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Changing Wheels / Tyres


bushhpd

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Please excuse the basic questions...

 

I have just bought a Roadsport CDX on 13" Avon CR322's (factory built so don't knoiw my way round the car as well as I should) and would like to get some CR500's for trackday use.

 

I gather I should get a second set of wheels also, as it is easier to change the wheels than just the tyres - is this correct?

 

Is it easy to change the wheels over myself, or am I better off taking them to a garage?

 

If I do change the wheels myself what equipment will I need (Jacks etc)?

 

Any help much appreciated!

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Is there a certain type of jack that is most recommended (scissor jack, bottle jack, trolley jack)?

 

Would I need axle stands as well?

 

Am I likely to get into problems with misalignment, new vibrations etc, or is it as straightforward as putting the new wheels on and tightening up?

 

Thanks *smile*

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I carry a scissor jack in the car ... this will do the job fine.

 

I use a trolley jack at home ... wouldn't want to carry it in the Seven boot ! Do need a low-entry type though, or use the scissor jack to raise the car high enough to get the trolley jack under !!!

 

You probably won't get a bottle jack under the Seven !

 

Just swap wheels over like you would on a 'normal' car !

 

Torque setting on wheel nuts 55 lbft (or 75Nm if you are a youngster)

 

 

 

Edited by - Stationary M25 Traveller on 22 Jul 2009 11:59:35

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Hi and welcome *wavey*

 

There is a good article in the July edition of LF 2005 page 4~5 by Andy Belcher and Adrian Elkin....."Get to know your Se7en"

All you need to know how to get your car off the ground. Jacks used, photographs and lined drawings. Pretty handy stuff.

 

If you would like a copy i'll photocopy it out for you and send it on. Not working until Friday so please bare with me on that one. let me know if you'd like a copy.

 

 

 

_________________________

Gordon.

 

 

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If you have a trusted tyre fitter then you could take it there.

I had got one that I used before moving house. I would take the car there, jack it up and take the wheels off myself, then use my torque wrench and put them back on.

Since I moved though, I just put the car on axle stands and take the wheels down. That way they can't ruin the car.

As said, you will need a low entry jack (just measure the lowest jack point). I think mine is a little on the heavy side, certainly compared to an aluminium one. Here is the one I have, I think I got it for about £85.

 

As Stuart as said, since you have 13" wheels get the CR500 tyres on, the CR322 tyres can be found on my plumber's van, you will not be getting much grip of these tyres and if they are anything like Avon ZV3 tyres will be scary in the wet 😳.

 

BRG and Yellow nose now with added brooklands

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This is not a hijack -

 

Whilst I've been an owner for 9 years and have just had a DVA 1.4ss - 1.8ss ++ conversion I've only been a member for a short while. A scanned and posted/linked copy of the pages you suggest would I suspect be of benefit (and not just for me). I don't think it infringes any laws as we are all paying members?

 

In anticipation.

 

Andy

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I would recommend you get a quick lift jack like this one here. Racetech do one for about £85.00. If you glue a wooden block to the jack plate the car can be very quickly lifted front or back without damaging the car. To use this type of jack it is best to do it on flat ground as you need the handbrake off for the jack to work. The jack can be easily stowed on the wall in a garage or even under the car while parked in a garage.

 

If it was me I would save the expense or a 2nd set of wheels and run on CR500 for road and track. Get the car flat floored with the new tyres fitted and the car will feel superb on road and track *thumbup* Still think it is good to have the jack though *smile*

 

Nick

 

Lava Orange Caterham Blackbird *cool*

 

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bushhpd,

Welcome to the club, and Blatchat

 

Beware swapping between CR322's and CR500's

 

The CR322's are 185/70-13, and have a nominal diameter of 575mm, whilst the CR500's are 175/55-13, and have a nominal diameter of only 522mm.

Swapping to CR500's, and making no other changes will reduce your ride height by a nominal 26mm

 

I would not recommend swapping between these two sizes of tyre.

As others have said, I'd get rid of the CR322's, then swap to something like CR500's, R888's, A048R's, or Khumo V70A's. But You'll also need to adjust the ride height to run any of these tyres in place of theCR322's (which are bigger diameter than any of the listed tyres)

 

 

 

 

 

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Given that I'm forced to run on CR322s, I'll let you know my experience.

 

They are used in the Academy as they (i) last and (ii) provide very little grip. This means that:

 

1) You are going more slowly on the track than you would otherwise be, but still able to explore the car's limits

2) When it starts to go, it goes slowly, thus allowing relatively easy opposite lock corrections - although not always: see

3) You won't spend much on tyres. Some people (who drive less aggressively than me) have managed to get 20,000 out of a set. It's going to be about 1,500 track miles for me to have destroyed a set of rears (compare those running costs to CR500s)

4) Wet weather performance is not dissimilar between the CR500 and the CR322 (it's the dry performance which is different). My proof of this in testing at Anglesey, when the RSB cars were around 2.5s per lap quicker in the dry and less than 1s/lap quicker in the rain.

 

Richard's point is very well made. The car will need to be reset between different sets of tyres. However, if I was new to the car and starting to understand the performance on a track, I'd stick with the CR322s for now. On the road they're fine (you really shouldn't be pushing the limit) but no doubt as soon as I move to CR500s I'm going to wax lyrical about the extra grip. But do you need this to have fun? Or are you trying to break lap records?

 

Jez

 

Build Photos

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