Front tyre section width

[USAndretti42]

I'm confused about what the section width of the series 2 front tyres should be. I've read that it is 205 and I've read that it is 195 mm. Often from the same source. Even LEW gives different sizes in different places.

LEW 205 info

LEW 195 info (in tech spec at the bottom)

My car's no help as the tyre pressure plate in the glovebox refers to 205 fronts but the car is fitted with 195's! I wouldn't have thought that someone would fit narrower-than-standard tyres to their car especialy as mine still has Dunlops so I think the owner who fitted them was keeping to the standard.

However, the tyres are like me, too old to be trusted and need replacing.

What is the correct size, please?

[WayneB]

According to my Lotus parts manual, the correct tyre for the S2 front Speedline 6 X14 rim is a Goodyear G800 205/60 VR 14 pn.A083G0061H

The rears are 205/70 VR 14. pn.A085G4054H

I had a badly burned S2 back in 81, and I remember removing toasted tyres of this make,type and size off the rims then

[Tony K]

For both the S1 and S2, the correct front size is 205/60/14 and the correct rear size is 205/70/14.

The owner's manuals and parts manual confirm this.

IMO, the confusion comes from two things:

1) Some early road tests of the S1 reported a 195-width front - not sure if this was a preproduction specification that Lotus changed at the start of production, or if the magazines just had it wrong. Maybe Tony Kimberly will know?

2) Many people will put a 195 or a 215 in the front instead of the correct 205 because it is so difficult to find tires in the correct sizes. Right now in North America, if you want a matching set of tires, the only name brand you can get in both 205/60/14 and 205/70/14 is the Sumitomo HTR 200, an H-rated tire. No V-rated like we are supposed to have.

- Tony

[USAndretti42]

Thanks, guys.

205's it is, then.

[peteyg]

S1s with the Wolfrace wheels should have 195s on the front 205s on the back. S2 with their sexy speedlines should be 205s all-round.

[Tony K]

S1s with the Wolfrace wheels should have 195s on the front 205s on the back. S2 with their sexy speedlines should be 205s all-round.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Incorrect about the 195s. See parts manual and S1 owner's manual. Also reference the original 205 Dunlops still mounted to the spare rims on both of my cars (there are quite a few of us in the States with original never-used spares!). I've even seen two laid up S1s still on their original tires (years ago), one with a 7701 build date and the other 7703 - both had 205s in front.

Perhaps the first handful of UK-market S1s built in 1976 had 195s? ...but even that I doubt, as the parts manual lists other changes from very early S1s. Maybe one or more of the pre-production cars was wearing 195s, and that's what one of the road testers drove?

As for regular production S1s, "195" is a mistake that somebody printed somewhere and others picked up on it and took it as fact. Reference page GA.1 of the parts manual, part A075G0046ZL is listed for all markets S1 and S2.

- Tony

Edited February 10, 2006 by Tony K

[ddh]

I have the owners handbook that came with my S1 when new the tyre sizes are

205/60/14 front 205/70/14 rear.

[peteyg]

My bad. Getting confused with the Turbo fronts.