Put rear tires on the front as well; good idea?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SATO on November 17, 2008 at 2:36pm

done it, love it!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 451 Kahn on November 17, 2008 at 9:12pm

Yes done it and it works.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SATO on November 18, 2008 at 10:58am

Lowers your overall mpg about 1.5 to 2 mpg, no big deal..
It gives you a more solid steering feel as some of the inherent under-steer is diminished. Bump and irregularities on the road surface are not transmitted as harshly into the cabin.. BIG PLUS!. the highway meandering that the skinny tires have goes away... You still feel the wind pushing the car sideways BUT and this is the BIG BUT!!! your drive line is not affected hardly at all anymore! I was sold on it the day I put them on and drove at highway speeds.. Solid feel, no need to over-correct the steering, no more white knuckle driving..... Should be this way from the factory.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by smarttask on November 18, 2008 at 12:10pm

I have 175 on the front and 195 on the back on the new one also had the same on the old 700cc.
Are you saying that you have put 195's on the front?????????????????????????????
In Italy you can't just do what you like with tyre size, the only size that you can use is the size stipulated
in the log book of the car. e.g. on my new turbo I could put 155s or 175s on the front and 175 or 195 on the back, anything else and you risk a fine and your car taken away.
I have put wheel spacers on mine, looks OK but a pig to keep clean. Roger

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SATO on November 18, 2008 at 5:17pm

See that is the whole issue here in the US... We get 155s up front and 175s in the rear! thats it! no options no anything.

Id love to put 195s in the rear now,but then I would have to go with aftermarket rim$$$$$. I'm not shelling out 2000 dollars for rims that should sell for 800.

Italy has many laws that the US does not, thankfully the rim/wheel issue is one of those that we don't share. perhaps we should though if you have ever seen here in the southern States what they will put on pickup trucks and Jeeps is outrageously and blatantly dangerous. I have seen Jeeps with swamp tires that are 37X12.5R15 rolling down the road... maybe I should say vibrating and buzzing down the road!!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on November 18, 2008 at 7:49pm

It really is a pity (aka xxxx) that the USA does not get the pulse model offered. 175/55 up front 195/50 on the rear. I love 'em. Then add the turbo and subtract the bugs that got sent to the USA and that's what my pulse turbo seems to be. Australia does not get the pure or passion... thank goodness. Our roads are long, bumpy and windy (both meanings: curves and blowing wind), skinny tires would not be nice.

On the other hand, having a lot of pures sold in the USA has spurred on a vast and fast after market for accessories that the rest of the world is beginning to envy. As you note: a lot of the US lacks much in the way of vehicle restrictions and inspections once the car has been sold new. That also helps the after market grow with minimal interference. A lot of the world is heavily regulated. I'm amazed that the thin, unpadded sun visors got through Australian Design Regs.

PS: storms and deluges today. maybe the Wet has begun... moldy air filter to come?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John McGinley on November 18, 2008 at 10:42pm

Do you have to put new rims in front to handle the larger tires? If so, I suppose you can buy them from Smart; cost? After market? If so, do they resemble the Smart rims?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Fabio on November 19, 2008 at 2:50pm

SATO,
What size of tires you have now in your Smart...175R rear and front or 195 rear and front?
Did you have to put new rims for the 175 tires or the ones that holds 155 work for that size of tire as well??
Is it too expensive doing this??

Please let me know....I would like to correct the highway meandering too...I don't like to have my both hands on the steering wheel!! while in the freeway!!

Thanks SATO!!!

Fabio!!!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John McGinley on November 19, 2008 at 3:52pm

I have not done it yet, obviously. Just want to put the same tires that come on the rear on the front. Do I need new rims then for the fronts or will the rear tires fit on the front rims?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by randy zimmer on December 12, 2008 at 11:36am

I just put rear tires on the standard front rims.
I've had it that way since June and have no regrets at all.
In snow and freezing rain, the rear is the end that suffers most.
I've driven in deluges and was the fastest car on the street.
Run anywhere from 20# to 24# in them.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SATO on November 19, 2008 at 11:10pm

Sorry guys, I have been out celebrating my wifes birthday....

OK answers to John and Fabio... In the US we get as I stated before the 155 fronts and 175 rears, the front rim is 5 inches wide and the rear is 5.5 or 6" I cannot for the life of me, remember.. anyway, I sold my fronts (wheel and tire) for spares and bought another exact OEM rear 175s tire/wheel pair which I put in front....... so I have 175s on 5.5 or 6" all around. the rims and tires are all the same OEM rears. this is the cheapest way to "upgrade" your smart's handling without spending much... E-BAY......

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ian Pellant on November 20, 2008 at 12:11am

Hi SATO,
Since you can't buy a pair of smart pulse 195 rear rims and tires; what you have done makes the most economical sense.

The US specs indicate a 5.5" rim for the 175/55 rear on pure and passions.
The pulse puts those 175/55 tires on a 5.0" rim for the front with 195/50 on 6.5" rims on the rear.
The original pure and passion fronts are 155/60 on 4.5" rims.... really skinny rims and tires.

For those that haven't noticed: smart use a 3 stud rim. Almost all third party 15" to 17" rims are 5 stud. So third party wheels almost always means fittiing 3 to 5 stud adapters... staying with smart rims saves the adpater plate costs.

▶ Reply to This

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 8
• Next ›
• Page