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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Suggested Tyre Pressures???

My Mk1 midget (63) is fitted with Pirelli P1000 155/80 R13's

Any ideas on what pressure I should be running??

In the manual it recommends 22 in the front and 24 in the rear (from memory) but if 'feels' too soft. I guess those pressures were for the original tyres rather than modern rubber.

It could be another issue all together (knackered suspension unit) but I wanted to check the easy things first.

Thanks in advance.

David Banks

I've always had good results on most cars running at around 28psi front and rear. If you do a bit of spirited driving especially corners then you might want to pump that up a couple of pounds if the sidewalls are starting to roll at 28. Easy to check that by applying a stripe of white liquid shoe polish or chalk from the tread around onto the sidewall and then drive a bit and see where the line is worn to.
Bill Young

David

I think it depends on what the roads are like in your area, I run 24 all round, any more than that and its another trip to the dentist. The roads around here though are diabolical.

Dave
Dave Barrow

Here we are blessed with smooth roads (apart from the speed bumps)
so mine are at 2 bar (about 30 psi)for the road
and 2.5 bar (36psi) for track time
i run 165's
but with 155 on my previous midget i ran at the same pressures
Onno Könemann

My experience has been similar to Bill's. I experimented around for a while, and finally settled at 26 front and 28 rear.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

25 all round for me, on 165/70s.

A
Anthony Cutler

26 Fronts and 28 Rears for me. I keep them the same for prolonged track days as I theorise that the as the tyres get hot, the air inside expands. But I'm happy to stand corrected on this.
Gary Lazarus

24 front, 28 rear...new 155/80's on a '78 1500...

Seems to be the best pressure for my car...experimented with all different pressures...found this combo best for me.

Play with the pressures a bit and you'll find what's right for your car and your driving style.
DL Rhine

26 F / 28 R

Mark.
M T Boldry

DL Rhine:

What brand of tire did you get and where did you get it from? I am on the verge of a tire hunt this Fall...

Mike P.
Buffalo, NY
Mike Pelone

Mike

Uniroyal Tiger Paws...I know they may not have the best performance reviews, but I've been using them for years on other passenger cars(I've been through all major tire brands over the years!)

They seem to be decent all weather tires with smooth ride and very little noise, but in all honesty, any new tire would have been an improvement over the 20 year old Firestones that were on the car when I bought it!

I just use the car as a weekend cruiser and not concerned about ultra dry surface performance.

Bought them from a local tire dealer and he was able to balance my Rostyle wheels with no problems (check the archives for balancing problems)...had the little beast up to 90mph with no bounce or vibration whatsoever.

I chose the 155/80R13's so as not to have any clearance problems on my wheel arches.

Maybe someone else has recommendations?




DL Rhine

Thanks for your advice - I have upped the pressures from 22f and 24r to 26f and 28r as most people have suggested.

Its the difference between night and day!!!

I still think there is an underlying problem though - the suspension feels softer turning left than right. Initially thought it was my bodyweight on the right hand side of the car but it feels almost the same with a passenger in.

Thanks for all your advice.
David Banks

David, there are a number of things that can change the way the suspension reacts to inputs from one side to the other. Worn bushings in the front can alter camber slightly which will affect turn in rates, or a bit of binding in the rear springs can also affect the weight transfer from side to side differently. Even a worn bushing in the sway bar or end link can cause the car to lean more in one direction than the other. You can use the chalk trick to see how the front tires are reacting to turns and see if both are deflecting equally. If one is rolling under more than the other and the pressure is the same then you need to look carefully at the rest of the suspension.
Bill Young

I'm going to stick my head over the parapet and ask why everyone has higher pressures on the rear?
d cusworth

..because that's what the handbook says
..because that's what works ?
David (davidDOTsmithAT stonesDOTcom)

it must be me then...
d cusworth

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2009 and 21/10/2009

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