pathfinder
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 posted on 12/2/06 at 12:26 AM |
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Going large at the rear!
Looking through some old mags today and didn’t realise that the lotus elise came with bigger wheels on the rear (16’s front 17’s back). I realise that
the different tyre aspect ratios made the rolling radius almost the same, but what is the point of this? I know that lotus are the masters of making
cars handle so is this wheel sizing trick something that can be applied to Locosts?
Discuss
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ed_crouch
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| posted on 12/2/06 at 12:42 AM |
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It could be something to do with stiffening up the rear sidewalls by lowering the profile (without affecting rolling radius or requiring much alrger
tyres).
Other than that, probably blingery.
Ed.
I-iii-iii-iii-ts ME!
Hurrah.
www.wings-and-wheels.net
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C10CoryM
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| posted on 12/2/06 at 03:25 AM |
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From my experience (or lack of?), I have found it to be best to run the smallest diameter rim possible while still clearing the brakes/hubs.
Generally saves unsprung weight unless you have racing wheels. I would ASSume that lotus had a rear hub that did not fit inside the smaller rim far
enough to work well. Cheaper/easier to stuff a larger rim on than redesign your hubs. Other than that maybe just for looks.
"Our watchword evermore shall be: The Maple Leaf Forever!"
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zilspeed
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| posted on 12/2/06 at 07:58 AM |
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IIRC it was more to do with balancing grip levels (front to rear).
With very little weight over the front end, it was important that it wasn't going to have too much grip - especially with the car being mid
engined and of course RWD.
I believe it's one of the reasons why an elise is so easy to drive - right up to the limit - because the smaller front tyre gives the car an
inbuilt tendency to mild understeer right at the limit. ( Just where it would otherwise like to be going into an uncatchable mid engined spin).
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flak monkey
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| posted on 12/2/06 at 10:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
IIRC it was more to do with balancing grip levels (front to rear).
With very little weight over the front end, it was important that it wasn't going to have too much grip - especially with the car being mid
engined and of course RWD.
I believe it's one of the reasons why an elise is so easy to drive - right up to the limit - because the smaller front tyre gives the car an
inbuilt tendency to mild understeer right at the limit. ( Just where it would otherwise like to be going into an uncatchable mid engined spin).
Thats what the man from lotus will tell you as well.
From the factory the Elise is set up to mildly understeer so people dont jump in them and throw them off the road. Of course they will still oversteer
if you provoke them enough. The front tyres are also considerably narrower on the front of the elise again to decrease the tendancy to oversteer too
much. However if you ask them nicely when you buy a new car they will set it up for you so that you get totally neutral handling.
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Hammerhead
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| posted on 12/2/06 at 11:29 AM |
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I'm using wheels from an elise (340r actually) so I will let you know the handling outcome once they are on!!
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