 

Having said that, while I was working on the car these last few months, I did fit a Peter Taylor baffled, gated, deeper sump with deeper pickup and windage tray!

 

- Rick

[gti_al 1]

8 valve? 2.04 is not at all slow... two friends with 16 valves have only done marginally better.

 

I am with you on the 205 on a track though. I have been reluctant to use it, because as much as i love it on the road... i suspect i would be better off in my friends skyline. We use that occasionally, and it has the cage/brakes/tyres to use properly, where the pug is pretty standard. I am keen to do some hillclimbs though - i think it should be pretty good with this engine.

Edited November 7, 2007 by gti_al

[205toby 0]

A well set up and driven 205 mi will give a skyline a run on the right circuits- I went up to winton last time with a mate in a pulsar GTI-R and he was pulling 1:48's- a suprisingly good match for a 205 gtmi!

I was running a standard sump on mine at the winton day when my time was recorded and had to seriously back off around the cleavage- cost me a few seconds!

I just today finished fitting my taylor engineering baffle kit and I fitted an XU10 spring, be interesting to see how it goes.

See you on the 17th fingers crossed (I have another day at winton the weekend after and im still tossing u which one to take!).

As an interesting comparison and side note (theres little to compare times with in victoria!?!?), the best i managed with my 8v was 1 1.53.4100.

I have posted a topic in the motorsport section of assie frogs regarding this coming track day and have all the previous ones but I never get any bites!!

Cheers,

Toby

 

8 valve? 2.04 is not at all slow... two friends with 16 valves have only done marginally better.

 

I am with you on the 205 on a track though. I have been reluctant to use it, because as much as i love it on the road... i suspect i would be better off in my friends skyline. We use that occasionally, and it has the cage/brakes/tyres to use properly, where the pug is pretty standard. I am keen to do some hillclimbs though - i think it should be pretty good with this engine.

Edited November 7, 2007 by 205toby

[gti_al 1]

A well set up and driven 205 mi will give a skyline a run on the right circuits- \

 

No doubt - andrew beat a gtr around phillip island... comparing my pug to a race skyline shows its weaknesses though, and i think it is easier just to use that. Mainly in regard to parking upside down... ky didn't do well when he tried that in his pug

[ricdat 0]

We have drifted off-topic a little (which was 205 wide tyres) but here is a wrap up:

 

Engine dynoed nicely (using TPS maps with MAP compensation on the Motec). Idles smoothly, drove as slow as 50km/h in 5th gear through the small towns on the way to Winton - engine remains responsive at those low revs. I don't know what revs that is as I haven't hooked up the tacho yet but it is better than original. I looked at the Motec mapping just now and I see that the rev limit is set at 7000rpm. I don't remember if I originally set that or the dyno bloke changed it.

 

Winton was pretty warm on Friday for open practice (30 plus degrees). I only did a few laps. There were no other Pugs.

Saturday for the sprint meeting was overcast for the morning so it didn't get hot until the afternoon. No Toby and no other Pugs again. My best laps were 1:45.87 and 1:45.84. A few people commented favourably on the car's performance.

 

More importantly, I actually thought the car was a Pretty Good Thing around the track and found it satisfying and responsive to race around Winton. Maybe it was the extra grunt, maybe I drove it better than previously.

 

Just to get slightly back on topic - the RH rear tyre (205/50/15 Toyo RA1) developed a rub mark all the way around on the inner sidewall (from rubbing on the trailing arm). This appeared worse than previously - maybe something has moved? Anyway, the tyres are fairly well finished off, still OK for racing but not for road use, so I'm ordering the 195/50/15 R888s tomorrow.

 

Toby, you mentioned the motorsport section of AussieFrogs - I will have a look and see what happens there.

 

- Rick

 

1992 S3 1.9 205GTI 8V