Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

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fairline38
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Model: Excel SA
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Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

Post by fairline38 »

Can I please have clarification on which wheel/tyre brand/size offset, etc will fit the 87 SA? I have been offered a set of DARE DS-RS

Front Rear
Size 15"x8.0" 15"x8.0"
PCD 4x114.0 4x114.0
Offset 15 15

https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/wheels/ ... ear=15x8.0

Will these be a problem?

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Lotus-e-Clan
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Re: Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

You need to check the centre spigot hole too. That's how the wheel is located and centralised.

Wheels have 60 mm diameter spigot bore.

The 15 inch 7J have an 8 mm positive inset.

Inset is measured different to offset so check it out.

If you have gone wider by 1 inch that extra 25 mm should be distributed centrally. ie the inset should be 20 mm positive on 8Js to keep the front scrub angle / 'kingpin' intersect with the road the same as std to prevent bump steer and tram-lining (I know the Excel hasn't got kingpins but it's the same principle).

That said, the best way to know if wider rims and a wild change of inset has upset things is to try it at low speed on steep cambered or rutted roads (bump steer/tramline) and at high speed on a fast sweeping motorway corner pursued by a BMW (high speed corner stability). :) I guess a 15 mm 'offset' won't be so far out for it to kill you!
Peter K

fairline38
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Model: Excel SA
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Re: Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

Post by fairline38 »

That's Greek to me!

I am looking for specific wheel models and tyres available off the shelf to fit.

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fueltheburn
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Re: Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

Post by fueltheburn »

Be VERY careful with the terminology of offset.
Many of these wheel sellers use offset where really they mean inset.
There are not many wheels off the shelf that fit the standard excel pattern and wheel "offset"
Look up the difference between negative/positive and inset and offset before you click buy it now, confirming with the seller which they mean.

Bear in mind though the range of offsets for the excel ranged from 19mm through to 0mm depending on what year it came from as there a few -
Iron cross, Supra style, dogbowl or OZs.

Minilite (and their clones) certainly do wheels in the correct pcd, bore and offset.
Going to 16 inch wheels gives you a better choice of tyres than 15s.
I could not find any I liked in the correct dimensions so ended up getting a set made up from scratch.

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Lotus-e-Clan
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Re: Replacement Wheels and Tyres for 87 SA

Post by Lotus-e-Clan »

fairline38 wrote:That's Greek to me!

I am looking for specific wheel models and tyres available off the shelf to fit.
I can't name specific wheel sets - sorry about the Greek.

It is a pain that Lotus quote 'inset' whereas wheel folk tend to use ET or 'offset'.

I've looked up an offset calculator to work it out for you. :)
An 'inset' equates to a positive offset
An 'outset' equates to a negative offset.

A +8 mm inset (from Service Notes) means the centreline of the wheel RIM is 8 mm inboard from the hub face.

Here is a snapshot to show what a an original 7J wheel with an 8 mm inset (orange rim) would look like superimposed on a WIDER 8J rim with a POSITIVE 15 offset (green rim).

Image

The same again - but this time the original 8 mm inset (orange) is compared with a NEGATIVE 15 'offset' (green)
Image

You can plainly see -

the +15 offset 8J rim is further inboard but the outer rim is nearly in the same position as std.

the -15 offset 8J rim is a lot further OUTBOARD than std

You still have to check that the centre spigot bore is 60 mm diameter so that the wheel centre will fit snugly and concentrically onto the hub -otherwise it's Beach Boys time (big vibrations!)
Peter K

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