My first RWD fright!

Post by **petefarrell360** » 18 Oct 2006 11:25 pm

I cannot emphasise enough the different a decent set of tyres make. My current GLT never ran on the stock 14" rims for long, as I got the 15" alloys on and a set of 195 50's asap. So until I had to swap them back to rule out any problems with the wheels when a vibration started, I had not been able to compare them. And what a difference they made, all with loads of tread, Pirellis on the back and a fairly good make on the front tyres on the 14's.

I experienced understeer........ something I'd not discovered too often on the 15's, and far too much oversteer, unexpected oversteer too. I reckon I lost at least 15 mph in the dry into a corner I know very well, just from the difference in tyres, before it started to lose grip. That to me is a big difference. All in all the car felt totally different, wallowy, wobbly, they squealled at low speeds, and you could feel the car wanting to skip as it was losing grip into corners, that previously at the same speeds were no problem on the 15's.

In the wet, well, they were dangerous! You couldn't pull away without the tyres wanting to spin up! Roundabouts were often requiring some opposite lock. If you wanted to get somewhere quickly, without being ready to catch it sliding, it was a nightmare! So, the 15's are back on at last! What an improvement.

I'll agree with Steve, normally in the dry, a 300 sticks like glue, and the traction you get is quite amazing. As he said, it's how much you can lean and cling on while it's on the door handles due to bodyroll that limits it in the dry!

My 10500 mile variomatic had some original tyres I think, which the other thing to be careful of is if they are perished through age. They were soon replaced with 14" GLT alloys, not ideal, but an upgrade from the 13's at least.

Pete

Post by **340GLT** » 18 Oct 2006 11:31 pm

As said in the dry a 300 is awesome for grip and will handle as well as if not better than some modern cars!! In the wet with good tyres they are fun but by no means dangerous!!!
Funnily enough i have never spun my car even with the steelies but have very funnily been very very sideways a few times!!! Including turning into junctions!!

All in all if you want the car to handle better, stick it on some 15" 440 wheels with 195 50 15 tyres and you will be amazed with the difference!!!!
Adam

Post by **petefarrell360** » 18 Oct 2006 11:42 pm

Exactly! I would agree, that in some respects a 300 handles as well if not better than some new cars and with some tweaking, and upgrades can be even better.
Pete

Post by **stevenc75** » 19 Oct 2006 10:42 am

It's funny that almost everyone advised me to change the tyres/wheels. Where's you're sense of adventure?

I do plan to get a set of alloys at some point, hopefully before the weather gets really bad.

Post by **Sam340** » 19 Oct 2006 12:29 pm

stevenc75 wrote:It's funny that almost everyone advised me to change the tyres/wheels. Where's you're sense of adventure?

Good lad

Post by **Chris_C** » 19 Oct 2006 05:50 pm

Most of us have a sense of adventure, ask the guys at my rally club

Just I like it to slide when i want, not when it wants

Post by **sven360** » 19 Oct 2006 06:30 pm

Chris_C wrote: Just I like it to slide when i want, not when it wants

A most righteous attitude there,Sir

Post by **Slb340** » 19 Oct 2006 06:59 pm

Just go to a nice big parking-terrain with a lot of sand, and go drifting, you will learn very fast how your 340 will respond on your actions..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rauxpWg0i4o

Here am I practising... 1 time it went wrong

Post by **Chris_C** » 20 Oct 2006 12:29 am

sven360 wrote: A most righteous attitude there,Sir

You'll be annoyed Sven... first road rally of the season, spent lots of tonight sideways

Shame I got abused in points by Nick (who even managed to change a tyre and still beat me), but thats expected, and he was in the wrong seat

.

Post by **Nikdev** » 20 Oct 2006 06:07 am

I have just put on some new 195\55-13 tires on my car, Unyroyal (Wet) tires. (I had some old 175 tires before..)
Did the 360 get less tailhappy on wet? No.............Still alot of fun

And i got more grip at the front.

Post by **petefarrell360** » 20 Oct 2006 01:19 pm

Nikdev wrote:Still alot of fun

But i got more grip at the front.

Spot on! That's what it's all about, nothing worse than unpredictability and not being able to steer the barge! Tyres are too often over looked or money isn't spent to get decent tyres, the fact is that they are the only thing in contact with the road, so they need to be capable of gripping in all the different situations, especially cornering and stopping.

Pete

Post by **stevenc75** » 20 Oct 2006 04:26 pm

Having spent the day skidding and sliding around the roads in the rain I have brought forward my hunt for alloys. This car is bloody deadly...

It's almost undriveable in the rain.

Post by **Chris_C** » 20 Oct 2006 04:36 pm

What sort of thing are you looking for? Most scrappies keep the wheels off of 400's, and you can usually get a set of those for about 50quid or a ton with tyres. Come in either 14 or 15's, and lots of styles. Might want to try and find some alloy wheel nuts too, steel ones eat into the alloy. Either nick them from a 360 in the scrappy, or buy them from Mr V (something like 3-4 quid ea though).

Post by **stevenc75** » 20 Oct 2006 04:55 pm

Cheers Chris, useful info as always. I've seen some nice 440 alloys, also some aftermarket Vauxhall alloys with the correct pcd and offset. I'll stick with Volvo alloys though to maintain some degree originality.

Post by **sven360** » 20 Oct 2006 05:39 pm

Chris_C wrote:
sven360 wrote: A most righteous attitude there,Sir
You'll be annoyed Sven... first road rally of the season, spent lots of tonight sideways Shame I got abused in points by Nick (who even managed to change a tyre and still beat me), but thats expected, and he was in the wrong seat .

Ah yes, but he's a clever clogs who does well on some of the big Welsh events iirc.
Shame he doesn't lower himself to sit in a 360

Take it was a 12car if midweek-should have posted on Volv's in motorsport to let us know what's what.

Bilbo got a mention in msport news or whateva it's called these days after the Ropper in Sept-flash git