Hi, can 17" wheels be fitted to a Mondial? If so what diamentions would work thinking a slightly wider tyre on the rear. Thanks
A RunFlat tire doesn't care what kind of car it's mounted on. But I'm sure there is a time limit, speed limit and mileage limit, before it can't run any longer - because it really is flat! Cheers, Hank
Pretty sure you need specific rims to mount runf flat tyres. I think you can mount an ordinary tyre on a run flat rim but I don't think you can (should) mount a run flat tyre on a standard rim. RF tyres should also only really be used on cars with a tyre pressure monitoring system & besides that, where they are used on production vehicles the suspension is usually altered (softened) to allow for the very stiff nature of RF tyres i.e. if you put RF tyres on a car not designed for them it will change the ride characteristics fairly noticeably.
Thanks Iain, I stand corrected. Since I've always had a conventional spare tire at the ready, I never really gave much thought the run flat tire approach. Cheers, Hank
Forget run flats. This thread is a question about wheel and tyre dimensions for 17" rims. If you're running 17"rims what wheel and tyre dimensions are you running? I'd like 50 or 55 profile if possible. Thanks
Hi Jeff, I'm Hank, not Don - - but we both have 17" diameter wheels. Mine are Speedline Mistrals, 8" front and 9" rears. My Goodyear F1 GS-D3 tires are: 225/45/17 front, and 245/45/17 at the rear. These sizes are closest to matching the stock factory 16" diameters. A narrower front wheel width (7 1/2"), could get by with a 205/50/17 tire, and would still be very close to stock diameter (by about + 3/16"). This would also help with straight line tracking. As for 55 aspect ratio, I really don't think you would want such a narrow section width or tread width on a proper 17" rim. As I stated before, the 50 could be used on the narrower front rims. The 245/45s are damn near perfect on the rears. Enjoy the hunt, Hank Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Hank, not Don thanks for the info. I'd like to get those TRX balloons off the car for a more modern look. I've spent a good bit of time looking at different rims. I'll be keeping the originals. Nice rims can do so much for a car. The profile on your tires look just right. Just out of interest did you need spacers and extended bolts to fit yours? i wish I had your garage space. Thanks
Hey Jeff, I wish I had that garage space as well !!! That's my tech's man cave. As for my wheels, no spacers or extended bolts were needed. BTW, the Mistrals were a Euro option from dealers on your side of the pond. No point deduction when being judged. Cheers, Hank Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Tijn, If the hamburger I'm eating while I'm standing in Eugenio's facility, happens to fall off my plate and onto the floor, I can pick it up and eat it anyway. E's floor is cleaner than the plate from which it fell. Honestly, it's like a hospital operating room (for Ferraris) !! Cheers, Hank
Hi Jeff - any reason why you're focusing specifically on 17's? Reason I ask, mine came with 18's already on it and I now love the more modern look it gives (I originally thought it sacrilege to change wheels from standard on a Ferrari but the Mondial does seem to really benefit looks wise from a larger diameter). I'll dig out the tyre dimensions if you're interested (dealer assured me they're near identical to original rolling diameter of the 16's + TRX). Here's mine with the 18's. (My favourite wheels on a Mondial are the F355's, which I think are also 18in. Bit pricey though....) Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
You can calculate it taking the original 16inch sizes Front 205/55 R16 → rolling diameter 1985.2 mm Rear 225/55 R16 → rolling diameter 2054.3 mm You can be off withing the 4% range of the original tyre sizes. You can be off within the 4% range difference The rolling diameter can be calculated with the following formula: (25,4 * R + B * H/50) * pi. Example 205/55 R16 (25,4 * 16 + 205 * 55/50) * 3,1416 = 1985.2 mm.
The TRX tyres are currently available https://www.borrani.com/en/michelin-tyres/trx/240-55vr390-michelin-trx.html
I suggest 45 aspect ratio tires. For one thing they will approximate the circumference of a 16" 55 aspect ratio. In addition, they are more responsive. I know this because I have Continental ExtremeContact Summer DWs on both my Mondial and my MAXX; The MAXX has aftermarket 17" rims with 45 aspect ratio. There is a noticeable difference. Here is a blurry picture of the MAXX. The MAXX is an autocross maniac. Took it down to Road Atlanta for a Skip Barber two day class that included an autocross and it just ate up about everything in sight. All my fellow students came round in wonder, and the instructor carefully inspected the front tires on this front wheel drive car. Rather inexplicable, really. I DID stiffen up the steering rack and upper strut mount bushings but that is all. Got lots of rotation under full throttle. How the hell do you power drift a front wheel drive car? While on the track the first instructor had me stop to let the Lotus get ahead (driver issue) and the other instructor felt compelled to have me as passenger on one of the other of the several Loti available. Sort of a grand day for me! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sometimes a car and track just match up inexplicably. This happened once before back in the old days. We had an autocross set up on a 1/8 mile oval outside DC with speeds approaching 60mph. That's a fast autocross. My seriously prepped 1974 Vega Station wagon took first second or third in EVERY class. Another fine day! Took my lady friend and her friend on 'fun runs' and they were astonished. "I did not know a car could DO that!" These things are rare events.
