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MG MGA - Tyre sizes on MGA

Hi People,
Does anyone know if 195 / 65 /15 would fit on my 1961 A? They are wider than thr usual 165 but is there enough clearance with the under carriage and bodywork? I know the spare will not fit into the space in the boot (trunk)as it will be too wide. Your thoughts please.
Gerry Gillard NZ
GC Gillard

Gerry,

I have that size on mine. They seem to be OK, just the steering is a tad heavier and the speedo needed to be recalibrated as the tyres are a slightly smaller diameter than the standard 165/15.

all the best,

Grant
G Hudson

I have 195/65/15 Yokohamas on my A with 5.5" rims - wire wheels - no problems. I use a Michelin XZX 165 on original rim for a spare.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

One trick for getting the spare into its cut-out in the boot (trunk) is to put it in deflated, then pump up, or carry a pump to inflate when needed. It's easier to pull out when inflated or partially inflated than to push in.

Steve
Steve Gyles

You didn't say whether or not you have the stock rims. For a 195/65 tire, 5.5 inches is the recommended minimum rim width so if you put them on the stock 4 inch rims you will be violating the tire manufactures recommendations. Don't have any direct experience, but running wide tires on narrow rims is supposed to increase sidewall flexing and cause uneven tread wear.

Jeff Schultz

For several years I ran 195-60-15 tires for autocross with SCCA. Standard narrow rims were required to run in stock class. For one season I used stock 4" wide steel wheels, but I cracked a lot of steel wheels in competition. I finally had custom modular alloy wheels built in 4-1/2" width, and ran those for several more years (until I could no longer buy race tires in that size).

Running wide tires on narrow wheels will definitely cause severe wear on the outside shoulder during hard cornering. As the tire rolls onto the sidewall it also picks up the inboard 1/3 of the tread width and runs on the outer 2/3 of the tread. Tread wear pattern is amazingly "weird". When the tire cords begin to show on the outside shoulder the tires are trash, and you get to buy new ones again.

If you want the tires to last more than half of their normal life, you need wider wheels to match the tires. 5" wide wheels are minimum needed for 185 tires, and 5-1/2" wheels are just the berries for 195 tires. Wider wheels (and wider tires) only add excessive un-sprung weight.

Do be sure to get the correct offset in the wheels if you don't want the tires rubbing on the fenders. Original steel wheels have 35-mm (1-3/8") offset. For wider tires you can use slightly more offset, up to 40 or 42mm offset works for wheels up to 6" wide (positioning more of the tire width inboard). Less offset puts the tires closer to the fenders.

See picture of MGA with wide 195-60 tires and correct wheel offset here:
http://mgaguru.com/picmg/mg58b.jpg

See picture of MGA with the narrower 165R15 tires on Minilite-replica wheels (insufficient offset) here:
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/power/pics/LJ_front.jpg
The issue of insufficient offset should be obvious. If you put 195 tires on those MiiLite-repro wheels, the tires will almost certainly rub on the fenders.
Barney Gaylord

I have Falken 195/65/15 on Dayton 5.5" chrome 60 spoke wires and they work very well and look good with the car.

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

Barney, That's my blue '57 MGA pictured. On the way to MG2011 in Reno I hit a pot hole on the very bad N. CA. roads and bent a front wheel and had to come home on the spare. A new wheel is on the way from Moss Motors.
Lyle
Lyle Jacobson

You bent one of the alloy wheels, with the tall 80-series tires? Must have been one hell of a pot hole. Have you dared to try wider tires on those wheels yet?
Barney Gaylord

Barney, Yes big CA. pot hole that came up fast traveling about 60 MPH. I ran a dial indicator on the inside of the wheel and it has about .065 run out. I have not tried wider tires. What size do you recommend?

You said it has insufficient offset? I didn't know there was a problem. I thought if I bought MGA wheels made for a MGA that the off set would be right. I've been driving my MGA for 10 years, with over 24,000 miles with no problems until now.
Lyle
Lyle Jacobson

You have been getting away with insufficient offset because you are still running the narrow tires. If you change from 165-80 to 185-70 tires they would likely rub on the fenders.

I have been posting some comparison pictures on a web page showing wider tires with various offset wheels. See here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tires/ti101a.htm

You can find more information on alternate tires and wheels here:
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tires/tire1.htm
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wheels.htm
Barney Gaylord

Thanks Barney, A lot of good information. Lyle
Lyle Jacobson

195/65/15 Yokohamas C.drive
and love them.
David Lake

Thanks everyone. This has all been very useful. Hope the discuaaion has helped other people. Gerry, NZ.
GC Gillard

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2011 and 02/07/2011

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