Tire Size - 85 Mondial QV Euro | FerrariChat

Tire Size - 85 Mondial QV Euro

Discussion in 'Mondial' started by 85QVEuro, Sep 26, 2022.

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  1. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

    Jan 15, 2021
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    Joe
    When I purchased my car, it had 16x8 Gotti wheels with Pirelli P7 225/50/16 tires on all four corners.
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    I sold the Gottis and purchased the knock offs of the original wheels from Superformance so I now have two 16x7 (front) and two 16x8 (rear) wheels.
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    From research, it appears that the recommended front tire is 205/55/16 with the 225/50/16 on the rear. Are there any hard opinions on whether to use a 205/55/16 OR a 225/50/16 on the fronts? It seems like using the smaller front might make for easier maneuverability with no power steering and the staggered sizes could help with the look??
     
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  2. 350HPMondial

    350HPMondial F1 Veteran
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    18 mi from the surf,, close to Pismo, CA
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    Hello Ferrari friend,

    we are in the same boat,, I had to start with what is out there. ( Note; size 16” tires, are not that popular.)
    Love that color,
    Good luck.
     
  3. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

    Jan 15, 2021
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    350HP - I've been watching your progress and your paintwork - Black is also a killer color on mondials!

    With all the opinionated people in the world today -- and most of them living on the internet -- I thought there would be more opinions on the 205/55/16 vs. 225/50/16 front tire question...
     
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  4. moysiuan

    moysiuan F1 Rookie
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    Nov 1, 2005
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    I think Ferrari changed the tire sizes since the Mondial was introduced, looking for the best compromise for steering effort, tramlining and oversteer/understeer behaviour. Seems like stock sizing on later models is the best bet for handling the way the factory intended after having real world feedback.

    The issue is becoming what tires are actually available in the stock sizes.
     
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  5. afterburner

    afterburner F1 Rookie
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    Jun 20, 2008
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    Joe the "original" car had the same sized tires all round with their suspension geometry settings.

    Later cars had staggered wheel sizes and a different geometry settings.

    Ferrari obviously thought the later car's setup was better. Other than lighter steering forces, aquaplaning tolerance probably increased as well.

    For some reason, my car has got the later, thicker front anti-roll bar and 3.2L rear hub carriers (larger bearings).
    I updated my car's suspension settings to the newer data, using the tire sizes you mentioned.
    It works very nicely.
     
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  6. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

    Jan 15, 2021
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    AB - thanks for your input - these cars are a little Frankenstein with some Mondial 8 features, some 3.2 features, etc. My car also has the heavy front anti-roll bar and the larger bearings in the rear hub carrier. I think the car was manufactured in December 1984...

    I will go with the 205/55/16 fronts and 225/50/16 rears. As for selection, there seem to be many tires and several high performance options available in those sizes on Tire Rack - Continental, Michelin, Pirelli +++ take your choice
     
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  7. afterburner

    afterburner F1 Rookie
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    I am running Toyo tires; they do a very good job for my driving patterns and the climate here.
    My favourites would be Michelin :)
     
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  8. DadsFerrari

    DadsFerrari Formula 3

    May 31, 2004
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    Love that color! BluMedio?
    At
     
  9. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

    Jul 7, 2021
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    Richard Stephens
    I've got a set of four 8x16 inch Superformance rims and have ordered some Pirelli P7 tyres that should arrive tomorrow. I went for 205/55/16 front and 225/55/16 rear. I went for the narrower fronts with low speed manouverability in mind. I went for 55 profile rear rather than 50 because the 50s were not available in the Pirellis. I presume the larger profile may impact the speedo and odometer. Although my speedo is alreay 9% out on the standard rims and Michelin TRX, so we will see!
     
  10. afterburner

    afterburner F1 Rookie
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    Richard, you can easily adjust the speedo readout. It's on my thread somewhere... a pot in the back of it.
     
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  11. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

    Jan 15, 2021
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    Please post photos once you have the tires mounted. Also where did you get the P7s?
     
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  12. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

    Jul 7, 2021
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    Thanks for that, afterburner, did not realise that. I will look into it.
     
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  13. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

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    #13 Richqv, Oct 2, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2022
    I certainly will : )
    I ordered them from from camskill (www.camskill.co.uk)
     
  14. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

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    Yes - BluMedio metallic
     
  15. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

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  16. DadsFerrari

    DadsFerrari Formula 3

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    Whats the retail on superformance wheels? NLA? LINK? THX
     
  17. 85QVEuro

    85QVEuro Formula Junior

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  18. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Feb 2, 2006
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    The proper period 16" tires for the Mondial are available through Lucas Tires in the US

    https://www.lucasclassictires.com/Ferrari-Mondial-Tires_c311.htm

    dont mistake this classic P7 with a better suited carcas for the noder P7. Though a great tyre the modern P7 is desighned to work in a different enviroment.

    yes the thinner front classic P7 will give lighter, more precise steering and the classic car cas will give better feel through the steering while fitting them front and rear will give progressive handling. not something that modern tyres arte designed to factor in.
     
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  19. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

    Jul 7, 2021
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    Here are the Pirelli P7 tyres mounted on the 16 inch Superformance rims. I was in a rush so left off the centre caps for now. I'm mostly happy although the 205/50/16 are a bit stretched on the 8J front rims (I don't have a pair of 7J rims). The 225/55/16 look and feel fine on the rear, and have corrected the speedo somewhat.

    The handling is like night and day - really smooth now. And much lighter steering at low speed. I realise now that the 20-year old TRX tyres were spent - felt something like semi-inflated bin bags for tyres!
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Edgewood121

    Edgewood121 Rookie

    Aug 16, 2019
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    I will readily profess to not being a suspension/tire expert but....those front tires look uncomfortably narrow on that front rim. Picture could be distorting things a bit? The sidewalls and tread look too inboard from the lip of the rim, so I'm not sure how the car would behave during really hard cornering. Just mentioning it as a possible issue of driver safety. Maybe others with more experience can chime in.
     
  21. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    Oo no! They don't look right at all. that is the wrong P7 it should be this one.

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-p7.html

    or in the States

    https://www.lucasclassictires.com/205-55YR16-PIRELLI-CINTURATO-P7-N4-2055516L.htm

    That is a shame. I'm not sure how much cheaper they are, but that is quite a sacrefice to save a few quid. Sorry, but can i ask why you didn't follow the proper route and buy a suitable tyre?

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  22. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    I have just taken this picture of my foot, and in the back ground you can see the 225/50R16 P7 and 240/55R390 TRX tyres next to each other.

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    I do think the TRX is minimally taller than the P7, but i also think the odd construction of these TRX tyres is crowning in the tread a little which will diminish when inflated, but the diameter is incredibly close. so the radius (which is what really counts when it comes to filling wheel arches) will be half that.

    I'm sorry but I can't understand why you would just go and buy the wrong tires when these are just available to you.
     
  23. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

    Jul 7, 2021
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    The picture is accurate. I sgree, and I'm not completely happy with the front tyres. The 205 width is a little overstretched on the 8J rims. Once they become available I plan to get a pair of 7J rims on the front. Currently they're on back order, although the word is Superformance are in the process of identifying a new manufacturer, so it may be a while yet.
     
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  24. Richqv

    Richqv Rookie

    Jul 7, 2021
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    This is very interesting, thanks. I didn't think to look up retro 16 inch tyres and only researched moderns. Personally I'm happy enough with the modern P7s, not withstanding the problem with the front 205 width on 8J rims. Good to know this option exists for future tyre purchases.
     
  25. Longstone Tyres

    Longstone Tyres Formula 3
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    If you scrol to the bottom of our product pages, such as this one about the 205/55R16 P7 it gives you the technical specification

    https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyres/205-55-16/205-55yr16-pirelli-cinturato-p7-n4.html

    So for instance this tyre has the recomended rim width of 5.5" to 7.5" rim.

    now rim width is a funny position. The recomendations that manufacturers give are in line with the standards set by the ETRTO or similar organizations. Within the considerations determining recomended widths is wanting to have a certain amount of tyre overhanging the rim to protect your wheels against curbing. This isnt a consideration on the rsace track, and funily enough over the years Ferrari have been a bit cheaky on that front. Cars like the 250 GT Lusso fitted 6.5" Borrani wheels with 185VR15 Pirelli Cinturato where the rim should be 4.5" to 6" https://www.borrani.com/ferrari-wheels/250-gt-lusso.html
    Then they did the same thing with the Daytona, which was supposed to fit 215/70VR15 tyres all round, which in 1968 was the hottest new thing, not many cars were fitting these supercool low profile mega wide tyres. Then Borrani went and mad a 9" wide rear rim, which they fitted 225/70VR15 tyres on, where the rim width according to the ETRTO should only fit as wide as 8"
    Now Ferrari clearly thought that was cool and they fitted 9" rims on the back of the 512BB with 225/70VR15 tyres on it https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/ferrari/512bb.html
     
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