Tire choices for 14 inch Alpinas

Dan Mooney

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Hi all!
My 1973 CSi has 14 inch staggered Alpinas and currently has 205/60/14 tires on the front and 215/60/14 on the rear. The tires look too low profile for my taste, and don't fill out the arches very well. I am going to install a set of Michelin XWX tires and I am planning on 205/70/14 front and 215/70/14 rear.

It looks to me like there should be plenty of room, but thought I'd check to see what others are using with staggered 14 inch Alpinas. Also, I am about to install Bilstein shocks and Carl Nelson springs all the way around, which will obviously have some bearing on tire clearance.

For anyone who is interested, there are lots of photos of the car (which I only bought a few weeks ago), and an ownership log of sorts, at the following link:

http://www.classicjaguar.com/cj/bmwcsi.html

Many thanks!
 
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adawil2002

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Have you connected with Peter Coomaraswamy or Terry Sayther yet?

Here's the wheel /tire chart

OEM tire Size: 195/70/14 – dia. 24.7”, 77.7” circ, rev / mile = 815

Substitutes: 205/60/15 – dia. 24.7”, 77.6” circ, rev / mile = 817

Substitutes: 225/55/15 – dia. 24.7”, 77.7” circ, rev / mile = 815

Substitutes: 205/55/16 – dia. 24.9”, 78.2” circ, rev / mile = 811

Substitutes: 225/50/16 – dia. 24.9” 78.1” circ, rev / mile = 811

Substitutes: 245/40/17 – dia. 24.7”, 77.6” circ, rev / mile = 816
 

Dan Mooney

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Have you connected with Peter Coomaraswamy or Terry Sayther yet?

Here's the wheel /tire chart

OEM tire Size: 195/70/14 – dia. 24.7”, 77.7” circ, rev / mile = 815

Substitutes: 205/60/15 – dia. 24.7”, 77.6” circ, rev / mile = 817

Substitutes: 225/55/15 – dia. 24.7”, 77.7” circ, rev / mile = 815

Substitutes: 205/55/16 – dia. 24.9”, 78.2” circ, rev / mile = 811

Substitutes: 225/50/16 – dia. 24.9” 78.1” circ, rev / mile = 811

Substitutes: 245/40/17 – dia. 24.7”, 77.6” circ, rev / mile = 816

Many thanks Andrew, but unfortunately the chart doesn't include any information for my staggered 14" Alpina wheel combination.

Best Regards,

Dan
 
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Dan Mooney

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bf goodrich 215 70 14

Thank you for your reply. Are you running a 215/70/14 on the rear wheels of your car? Is your car lowered (a la Carl Nelson) or standard ride height?

Thanks again!

Dan
 
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Dan Mooney

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Lowering?

I would do:

205/70r14
215/70r14

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am about to lower the car with Carl Nelson springs and I was looking for confirmation that I would not have any clearance issues with this tire combination. Do you have the same set-up?

Best Regards,

Dan
 
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Stevehose

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any particular reason you want to stagger them? They're not much differnet in appearance or traction with the same 7" wheel, and you won't be able to rotate those pricey XWX's. IMHO
 

Dan Mooney

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any particular reason you want to stagger them? They're not much differnet in appearance or traction with the same 7" wheel, and you won't be able to rotate those pricey XWX's. IMHO

Hi Steve, you raise a very good question! In fact Carl Nelson just pointed out to me that they would have been the same size at all four corners originally.

I guess I was just following suit from the previous owner, who put 205s up front and 215s on the rear.

I am now leaning towards the Michelin XWX 205/70/14 all round.

Many thanks!

Dan
 
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teahead

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Wider tires are always preferred if they can be fit. Looks better and more surface area that the car is actually rolling on.

Who needs to rotate tires anymore? Driving 12k miles/year?
 

Dan Mooney

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Thanks everyone for your input. I just confirmed my order for a set of Michelin XWX 205/70/VR14 tires.

Best Regards,

Dan
 
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Strato102

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No tire looks better than those XWXs with bulbous sidewalls, just ask any Daytona. Is there a risk of extra stress on the rear top shock mounts with some of the stiffer higher performance shocks?
I bought my Porsche 930 out of Calgary during the winter. I remember the trucker checking in at the border. Said the car runs great; started it up in 20 below zero! Can't beat the 78 cent Kijiji dollar, though.
 

Stevehose

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Yes they never staggered different tire sizes on same rim. A less expensive alternative to the XWX, Pirelli reissued their period correct Cinturato CN36, I have them and if Markos wants another gratuitous photo, I will oblige.

I am now leaning towards the Michelin XWX 205/70/14 all round.
 

WISE9UY

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Per what Stevehose said, unless the rims are staggered, you ought not use different tire sizes. If you wish to up size, check out the wheel size comparison site at https://www.wheel-size.com/calc/ to see how different sizes compare. You will find that if you wish to increase the width, you should decrease the aspect ratio. Use the factory numbers as the base for comparison and then you can go from there. My recommendation is 205 65 14 all round on your square set of Alpinas. Incidentally, are they Alpinas or BMW turbine style? What width are the rims?
 

Dan Mooney

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Per what Stevehose said, unless the rims are staggered, you ought not use different tire sizes. If you wish to up size, check out the wheel size comparison site at https://www.wheel-size.com/calc/ to see how different sizes compare. You will find that if you wish to increase the width, you should decrease the aspect ratio. Use the factory numbers as the base for comparison and then you can go from there. My recommendation is 205 65 14 all round on your square set of Alpinas. Incidentally, are they Alpinas or BMW turbine style? What width are the rims?

Thanks for taking the time to reply. The rims are all 14 x 7 Alpinas. I now have a set of Michelin XWX 205/70/14 tires on way.

Best Regards,

Dan
 
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JFENG

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Yes they never staggered different tire sizes on same rim. A less expensive alternative to the XWX, Pirelli reissued their period correct Cinturato CN36, I have them and if Markos wants another gratuitous photo, I will oblige.
How do you like the Pirellis? Do they handle anything like a modern sport tire? I’m considering them for one of my cars (not an E9)
John
 

Strato102

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That certainly is a beautiful car. Any way you can be talked into keeping the velour? Or, making it a mission to find some good cores for recovering with the leather and putting the originals aside? My opinion, of course, but low wear blue velour has such a great luminous look to it. No better testimonial for a low mile European specification car.
 
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