Shudder (at speed)

[rayofleamington]

there's a simple rule to it - the more podgy the sidewalls are, the more distortion you get on the tyre during cornering. The distortion allows the car to track sidewards
If you're not sure of it - try turning the car 360° on full lock very slowly. Then repeat it going faster - it turns in a much bigger circle. The more podgy the tyres are the worse this effect will be as the tyres loll more as they start off much more balloon shaped.
It's personal choice of course so if your 155's make you feel happy then why worry.... ;-)

[brixtonmorris]

155 are a little, almost no/no in the mot station

[Chris Morley]

155 are a little, almost no/no in the mot station

Sorry, that comment doesn't make sense to me?

I can see the logic in the theory behind Ray's argument, but it doesn't take account of the greater area of rubber that a 155 places on the road to start with. Surely the narrower 145s are more likely to skid in the first place? It's no co-incidence that car wheels and tyres have got wider since the Minor was invented and very few modern vehicles now have such narrow tyres. Yes, you can clearly see that a 155 bulges away from the Minor's wheel rim but the effect isn't that much different to the 165s on our Corsa. And I've practised suddenly swerving on several occasions - to date all my 155 tyres have stayed on the rim and inflated.

[brixtonmorris]

it was mentioned in minor maters at some point. i knew this would raise an issue.
also my guardian in the mot station had mentioned it. retired now.
they dont sit on the wheel rims properly an can under extreem circumstance come of the wheel.
if i find it in minor matters say let you no the edition, chris.

[Chris Morley]

Ah, now I see what you're getting at Brixton.

The only way to test this properly would be to use the same Minor with both types of tyre and swerve it violently on a test track at speed. I wonder if the tyres would come away from the wheel (which can happen to any tyre in extreme circumstances) or whether the car would simply skid. Anyone got an already battered moggie who wants to risk it in this way?

In a similar vein, I saw an episode of 5th Gear recently which showed what happens to a 1980s Range Rover when it was forced to suddenly swerve at 50mph. The result was that the vehicle toppled onto it's roof and then cartwheeled several times. Conventional saloons in comparison handled the manoeuvre without flipping.

[rayofleamington]

155 places on the road to start with

until you take a hard corner - then the just loll over and contact on the edge

[Matt]

Kumho tires cant be that cheap and nasty..... at goodwood some of the astra rally cars had them fitted....