Since fitting the 195/R50 15 rims and Kumho SPTs the steering is very much lighter.

Previously with a good set of original tyres and rims it felt just right, but now feels very , very light.
Although it tracks straight Ok
With tire pressures about 32 psi


A rough check with a tape measure shows toe-in about zero.

On my old '90 Civic with original rims/tires I had it set very close to zero and had good wear and handling.

Could the 195s need a tiny bit of toe-in (1/16th" or so ) to get more 'feel' back into the steering?

ronno

 

You bought the wrong size tires. 195/50-15 is too small for a '99 Civic (although it was the right size for your '90). You should be using 195/55-15, or 205/50-15.

 

Hmmm, My 99 Civic is made in Japan for Australia, originally fitted with 175/65r 14 overall diameter 573mm

The 195/R50 15 Kumhos are 570 mm diameter.

The 90 Civic was fitted with 165/70R 13s overall dia. 565 mm (worn)

I don't know what the OD of the 55s you mention are but it would probably 10mm more than the 50s , the car needs as much lower gearing as it can get, as far as I can see.

So are US cars different?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ronno &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmmm, My 99 Civic is made in Japan for Australia, originally fitted with 175/65r 14 overall diameter 573mm
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So are US cars different?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oops, sorry! Yes, U.S. cars are different. USM '97-00 Civics get 185/65-14 or 195/55-15, depending on model. So your AM model should indeed get 195/50-15, even though ours would get 195/55 or 205/50.

Maybe your steering feels light because your old tires were worn and bald, whereas the deeper tread blocks of the new tires give them greater ability to turn. IOW due not to any difference in size, but simply the difference in tread depth between worn tires and new tires. Just guessing though.

 

Ha, I thought there was something different going on when I read the posts here discussing tire and rim sizes.

So what is the overall diameter on the 185/65R 14 tire ?
Are they bigger?
ie higher geared?

I have a fuel injected SOHC D14Y4 engine, 118bhp,
Final Drive 4.058:1


I regularly travel over 15ks on a good condition, but lightly used , winding mountain road.
With a well balanced car, it can be done safely in 12 minutes (10 minutes late at night..)
Previous '88- 99 Civics I driven, can be pushed hard , as long as your prepared to use quite a few revs in second gear often . Stock, they aren't a ball of fire , but what you loose in power , you can make up by cornering fast!

This Civic, with it's Kumho STPs handles well , but seems to need more wheel (more lock) than other Civics I driven.

Is it just 'understeer'?

I've had lots of experience with over-steering cars (think Fords, Landcruisers, etc)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ronno &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So what is the overall diameter on the 185/65R 14 tire ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can look it up using a tire calculator like this one.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ronno &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are they bigger?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You're asking whether a 185/65-14 is bigger than a 175/65-14?

In other words, whether a sidewall that is .65 * 185 mm tall is taller than a sidewall that is .65 * 175 mm tall?

 

If it's been a while since you've had an alignment, you should go get one. I get one every 3 months which sounds like overkill but during the autocross season it's not overkill.

 

Ha, I thought there was something different going on when I read the posts here discussing tire and rim sizes.

So what is the overall diameter on the 185/65R 14 tire ?
Are they bigger?
ie higher geared?

I have a fuel injected SOHC D14Y4 engine, 118bhp,
Final Drive 4.058:1


I regularly travel over 15ks on a good condition, but lightly used , winding mountain road.
With a well balanced car, it can be done safely in 12 minutes (10 minutes late at night..)
Previous '88- 99 Civics I driven, can be pushed hard , as long as your prepared to use quite a few revs in second gear often . Stock, they aren't a ball of fire , but what you loose in power , you can make up by cornering fast!

This Civic, with it's Kumho STPs handles well , but seems to need more wheel (more lock) than other Civics I driven.

Is it just 'understeer'?

I've had lots of experience with over-steering cars (think Fords, Landcruisers, etc)

 

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