Guys newbie here to say hi! My Mondial 1986 3.2 has just arrived from the UK in Sydney (we relocated) and I'd forgotten how rubbish and cracked the original TRX tyres were. I've trawled through the previous threads and been left somewhat bemused by all the differing solutions. However, light at the end of the tunnel seems to be by way of these guys Ferrari Alloys Wheels from Tyresave who can supply new wheels and tryes for the same price as the TRX tyres. SO could all the more experienced people tell me if these wheels will be a direct swap for my original metric ones or do I need spacers/alignment etc? AND the website suggests 205's on the forn and 225's on the rears. Dees anyone have a view on this bearing in mind the originals are all the same size. Thanks Matt
These look like the standard British Superformance wheels and there are numerous threads about them - they bolt straight on but as I recall there have been a couple of issues with the centres - try a search on Superformance or TRX - the tire sizes reflect what almost all Ferraris of that era wore in 16 in non-metric
Thanks for that. I'd seen them on the Superformance website but they work out more expensive compared to the other website. Does anyone have any experience going to the narrower front tyres when they done the conversion? I'm keen to hear how the handling was changed? Here's a pic of mine, looking a bit grubby before it gets cleaned up. Image Unavailable, Please Login
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/mondial/1650692d1359476721-black-mondial-first-picture-wheel1.jpg http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/mondial/1650693d1359476721-black-mondial-first-picture-wheel2.jpg http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/mondial/1650694d1359476721-black-mondial-first-picture-wheel3.jpg
Hi Matt, I had the exact same issue with mine, a 1987 3.2 with original TRX wheels and very cracked old hard rubber tires. I almost did exactly what youre thinking but look closely and you will see that those replacement wheels are flat rather than concave as your originals. Concave wheels were introduced on the 3.2 to accommodate the upcoming optional ABS brakes form 87 onwards (standard from 88). The flat style were on the Mondial 8 and 3.0QV. I opted for the 348 wheels instead which is a very popular upgrade and makes the car look much better as the larger 17 inch wheels fill the arches more. The 348 wheels are a straight bolt on but will you will need longer bolts due to the extra wheel width. Cheers. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Matt I bought the Superformance Mondial rims years ago (with the hub-centering plastic inserts). They bolt straight on and have the same offset as the original rims. They also look pretty much like the original wheels, which I like. I opted for the 205 front and 225 rear tires and adjusted the suspension geometry according to the Ferrari data for the newer imperial models. This effectively updates the older Mondial suspension to the newer version. I cannot comment on the change in handling etc. as the original setup with stone-age TRXs, worn suspension bushings and leaking dampers was not representative of the original handling in any way. However, the current setup is very good - I am running on Toyos, which are readily available here at very reasonable cost, and can handle the tropical climate as well as less-than-perfect road surfaces. But I should think that if there is any noticeable change, it should be positive as theoretically, a more modern tire design should be better than an older one... If you are concerned about unsprung weight of a rim/tire combination: Original TRX 20,5 kg Superformance + 205 Toyo 19.7kg Superformance + 225 Toyo 21.0kg The functional width of the tire tread is equivalent for the 240 TRX and 225 imperials, as measured by myself. The standing laden radius of the 225 Toyo (in the rear where the speedo sensor is) is equivalent to the 240 TRX (309mm) as measured by myself on my car, at equivalent pressures of 35psi = no change in speedo calibration necessary. The downside of the conversion is the disappearance of the TRX look, which I like, and the newer tires do fill the wheel arch much less than the TRXs. The car does look better "tired" with the original setup. Hope this helps!
Note the reproduction 16 " wheels have the design for the 8/QV MOndial models. Reproduction 16 " QV Wheels 1980 - 1985 Ferrari Mondial Alternative to the TRX and still OEM part would be to get these but make sure they are staggered configuration, not all the same tire size all around: 7Jx16 fronts = 205/55/16 front tires 8Jx16 rears = 225/55/16 rear tires Of course you can go the 348 wheel set route as stated above and you will be fine. I believe I have a thread for this discussion if you're looking for other options as well: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/mondial/359688-lets-see-mondial-wheels.html Best Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks to all for the responses, that has cleared up my concerns. I hadn't realised the replicas were not exact and were flat and being a bit of a geek I really appreciate the weights and specs of the wheels. I agree the TRX look is pretty cool but I'd prefer the advantage of modern rubber. Thanks for that, what tyre size do you run? Also, do you notice any rubbing on the wheel arches and how much heavier is the steering? They look fantastic on yours, love the blue too.
Hi Matt, I am running Continental Contact Sport 3 tires and as they are original 348 wheels i am using the tire size as specified in the 348 handbook which are: Front 215/50/17 and rear 255/45/17. The front is very marginally wider than the recommended size on 16 inch Mondial wheels which is 205/55/16. However the rears a lot wider than the recommended 225/55/16 (for the Mondial) and ideally you could put spacers but they dont rub anywhere at all. I had it on the lift at the Ferrari dealership after i had them fitted for a check-up. Compared to TRX its a huge visual difference from a fat tire wall and large gap in the arches to a proper low profile design with better filled wheel arches. It makes the car look more modern and handle better. The choice is yours but always keep your originals. My spare is unused with the original tire from 1987 with the Michelin sticker still intact on the tread, amazing! For the cost of 4 the new TRX tires that i needed i was able to get the 348 wheels, had them totally refurbished (powder coated and baked) and also bought the 4 new tires and still had money left over!
Thanks for the info. I have just bought a set from Superformance but not realising they weren't exact replicas and having seen yours and a couple on some of the threads the guys have kindly posted above I am tempted by this route. I have the same with my spare, completely original and untouched, the car has only covered 10k miles and the TRX's are the originals and only part worn but they have gone rock hard and started to crack so no good other than for showing. I'll definitely keep them though.
Matt, the replicas are imperial versions replacing the metric wheels on Mondial 8 and QVs, not aftermarket replacements of the OEM imperial wheels of the 3.2, which I think were convex. 390 mm is not exactly 16", so it was unavoidable to adjust the entire style to suit the new diameter. Look at the 2 side by side - I think the styling conversion is pretty successful.. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
no, these are not 390 trx, They are 16 oems. 7Jx16 fronts = 205/55/16 front tires 8Jx16 rears = 225/55/16 rear tires I think he can use the replicas but just note that for a 3.2 car, they don't look like the 16s (see pic below) which are more period correct. But then again 348 wheels aren't either The Superformance rims look great and correct on the 8/QV cars. Image Unavailable, Please Login
These are the Superformance rims on my Mondial 8, been rather pleased with them. Image Unavailable, Please Login
So... can one buy the OEM wheels or not? Is Ferrari selling? If not, the Superformance ones are about as close as you're going to get, even for a 3.2 car, right?
If you noticed, the Superformance replicas are more for the Mondial 8/QV models, the 3.2 and T are slightly different concave design in 16" using regular sized manufactured tires you can buy anywhere. I do not think you can buy OEM rims from the Ferrari dealer anymore but does not hurt to call your nearest dealership. If they can source a set for you, you can be sure it will be very expensive, as much as a major service maybe. eBay listings or replicas would be the way to go or as so many folks here do, go 348, 355, 360 wheels if that tickles your fancy! cheers Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
A few things to keep in mind when replacing original wheels...... The concave Mondial wheel was designed to accommodate ABS brakes; don't go from concave to flat without checking clearances. OEM rims are designed and manufactured to Ferrari standards for speed and performance; anything aftermarket non-OEM could fail under certain conditions and possibly cause injury or death. Replace the bolts with new; every time a bolt is tightened and loosened, it loses its structural integrity. Beware of reconditioned wheels; it's usually a sign that the wheels were abused then painted over. Best advice is to buy new OEM or a gently used Ferrari set.
So when you talk about OEM, do you mean Ferrari, or do you mean whoever makes them for Ferrari? And how does one obtain 348 wheels anyway? I mean, there can't be many Ferraris in the scrap yard that you just go along and pick up a set, so are we talking about buying from Ferrari? As for ABS, the '86 3.2 I am looking at I don't think would have ABS, so I assume that doesn't matter.
My undertanding of OEM is that if you order a part # from the Ferrari parts manual for your model car, the part that comes up is approved by Ferrari. For example, UFI is an approved manufacturer of air filters and are stocked at the Ferrari dealer; Ferrari does not manufacture its own filters for the Mondial. There are many good sets of used wheels out there. People buy new Ferraris and immediately change the wheels; selling the original wheels helps offset the cost of the new wheels. Also, some older Ferraris are parted-out by companies like FerrParts; parts sold individually are worth more than the whole car. Genuine Ferrari wheels are embossed on the inside with the Ferrari logo, at least from the '80's forward, so it's easy to spot the real thing. I have my original Mondial wheels in storage, and they are in absolutely flawless condition (but not for sale).
I did the conversion with later Mondial used 16 inch wheels wider in the back and it seems to handle better. That could be new tech tires vs old hard TRXs as well.
Can anyone please help me with where to buy or the exact size of the bolts for putting 1994 348 17" wheels on 1985 Mondial? QUOTE=peterdavid911;142083315]Hi Matt, I am running Continental Contact Sport 3 tires and as they are original 348 wheels i am using the tire size as specified in the 348 handbook which are: Front 215/50/17 and rear 255/45/17. The front is very marginally wider than the recommended size on 16 inch Mondial wheels which is 205/55/16. However the rears a lot wider than the recommended 225/55/16 (for the Mondial) and ideally you could put spacers but they dont rub anywhere at all. I had it on the lift at the Ferrari dealership after i had them fitted for a check-up. Compared to TRX its a huge visual difference from a fat tire wall and large gap in the arches to a proper low profile design with better filled wheel arches. It makes the car look more modern and handle better. The choice is yours but always keep your originals. My spare is unused with the original tire from 1987 with the Michelin sticker still intact on the tread, amazing! For the cost of 4 the new TRX tires that i needed i was able to get the 348 wheels, had them totally refurbished (powder coated and baked) and also bought the 4 new tires and still had money left over![/QUOTE]
[/QUOTE] Brian 714-287-2205. Measure the rear wheels first to see how thick they are so you can get the right size. Art
Hi Tony, I bought the 348 bolts from Superformance here in the UK. They are made by Hills Engineering so you can buy from either place. The bolts as far as i know are the same length for both front and rear wheels. However they are longer than the standard Mondial bolts. I never checked but if anyone knows, aren't the standard factory front and rear bolts on the Mondial the same length as well? Cheers.
Not exactly. If the 348 wheels are off of a Spider, they may require a longer bolt than the front. The front use a 51mm shank, but depending on the year of the wheels, the rear may require the same or a longer one. They went to a wider stance in I believe 94 to fix a handling problem. Art
I have two sets of 17" wheels for my 82, Compomotive 8x17 all corners 245/45 fronts and 255/45 rears, on the 348 wheels I have 225/50 fronts and 255/45 rears I could not tell if the wheels came off a spider or a coupe to determine what length of bolts to use I ended up buying H/R bolts 58mm for the front wheels and 55mm for the rear.
