6 replies to this topic

[DripStand]

Hi I'm currently running 165/60 r12 71h on a set of 5x12 minators. Want to put my car back to standard 12" steels .

Question is can I just swap the tyres over or will those not fit the standard steel wheels? Getting confused at looking at posts see something about 5 mm spacers at the rear?

Told originally 145/70 r12 were factory for steels but don't want to spend money on a new set of tyres if I can just swap them as there quite new tyres likewise don't want the tyre failing if not suitable.

Thanks

[DripStand]

Anyone?

[coopdog]

Yeah just swap them over

[Steve G]

I used 165 tyres on my steel wheels. There weren't any clearance problems at the back but my car has the standard spacer type drums.

[Cooperman]

With standard 165/60 x 12 you will not have any problem.

The problem which can occur is that with 165/60 x 12 tyres with a reinforcing bead on the sidewall, as is found with some 'winter tread' pattern tyres, the reinforcing rib can just touch the radius arm and 3 mm or 5 mm spacers are needed to move the inner edge of the tyres out slightly. This only applies to wheels with the standard datum offset.

[DripStand]

Thankyou for your help

[Steve G]

One thing I just remembered is that I do have the early 12" steel wheels with the extra plate or thin spacer on them.  The later ones don't have this and I never really understood what they were actually fitted for. The extra bit is only about 2mm thick so I thought it was either there to give added strength or to help locate the wheel on the hub better. 

These spacer type wheels were around a long while before Dunlop introduced the 165 tyres so can anyone suggest why they were fitted ?

I don't think this will make any difference in terms of fitting the wider tyres on the steels but it got me thinking.