Author Topic: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?  (Read 5416 times)

Offline scully

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What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« on: December 17, 2015, 06:54:16 pm »
As the title says, what tyre width should I be driving on 13 inch wheels with somewhere around 200 horsepowers? I'm talking about semi-slicks, and maby full slicks. Because of the small diameter, there is less contact than with for example 15 inch wheels, so the tyre should be wider I suppose to compensate.

Semi-slicks are available in 185/60, 205/60 which I think is far to high, and 225/45 which are almost 200 Euros per tyre. 185/60 is available from 70 Euros (Nangkang NS-2R), but also available from other brands. But is it wide enough for that much horsepower on such a light car? 

A common full slick size being sold second hand on German motorsport sites are 9.0/19.5 sizes in different compounds. Surely this should be wide enough and provide sufficient traction? Or is this overkill, and will it cause unneccessairy drag/friction?

Hope to hear from you guys, and maby get some feedback on what other powerful Polo's are using, preferably with 13 inch wheels ofcourse.

Offline Yoof

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2015, 07:51:40 am »
I run a 13x7" Compo with a 16-530 Michelin slick, I have a similar set with full wets on too.

If you're just doing track work, you won't beat a slick - clearly not road legal though.

Cut slicks can work well in the damp- but not if they need to move standing water.

13” is a good choice for cost/grip – also there’s plenty of slicks available second hand on eBay.

I’d be cautious about going too wide, especially when running a diff and forced induction, you’ll be smashing drivetrain parts at a decent rate!

Only issue is getting a 13” wheel to fit over a decent brake package. I might be tempted to sell my CXR-2 for the right price in the New Year…




Offline scully

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2015, 09:01:11 am »
So you drive with a 160 mm wide slick tyre? That should be more than enough for me as well then. In my mind it's far to narrow, but I've never driven slicks before. I do need 7J wheels instead of the 8J I have now, but I was planning on having two sets anyway, one for the street and one for the track. One more question, did you use spacers to fill the berg-cup arches or do they have a really low offset?

Offline Yoof

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2015, 06:11:43 pm »
The tread is 160mm wide, the tyre is nearer 190mm I think.

This should help you: http://www.avonmotorsport.com/motorsport/radial/13-radial-slick

One set of my Compos have a low offset (ET0) and one set I use spacers for.

Offline runforrestrun

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2015, 06:59:27 pm »
I plan on running 13x8 on my mk1, I've yet to decide on a tyre choice though.

I'm expecting 180/190hp.

Offline scully

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2015, 07:33:12 pm »
So you've got the same question as me I suppose? :)

While I was planning to make my 9x13 wheel smaller, I came across these:



And decided against the opposite. They have 3" dishes, which I will use to make my 8x13 wheels a 9x13 so I have 9x13 front and back.
The rest of the wheels including the slick tyres will be sold.

I have yet to decide if my 9" wide to be wheels will be fitted with slicks or semi-slicks. It will depend if I find a second set, otherwise my only set will have to be street legal offcourse.

These are my current wheels as ther are now:




Offline Yoof

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2015, 08:03:47 pm »
Unless you REALLY love cleaning wheels... they'll piss you off after 20min on track, they'll be covered in brake dust and rubber!

Offline scully

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Re: What tyre width with a 200 hp on 13 inch wheels?
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2015, 08:01:43 pm »
I'm not a cleaner, but I do like the result after cleaning them.