What size tire would you recommend for some added ground clearance but not completely destroying my gas milage and/or turn radius? My bug is a 75' Standard, will be using Empi 8-spoke rims, gonna raise the front about 2" with weld in adjusters, and reindex the rear to make it level with the front. TIA
Mac
75' Baja 70' Baywindow (waiting for the rest of bodywork) 70' Ghia (haven't dug into yet to see if it's worth the effort)Is this going to remain a full bodied car (no cut or baja fenders)?
Mark Detro Englewood, FL
66' panel 71' westy 73' baja
completely destroying my gas milage and/or turn radius? My bug is a 75' Standard, will be using Empi 8-spoke rims, gonna raise the front about 2"
with weld in adjusters, and reindex the rear to make it level with the front. TIA Mac
********* Hi Mac, I'm not the one to answer this definatively, as I don't recall what sizes I ran on Annie when I first built her (currently running 1400 x 38.5 x 15 mudders on the rear). But I *do* remember that larger tires ran well (plently of power with a 1649cc at that time). Of course I wasn't concerned about mileage but I don't recall that getting worse either. You should (& need to if you can) get most of your rear height out of larger tires - although 4" larger dia. might not fit depending on what fenders you're running. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!
completely destroying my gas milage and/or turn radius? My bug is a 75' Standard, will be using Empi 8-spoke rims, gonna raise the front about 2"
with weld in adjusters, and reindex the rear to make it level with the front. TIA Mac
********* Hi Mac, I'm not the one to answer this definatively, as I don't recall what sizes I ran on Annie when I first built her (currently running 1400 x 38.5 x 15 mudders on the rear). But I *do* remember that larger tires ran well (plently of power with a 1649cc at that time). Of course I wasn't concerned about mileage but I don't recall that getting worse either. You should (& need to if you can) get most of your rear height out of larger tires - although 4" larger dia. might not fit depending on what fenders you're running. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!
Wow that is a massive tire.... or sounds like it to me anyway! It will be used primarily on the road with a few excursions down trails and dirt roads occasionally. The only reason I converted it was a neighbor moved and gave me the kit and the bug I bought had been tweaked harder than I thought in the front at first. Also the rear apron needed to be replaced due to rust.
Mac
It has a generic fiberglass Baja kit on it..... sorry if I accidentally mailed to your personal e-mail earlier. Can't figure out why my previous post to your question never showed up.
Mac
...sounds like you are worrying far too much about ground clearance. Put the adjusters in teh front and crank up the springplates in teh rear a couple notches. I really reccomend *not* going with too large a rear tire. You want
*low* gearing off road...not too mention its pretty nice to actually be able to have the power not to downshift on hills on the road. Once you have dialed up your suspension the 2- 2 1/2 inches you will get that way, take it and park it next to your favorite rusty rednecked 4wd pickup of choice. Now look under the center of each....see that axle and pumpkin hanging down on the truck? I bet you will find that it sits about the same level of ground clearance (or lower) than your beetles lowest point. I am running Prodigy Radial A/T tires in a 225 75r 15 size on my baja...very very nice chunky tread pattern, and I can pull any trail easilly while comfortabley maintaining 75mph on all but the steepest highway hills. Sure its not impressive sounding, and truck owners may sneer... but I have driven around a stuck willies jeep and pulled it out of the trails and to his house after he toasted his tranny being stubborn and refusing help on a trail...Gareth
I was thinking of using a light truck tire all the way around like the size you stated. If the tire size was too big and bogging down the motor on the highway I do have a tranny from a 69 Baywindow that I would imagine would have lower gearing. There's plenty of "redneck 4x4s" around here on the panhandle of FL... I can just go next door to my neighbor's house. He would be very upset if I could out-do him 4 wheeling in my bug and him in his 4x4 Toyota!!!! I appreciate all the feedback from everyone!!
Mac
back in 95 my brother in law bought a brand new toyota 4x4, and was quite upset when my baja all but litterally "ran circles around him" off road.....
------------------- Chris Perdue "I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the air-cooled legend forward" Jim Mais Feb. 2004
He might be upset, but don't _you_ be surprised when it happens. ;-) FWIW I ran 31X11.5" truck tires on the rear of my baja with stock 1200 motor. I'd run that size tire again with a baja, but not without *at least* a healthy 1600.
I followed most of your web updates on your 63 Baja project. I would like to stick with the eight spoke alloys I have though instead of getting a real wide rear rim. I live in Florida..... not a whole lot of Hill of Doom's here!
Mac
If thats the case, I'd strongly suggest not using the 8 spokes for a few reasons;
1 the offset may hinder the use of bigger tires as you may encounter unwanted rubbing issues against the body itself. 2 the width also prohibits the use of bigger tires as well, they will most likely balloon the larger tires, making it a little more challenging at times to drive and a little more unsafe. 3 they are a cast wheel, not a real good choice for offroad, even light/moderate trail riding. An easy wheel to bugger up and possibly break.Steel buggy wheels can usually be had pretty cheap they will give you that wider offset too. And I bet that the 8 spokes could be sold easily (or even traded for some buggy wheels)
Now for tire size, of your gonna insist on the 8 spokes they are gonna have to be pretty skinny tires for the reasons I stated above. One tire with some good tread that might work for you would be the 7.00x15's that are advertised everywhere. I think alot of guys use them on stock wheels so they should fit ok on your wheels (allthough I don't know how the rubbing against the body is gonna be). They are about 30" dia and have a real open tread pattern. Another tire to look into ( but you might be pushing it width wise) is a 27x9.50, I run those on the front of my car on a 6" buggy wheel. Mickey Thompson has/had a pretty cool one in that size, plus they are pretty light. I wanted them but my supplier at the time was having trouble with the distributor and I ended up getting super swampers in that size instead. My car actually turns in the sugar sand now, not like when I ran good year wranglers up front, they never really gripped and it liked to slide.
On the dia, I'm with gary . don't go too big . your limited to 31" anyway with the long torsion bars sticking out. I run around a 30" on my 73'. If you keep the tire/wheel light its not bad up to that size. when I ran my 30x9.50's on 8" wheel, on and offroad didn't seem to be a problem. I switched to 29x11.50 on a 10 inch steel wheel though (very heavy combo). the Super Swampers run big so they are every bit as big in dia as the 30's were. The added weight and contact patch made a difference in highway running though. I can still run the car hard, but 4th is not as strong as it used to be. But on the upside the SS's go through anything and ride surprisingly nice. Mark Detro Englewood, FL
66' panel 71' westy 73' baja
used primarily on the road with a few excursions down trails and dirt roads occasionally. The only reason I converted it was a neighbor moved and gave me the kit and the bug I bought had been tweaked harder than I thought in
the front at first. Also the rear apron needed to be replaced due to rust.
******** Yeah they're massive. To run them I now have the bus gear reductions, plus a 5:14 rearend. makes the final drive 6:49 to 1. I had 14" ground clearence all the way down the pan at one time. Annie was "totaled" with a hit in the front when I bought her, as a *bone stock* '63 bug. That was back sometime in the early '70s. Only stock (unmodified) parts left are the doors & glass.Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!
Another tire to look into ( but you might be pushing it width wise) is a 27x9.50, I run those on the front of my car on a 6" buggy wheel
Do you think that that might be a good tire for all 4 corners? I would like to have the same size all the way around that way one spare can go into any position.
Mac
Do you think these would be good all the way around?
Mac
thats the size/offset I run on the front of my car (only in wide 5 chrome). Heres a pretty good pic to go by for sizeing because the car is on level ground;
Also check this out:
Unfortunatly 30x9.50's are a pretty big tire to swing on the front. Plus your gonna need at least a 7" wheel to stick them on. I know they want the 27" to be on at least a 7" but trust me the mickeyds are quite small (a little smaller than the SSR's on my car in the pic). Mark Detro Englewood, FL
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