Tire Size for an S1

[dglotusltd]

The tires on my S1 are starting to look like its time for new ones. They are of an "unknow" age and I worry.....

The rears are not an issue as everything I have read points to 205/70R-14

The fronts are another story. I have read that Lotus delivered cars with both 195/60R-14 and 205/60R-14. I have the former on my fronts now.

Meanwhile, LotusEspritWorld's Tyre article quotws 195/70R-14s.

And inspite of whats on the car, I recall the manual saying 205/60R-14.

Now here is the rub (pun intended), I see some tire rub inside the left front well. Very minor, so it looks like a pretty extreme tire deflection may have done it, not reasonably normal driving. So I an not thrilled about going up to 205 or 70 series as I am not sure if its width or hight that gets me in trouble.

While your at it, any experience with tire brands?

DomG

77 S1

[WayneB]

Dom,What you need to know is covered in this threadS1 /S2 Tyres Its always wise to check specifications from a couple of sources If something sounds not right , it might be a typing error or they might not know what they are talking about!

[dglotusltd]

Wayne

I actually went through the thread before I posted. I'll look it over again. maybe I missing something.

[dglotusltd]

Dom,What you need to know is covered in this threadS1 /S2 Tyres Its always wise to check specifications from a couple of sources If something sounds not right , it might be a typing error or they might not know what they are talking about!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never mind. My bad. I read another post....not that one. It must be the spring weather making me stupid.

[Advantage]

More confusion: On the original fold out brochure for the S1 the front wheels (6j Wolfrace) were stated as having 195/70HR14. I've just been out to the garage to check the Dunlop on the front of my S1 and it has 205/60/14 fitted.

Easy innit!

[ian heighway]

Hi guys my S1 is fitted with 205/60/14 on the front and the Lotus Workshop manual quots 205/60/14 frount 205/70/14 rear

[dglotusltd]

Time to revive an old thread.....

.....so now that I am actually looking for tires, specifically the rears for my S1( 205 70R-14) i find that NO ONE carries V rated tires. I know the S1 can barely make it to 130 so realistically I could go with H rated tires of which there is exactly ONE. Sumitomo HTR 200.

If I reallisticlly consider that I probably will not drive my Espirt over 118 I could get any number of T (118MPH) rated tires but that seems to cheat on the heritage of the car.

I haven't found any U rated (124MPH) tires in the US.

So what have you all been doing? Lord only knows how old the Dunlop tires are that I am currently riding on.

DomG

[eprsplit]

Dom,

I have the Sumitomo HTR 200 fitted to my car.

205/60R14 on the front

205/70R14 on the rear

I don't have any rub issues but they don't stick very well when the car is being driven hard.

The prior owner put these on just before I purchased the car and they have about 800 miles on them.

I don't care for them and I too would like to have something else........maybe a nice set of soft compound Falken Azenis????????????

[dglotusltd]

Thats what I was afraid of. So maybe I should go witha lower rated tire (say T for 118MPH) in the hope that say a Goodyear Allegro would have better grip...all be at a lower max speed.

Damn

[peteyg]

Don't know what's available to you guys over the pond but in the UK I've managed to source the correct sizes - just - with Fulda Assuros on the back (good grip!) and previously had Dunlops on the front but now a local garage managed to find some Nokias for the front, all V rated. Just done a 2000 mile trip to France and was pleased with the results - especially on the mountain passes!

Pete

[Tony K]

Dom,

A friend of mine recently located some leftover stock of Michelin XGT H4 tires. I forget where they are, but they have 205/60/14 and 225/60/14. Many people (myself included) prefer the 225/60 in the rear over the stock 205/70. If you are really desperate for tires, these Michelins are $130 a piece!

But considering that several months ago I paid double the new purchace price for a used (nearly new) set of Falken ZE-502s, I might not mind the Michelins.

Choices are getting slim.

There is a Yokohama tire that may still be floating around, too. I think it was the Y308, but I am not sure. Again, this would be old stock.

Check out the tire thread stickied at the top of the forum at www.classicmotorsports.net (this is the magazine's site). Add your plea there -- we need more S1/S2 owners to speak up!

- T

[Killboy]

There's a couple of New V rated Firestone 205 / 60 14's on Ebay at the moment (on Eclat wheels).

Firestone 205/60 -14 V

[dglotusltd]

I ended up with the Sumitomos becasue I was worried about the age of the rears. have not done anything agressive yet so i don't have a sense of their performance.

Tony, The 225/60s would have been my second choice but the ratio would made the tire a bit less tall on the sidewall then the stock spec. Speedo inaccuracies and such.

I know you can get 195/60-14s (like the original front tire spec) is better tires....once again with the requsite speedo issues....

Front tread is good so I may stick with this setup for a bit.

Thanks to all for the replies.

DomG