Hi ferrari chatters. I have a 83 308 qv euro spec. I have just purchased a 16" set of rims from superformance. Set has 2x7"( front)and 2x8"( back) The issue I have is that the front and back wheels on my car are the same with 220x55VRx390 TRXtyres. The window sticker on my windscreen shows details for only one size tyre... 220x55x390. Should I have ordered 2 lots of rear wheels? (8"wide)Or maybe the front wheel size on my car is incorrect? Any help with this would be much appreciated. Dean
Hi Dean, I am not a wheel expert but I had 3 ferrari 308 QV models in recent past, two with the original 16" wheels , and one with the metric wheels. I think you bought correctly, i.e. different front and back, but you should check if the wheels came with adapters (spacers). I think the superperformance website also lists these. I think that the the metric wheels are a bit 'fatter' and that you need the spacers for the 16" wheels. Also do a search in the forum on 'metric wheels', maybe you will find more info. Good luck ! Frank
The TRX tires 225x55x390 are only for the metric rims which are 15 and 1/2 inches. The superperformance wheels are 16' and require different tire sizes front (205/55 VR 16) and rear (225/50VR 16) Grim
No -- your 1983 is from a time when manufacturers still held the idea that all four wheels had to be the same size. Even F went to 7" front and 8" rear on that exact same chassis -- you're good (in fact, better).
Correct...you cannot mount TRX tires on 16" wheels. TRX tires on TRX wheels, 16" tires on 16" wheels. Not only are the tire / wheel dimensions different, I believe the bead of the tires (TRX vs. 16") are different as well.
I believe these repros need centering rings on the fronts not spacers. This was due to manufacturing shortcuts. The fronts will not center correctly using only the wheel bolts.
Thanks very much for the replies. Yes I do realise I need different tyres for the 16" rims, my concern was the different widths for front and back, when the original wheels are the same width front and back. It looks like im good to go with the new set.... Thanks again. Dean
14" rims used same size all four corners 390mm used the same size all four corners. The jump to 16" is where they went to narrow front, wider rear......
Mid engine cars are rear heavy and therefore need more rubber out back to help balance them. Not sure why Maranello ever thought all four tires being the same size was a good idea but it really isn't.
It is all about neutral handling. Since a kinda famous F1 driver set our suspensions up for the factory I suspect it is probably pretty good out of the gate. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I very much encourage people not to over tyre a car. 205/70VR14 to start with 205/70VR14 Michelin XWX | Longstone Tyres will give you the most comfortable ride. then they moved onto the TRX 220/55VR390 Michelin TRX | Longstone Tyres the TRX was a massive step forward in tyre design, where they were able to gain a ground braking amount of vibration absorption from less side wall by creating a less complicated flex in the side wall. so the lower side wall of the TRX improved directional stability. while it's clever carcass stopped the vibration making the car fall apart. (Funky Michelin diagram below) The problem with the TRX was people resented only being able to buy a Michelin which did occasionally make it hard to get hold of. But the TRX is a great tyre. I'm still a big fan. My Dad bought a 5 series BMW which came with the wrong wheels and i put it back on TRX and they were lovely. Here is the interesting bit after fitting the 220mm section front and rear, Ferrari chose to move the 328 back onto a smaller front tyre. I'm guessing that this is also to make the steering quicker and more precise. I guess the balance would also be a consideration. Did the 308 on TRX suffer from too much oversteer? I am also guessing that the 328 had softer springing than the original 308 on 205/70VR14, because the suspention will have to do some of the work that was done by the tyre on 14" wheels. Currently i am in discussions with Pirelli about the possibility of making the 205/55ZR16 & 225/50ZR16 again. However it will be the Pirelli P7 tread pattern if we do it because this is very much what the Porsche boys want. Would it be of interest to you guys. We already have some for 15" wheels Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
When the 308 had 16 in option wheels in the late 70s the tyres / tires were expressly P7 and I'm pretty sure they were with the tread pattern shown in the ad - probably because they were already being made for Porsche - I'm fairly sure this continued well into the 80s so early 328 also came on P7
I have fitted Toyo's R1R. Great trackday tire, great on the road. I think they look good too. A bit tricky in the rain when half worn. Regarding "looking good": I might swap the Speedline's Mistral for a Superformance set. I got to like the clean, more stock-style look of the SF wheels more than the Mistrals. Though the 14" with 205 Michelins would even be nicer, I got addicted to the stopping power of my big brakes so I really need 16".
In North America, you can use www.tirerack.com, search for tires for the 1985 308, optional tire size (they list the staggered 16" setup), and they show 38 choices! All of these are offered in the 205/55-16 and 225/50-16 combination: Max Performance Summer category: Bridgestone Potenza S-02 (N3 Porsche) Conteinental ExtremeContact Sport Pirelli P Zero System (N3 Porsche) Streetable Track & Competition category: Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R Yokohama Advan A052 Extreme Performance Summer category: Bridgestone RE-11 Bridgestone RE-71R Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec Hankook Ventus R-S3 (version 2) Hankook Ventus R-S4 Nexen N Fera Sur4 Nexen N Fera Sur4G Toyo Proxes R1R Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE ALL-SEASON Category: Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS Pole Position Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 General G-Max AS-03 Hankook Ventus S1 Noble2 Kumho Exsta 4X II Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ Ultra High Performance Summer Category: BF Goodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 Dunlop Direzza DZ102 Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 Kumho Exsta PS31 Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 Riken Raptor ZR Yokohama S.Drive Then there are several winter tires, Grand Touring all-season, high performance all-season, high performance summer, tires listed - the only one of interest out of those would be the Pirelli Cinturato P7
I have been really happy with a dramatic change in my tires. i use 225/50 VR 16 in the front and 245/45 VR 16 in the back -TOYO Proxes ( from tire rack). Soft compound and rain proof from a "V" tread. You should try, around $700.00 total. Just a suggest.
I read these tire width threads with great interest. My 308 is the first car I own with the engine behind me. My struggle has been finding grip in the front tires. It has felt like the car wants to understeer compared to the front engine cars I am used to. I am learning it is not the wider rear tires that cause the problem; it is the way I am using my brakes to set up the front tires. (I need to track the car a bit with a good coach on board.) The theory behind tire widths in general is handling balance. Properly configured tires will allow maximum grip while cornering. At the end of a turn, where the wheels are again pointed straight down the track, narrower tires would still allow maximum acceleration. Here is a good explanation about how come rear engine Porsche 911s are so fast and it relates to tire profiles: The Science of Speed: 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - YouTube Wow. Do they fit in stock wheel wells? Any vehicle modification needed? Yes, thank goodness for Porsche spec-ing 205/55ZR16 & 225/50ZR16 on 911s. Those sizes stay available and inexpensive. We get to tag along.
Thank you for this comprehensive list. Currently I have Pirelli P Zero Neros on my car. Once again I have to replace all four tyres, just because they are no more available, while the fronts are still 2/3 of thread. Happened to me already a few years ago with Michelin Pilot Sports 1st generation. In the beginnings when I had my car, say from mid 90s till early 2000s, when product cycles were longer, I could wear two pairs of rear tyres and still keep the front ones. Best Regards Martin
