Rich Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 Currently have 17" wheels and the car came with 15" steelies. I'm thinking of putting 14" steelies on now if they clear the calipers. Would I have any issues going to a smaller size? As the car is lowered 30mm will it sit lower than what it does on the 17's as well? I think I will be keeping the car as a runabout until it dies cos I don't want to sell it for peanuts after all the money I've spent on it. So if I put 14's on I should be able to get decent enough tyres on cheaply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 Didn't some come out on 14's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 Didn't some come out on 14's Yeah the MK1's and maybe early MK2's....I'm just wondering if they might of revised the suspension for the 15" wheels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 I don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 Cool will have a look on ebay for some...I'm just wondering how the car will sit with smaller wheels though? Also if the profile of the 15" tyres is 195/60/15, what size would I need for 14" rims and which size is the cheapest usually? I was thinking of just spraying the steel rims matt black as I'm not a fan of hub caps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 The MK1 run on 185/65-14, my only concern is the speedo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 The 17's have made the speedo pretty much accurate compared to my sat nav. The 14's would make it read lower than what I'm actually going though won't they or is it the other way around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 It would read high...... I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phipck Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 which would mean you were always doing less that the speedo says.....which is good if you stick to the speedo speed limit ;-) but it will clock up more milage when there isnt any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 which would mean you were always doing less that the speedo says.....which is good if you stick to the speedo speed limit ;-) but it will clock up more milage when there isnt any Don't they make speedos to under-read from the factory anyway? I've never thought about the mileage on the clocks....comparing the 15's to the 17's I've got now, over the last 3 and half years I've put less miles on the clock than I should've! How much difference in mileage (say 7K miles pa) will it make if the standard size is 195/60/15 and the new size is 185/65/14. Maybe I should stick to 15's then, I might try and get some of the 5 spoke escort alloys, same style as the mondeo's, which are 16's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 The 17's have made the speedo pretty much accurate compared to my sat nav. The 14's would make it read lower than what I'm actually going though won't they or is it the other way around? The speedo reading is dependent on the external diameter of the tyres, not the wheels. The tyre diameter is a function of the wheel size and the tyre profile. It is usually possible to find a profile that will keep the overall diameter fairly constant. I run 17" wheels with 215/45 tyres in the summer and 15" wheels with 195/65 tyres in the winter. The difference in the outside diameter is very small and well within the tolerance applied to speedometers. The difference in diameter between a new tyre and a fully worn one may be about a centimetre and of course the rolling diameter is less than the free diameter, because the tyre has a flat chord in contact with the road, which varies in size with tyre inflation pressure and the axle load, so the speedo has to have a tolerance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? The 17's have made the speedo pretty much accurate compared to my sat nav. The 14's would make it read lower than what I'm actually going though won't they or is it the other way around? The speedo reading is dependent on the external diameter of the tyres, not the wheels. The tyre diameter is a function of the wheel size and the tyre profile. It is usually possible to find a profile that will keep the overall diameter fairly constant. I run 17" wheels with 215/45 tyres in the summer and 15" wheels with 195/65 tyres in the winter. The difference in the outside diameter is very small and well within the tolerance applied to speedometers. The difference in diameter between a new tyre and a fully worn one may be about a centimetre and of course the rolling diameter is less than the free diameter, because the tyre has a flat chord in contact with the road, which varies in size with tyre inflation pressure and the axle load, so the speedo has to have a tolerance. I've been using this calculator here and with my 17's the speedo is doing 1mph more than with the 15" stock wheels. If I go to 14" wheels according to that I need to get 185/70/14 tyres, although Tony says it's 185/65/14, which I know is the size they came in. I'm not sure I'm comfortable having a sidewall that high though, will I get alot of roll even though the car is lowered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? Bump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 19, 2010 Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? Bump? Nah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? Bump? Nah Cool...winter tyres much cheaper on 14's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 19, 2010 Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? Bump? Nah Cool...winter tyres much cheaper on 14's? Probably not since the 14" is a dying size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have been told that the steering rack may have been different on the mondeo's with 14" wheels over those with 15" ones....would anyone know if putting smaller wheels on will affect it? Bump? Nah Cool...winter tyres much cheaper on 14's? Probably not since the 14" is a dying size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 Anyone know if Escort alloys will fit mine...the PCD is ok and the ETis 40 but not sure on the centre bore? They're 14" and 5 1/2" wide...what width tyres will fit these as well? Or would 6" wide wheels be better, again in 14"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted October 31, 2010 Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 How about 15s, 195/50 15s (cheapest tyres in the world EVAH) and to hell with the speedo ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 How about 15s, 195/50 15s (cheapest tyres in the world EVAH) and to hell with the speedo ? Been having a look and 185/65/14 and 195/50/15 seem to be roughly the same prices. 195/60/15, which is what I should have is a few quid more per tyre, so doesn't seem that much of a saving. The tyre calculator says with the 195/50/15 when the speedo reads 60 mph I will actually be doing 56...so not too much difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 How about 15s, 195/50 15s (cheapest tyres in the world EVAH) and to hell with the speedo ? Been having a look and 185/65/14 and 195/50/15 seem to be roughly the same prices. 195/60/15, which is what I should have is a few quid more per tyre, so doesn't seem that much of a saving. The tyre calculator says with the 195/50/15 when the speedo reads 60 mph I will actually be doing 56...so not too much difference. Bear inmind most speeds deliberatly read a little high anyways :angry: My silvia has OEM 195/60 15 and yeah it's a weird size. Even upgrades like 205/50 16 are expensive for what they are. I reckon I'll deviate a little too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Trying to find some 15" rims now but there are hardly any, mainly 14" ones!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2010 Tony what are winter tyre prices like now, have they settled? I haven't really seen any 15" rims for sale but got my eye on some 14" ones, which I'm hoping I'll win this weekend. I would need 185/65/14 tyres for these but what is the cheapest 14" tyre you can get or is the difference just a few quid? Also what winter tyres are available in this size? I've decided to go for winter tyres now as after alot of reading it seems all season tyres won't be that much better than summer ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2010 FFS the 14" wheels I was watching the seller took them off with a day to go and found some 15" wheels, which just finished and I lost them by a quid! Well the search continues, I think by the time I get some winter would've been and gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted November 15, 2010 Report Share Posted November 15, 2010 dont know how far it is for you ER: birmingham: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-ESCORT-FOCUS-MO...=item19c0ccbf37 in aldershot: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SET-15-FORD-MONDEO-A...=item27b66235ca http://motors-parts.shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html...6.c0.m270.l1313 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.