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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - A032R advise

I need some new tyres so, after reading through the old tyre posts, i've decided to change tyres to 165/70/R13-T as thats what most people seem to agree on, however this size isn't listed by Yokohama in A032R type.
They are available in 175/60 R13 though, would this profile be too much for a road car?

thanks
Brad
B Richards

I use 175/60 13 for competition. They are fitted on 5.5" Cobra Slots - fine at the rear (RWA) but I must confess they are very slighty proud of the front arches.

BTW - they are not the most comfortable road tyre, but I guess you know that already...(!)

A
Anthony Cutler

175s are a bit of a squeeze on standard steel wheels but OK if you have 5" or wider alloys.
David Smith

I'm on standard wheels & SWA too. Thats why i was looking at 165/70 tyres.
If there not available in A032R's, any other suggestions? Avons perhaps?
I'm not worried about them being comfortable, the Sprites quite modified & a traded comfort for performance years ago :-)
Thanks
Brad
B Richards

I would guess it's not the width that would be a problem - just the stickiness!

I have 175's on K&N Minatours for trackdays and blasting around, and the clearance is fine (RWA). If I can find a camera I'll get some pics.
Tarquin

165 on 5J Minatours with SWA here and a panhard rod an boy do the rubb or what

even with the 155's on the wires of the previous midget the rubbed under hard cornering
Onno Könemann

I have Avons and I'm very happy with them, fairly good grip but not too much, which I like. 3 track days (about 350 miles) of very hard work on a track which is very hard on the offside part of the tyre.
Before that I'd used a set of Bridgestone Potenza's and on the same track, the right hand side of the tyres was shot after 120 miles of hard cornering (ask Toby as they were his tyres).
Just my 2 pennies worth.
G Lazarus

I have 165/70x13 TOYO tyres on some very ancient 5.5J Compomotive wheels in a SWA car. These give great roadholding but rubbed on the wheelarch until I fitted a panhard rod. No rubbing problems now!!
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

Brad, I've had 175/70 r13s on my 72 RWA with stock Rostyles for a year with no problems. I have heard of these being a problem with SWA though. CJ
CJCharvet

the rubbing thing worries me a bit, i haven't a panhard rod fitted, but i have started a DIY RTL/ Mumford about 2 years ago & haven't got around to finishing it off yet. What with my other projects i think it may be a while yet. Maybe i should buy a Panhard in the mean time.

I'm tempted just to get the sticky A032R's& if i need more mods to the rear suspension, then i have an excuse :-)

Anyone a better idea?

B Richards

Buy a go-kart!!!!

;-)

Shaun
Shaun

Brad

I'm running 175/70/13 Dunlop SP30's on the Midget which is lowered with the spax rear kit and f/l front suspension, uprated springs and arb luckily it's a rwa so cops well the only issue I have is on full lock.

i have had no scary moments with them, they stick well and work in the wet also, you know how I drive!!

Vest bit they will fit your swa as they do a 165/70/13 profile.

But then tyres are always a 'sticky' subject with everyone having different opinions.

Shaun
Shaun

What's involved in fitting a panhard rod?

Is it simply a bolt-on job?

Dave
Penwithian

Thanks Shaun,
i know exactly how you drive, especially when i'm the passenger!

i'll look into the Dunluops SP30's, if we have the same tyres then it would cut out a lot of the Bull-S excuses.
The 175's would you give a bit of an advantage at high speed though, pity then that your new 'Post Man Pats' engine hasn't ever gotten out of 2nd gear.

brad
B Richards

Brad, I've got the 175 048Rs on 5" Minilites on my SWA racer. I had to jack the wheel arches out a bit to give them clearance.

Look on the Classifieds, John Collinson has a set on Minis for a really good price. I know you're a long way from Devon, but JC could get them to me then the MG Relay could wind into life.

TBQH I hated them! No skill to driving at all, just keep yuor foot down and turn the steering wheel and the bloke with the biggest horsepower will win. Car stays stuck on the road. You need something that dances around a bit :-)
Max T

Thanks Max,

i'll have a look.
I'm used to the car being a bit sideways, but thats probably down to my rubbish tyres.
I don't really want to start on body work modifications, as the whole exercise will just end up growing arms & legs and take the car off the road for too long.

cheers
Brad
B Richards

Brad

No 'post man pat' engine installed yet still running the smoker!!! Unleaded head is working well though.

Still deciding on what to do with the 'pat' engine think it's going to be a 1330cc but this is about tyres....

Without bodywork mods I think you will find it hard to fit 175's.
Shaun

Shaun,
just looked up the SP30's, their more a wet daily tyre, than a dry banshee one which is what i'm looking for.
I really don't want to start on body work, you know how long the other cars taken to do!

So back to the archives.
B Richards

Brad

Banshee tyres will just get you into trouble.....You will be relying more on the tyres instead of skill ;-)

Yes the dunlops are a small bit of a comprimise but a good one as they have good wet weather (with the days we have been having) without comprimising the dry.

I think you will find that you will have to go to 175 to get a 'banshee' tyre.

A know someone who just jacked his rear without the need to do serious bodywork changes

Try blackcircle.co.uk for what tyres are available for the size you are after

Shaun
Shaun

Hi Shaun,
what skill?, i'm a natural!

Think your right though, but i'm after more of a summer / dry tyre than a wet one, as the engines a bit cammy for sensible wet weather driving. Actually I should re-phrase that, the engines fine, i'm not very sensible in the wet.
If the roads that bad i usually take the road tractor anyway.
Brad
B Richards

You can get the Dunlop D83J in 165/70/13. Road legal tarmac/rally tyre for classics. Not a clue whether they'd be appropriate but there are certainly track cars using them.
Jordan Gibson

Thanks Jordon,

they look OK, the cheapest i've located is 81.66,

http://www.historicrallysport.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=22_142&products_id=743&osCsid=52d433830a80f9343dcddf8e63c46a46
B Richards

Dave, if you buy a kit from Peter May or Frontline they are easy to fit. I made my own, more or less, and thats not too hard either. Lots of people make them using tube and some track rod ends.
Graham.
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

Thanks Graham.

Any welding required?

Dave
Penwithian

I have AO32R's on my Chrysler Sunbeam. 600 road miles and maybe 30 minutes of hillclimbing have consumed about half the tread. Combined with a slight handling issue (need rear anti roll bar) they stick more than the chassis can take and the car rolls around them.

It does slide but the grip is immense. However, it is up on two wheels all the time which can lead to "moments".
Clive Berry

Clive,
from yours & other peoples comments i'm rethinking the A032R route, maybe Dunlops or Avons.
The reason i'm looking for new tyres is i had a 'moment' last time out, but that was from lack of grip, not too much.
B Richards

Hi B

Please don't misunderstand me... I love the 032s and the massive grip that have when hot. But you'll soon get used to this level of grip and your corner speeds will increase and braking distances come down... you will be at unexpected speeds for other drivers. And they are not designed for comfort.

You should take a look at 048s... fitted to many performance cars like the Elise.

Wear is less of a problem on the Midget compared with other cars.

I'd cadge a spin in Midgets on different tyres and try to find out what best suits you.

A
Anthony Cutler

Anthony,
my 9" brake upgrade should help in the braking department.
I'll have another look at the Yoko 048's today.
This is starting to get more involved than choosing a cam shaft profile!
Brad
B Richards

Actually Brad, Ant's got more of a point than you're allowing...in my "day job" of skid car instructor, it's amazing how many people run out of talent at low speeds. Your stickier tyres will just get you to the scene of the accident faster, and it'll hurt more. Your 9" brakes are more likely to lock the wheels on cold tyres, so you'll just slide into the impact.

Go for a proper road tyre, not these semi-slick type road/racers. You say you don't go out in the rain, but has it never rained when you've been out? And I bet in Grampian it's not particularly warm so you'll never get 048s sticky in the first place.

There's a 200% increase in skid-related accidents when it rains, and a further 25% increase when it's cold and wet. From what I hear, 048s aren't very good in heavy rain on a race track, they'll be like ice skates on a road 'cos you can't go fast enough to work up a temperature. Remember Hammond in the Renault on Top Gear??????
Max T

Max,
you have mail
Brad
B Richards

This thread was discussed between 25/10/2008 and 27/10/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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