Jump to content
Server maintenance Read more... ×
gerg

Falcon Wheel & Tyre Spec Thread

Recommended Posts

Ok there's lots of topics about specific wheel and tyre combos, so I thought I'd start a one-stop thread to share specs, legal limits, pictures and combos that work with all of these in mind.

 

I've been trying to dig up the correct offset for my car so I can make an informed decision about what wheels and tyres to get.

 

So far, the offset for pre-AU seems to vary from +20 to +6, some even quote +0, which makes the track vary accordingly. Apart from not having the actual specs available even in the repair manual, there is bugger-all solid info on the interballs also. The only track specifications I've found are on Unique Cars and also listed on both SA and Tas transport websites, the maximum allowable (taking into account the 26mm leeway they give).

 

This doesn't make sense, for if the manufacturer offered more than one wheel offset, why is only one track width quoted? Which variant (with corresponding wheel option) of the particular model are they quoting?

 

I am wanting 16x8 et10 on the front and 16x8 et0 on the rear. I can't go 9s (that would be nice) because 8 is the maximum for my car in NSW.

 

The front tyres might have be 225 or even 215 to clear the bump stop and ball joint. There's not much room in there compared to the rear axle. The rears I will fit 235s to try and fill out the guards.

 

Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some light reading...,

VSB 14 (national code) says that the maximum increase in track over the manufacturer's specification cannot exceed 25mm without certification. The wheel rim width must also not exceed 25mm more than the widest wheel option available from the manufacturer. So if you go to the maximum wheel width and increase track by decreasing offset, you can only legally fill out the guards by an extra 1” maximum (in the old money) without certification.

Ok, so that's a standard... At least now we know what we're limited to, right?

Ahhhh....... No. Trust the authorities in the various states and territories to make a complete dog's breakfast of it. Expect nothing less from Aussie beurocracy.

You see, each state has the ultimate say in what they reckon complies and what doesn't. They make their own rules separate from VSB 14. They just pick and choose what parts of the national code they wish to adopt and make the rest up to suit themselves.

Here's an example:

In VSB 14, it states that the maximum tyre rolling diameter cannot exceed 15mm over the largest tyre spec'd by the manufacturer. Ok sure, it's been like that for a long time, at least it's a standard. But go to NSW, and their own (confusingly similar-sounding) VSI 9 (wheels and tyres) allows a 7% increase. Why? Fuck knows, but I suspect that there's been some lobbying by 4wd interest groups to come to that figure so that they can have bigger tyre options on their rigs.

Fair enough, but what good is a national standard if nobody has to adopt it? All it does is confuse the shit out of us mere mortals trying to navigate through the minefield of shit they've created.

Here's another dick move on the part of state authorities:

Both SA and Tas have identical maximum track width listings for common vehicle models (a copy/paste job on that document) but Tas says that the maximum allowable increase in wheel width (owner-certifiable) is 26mm, as they have fully adopted VSB14. There is no mention of any wheel width limits in the SA guidelines. So they share one standard word-for-word but another is completely overlooked in one state, and enforced in another.

Another thing, what model are they basing their data off? A Falcon GL has wheels with one offset (say 15mm), but a Fairmont Ghia with snowflakes has 6mm. So that's a track difference of 18mm. You could go putting a set of 0 offset rims on, and depending on what model they based their data on, you could be breaking the law or perfectly fine.

Here's a real fucken beauty: NSW's VSI 9 (wheels and tyres), like SA, also makes no reference to maximum rim width, but buried in a different section, VSI 6 (light vehicle modifications) there is a rule that says a maximum increase of 25mm is allowed without certification. So you'd get caught out if you didn't go digging for the info in the general guidelines rather than the specific section you'd expect the info to be in. It's at best, a fuckup, but the cynic in me thinks that this is a trap.

It also has VSB 14 in the list of references at the start of the document, but makes no other mention of it anywhere in their documents. It's like "yeah we acknowledge that it exists, but here's our own set of rules anyway....Yeah we're cunts like that"

What a steaming pile of fuck.

Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
19 hours ago, gerg said:

What a steaming pile of fuck.
 

 

Yes, 

 

Yes it is........ Why do i need a Victorian Drivers Licence, when I already have one in SA? I can travel around Australia, anyday, anytime, without stopping at border control.  Cant have a 6/71 sticking out of the bonnet, but, allowed to have an iPhone, and a SatNav stuck on my windscreen that distracts me, as well as blocking my line of sight. Don't get me started on the different speed limits in all the states and territories.

 

Mmmmm.......... 6/71. 🤗

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites



 
  Cant have a 6/71 sticking out of the bonnet


Yeah also because the pedestrian who you've just mowed over with your steel bullbar might get a few scratches from the ouchy sharp bits sticking out as they flop like a ragdoll over your bonnet and into your metal sunvisor.

Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In the EF/EL manual, some of the wheels are +6 offset, and others are +0. (I'm sure I read a +4 in there too)

All 15x7.

You can actually tell in person, when standing the various wheels side-by-side.

 

Then you also have the 15x6 steelies, 16x7 Sharkfins, Concorde's/Sportsman's, and 17x8.5 GT's - same thing.

 

So in short, YES...

Ford did vary the offset - presumably just to achieve differing looks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×