Is my car lowered, on the front?

[Hoppo1979]

Ok guys I need some help, see the picture below, is my car lowered on the front?

could someone on standard suspension and 195 50 15 tyres please measure from the ground to the front wheel arch and post the measurement.

reason I ask is my new tyres seem to be catching, I don't want to ignite the tyre size debate but if its lowered ill put it back to standard. Cheers in advance, pic below.

[andreas395]

Yeah looks lower then normal to me mate

[Hoppo1979]

That's what I thought, by about 20mm. Why people feel the need to dick about with one of the best handling hatchbacks ever made is beyond me! Can anyone measure so I know for sure? I work for Pendragon (Evans Halshaw) so I can source OEM parts at cost plus 10% so I'll just buy original springs.

[Daz4567]

It looks like its running too much camber.

[lkcio86]

could someone on standard suspension and 195 50 15 tyres please measure from the ground to the front wheel arch and post the measurement.

Measured mine, from the floor to the wheel arch through the centre of the wheel (if you get what i mean) is a cock hair under 57.5cm i would say 57.3cm (573mm) hope that helps

[Daz4567]

Why people feel the need to dick about with one of the best handling hatchbacks ever made is beyond me!

But you have done the same by running 195 tyres. Cheap man's option. A williams is not a williams unless on 185 rubber. The difference is like light and day.

[jamiecrookston83]

But you have done the same by running 195 tyres. Cheap man's option. A williams is not a williams unless on 185 rubber. The difference is like light and day.

Rubbish. car will feel more planted with the 195 tyres. Difference is night and day i.e 195's are better

[Hoppo1979]

But you have done the same by running 195 tyres. Cheap man's option. A williams is not a williams unless on 185 rubber. The difference is like light and day.

As I bought it with them on I fail to see "how I have done the same". Anyhow, rather than the bun fight on tyre size, if someone would be kind enough to cary out a simple measurement for me it would help no end. A measurement from ground to arch would be great, I can then ascertain how far its been lowered and order standard springs (and dampers as required)

Cheers.

[Hoppo1979]

could someone on standard suspension and 195 50 15 tyres please measure from the ground to the front wheel arch and post the measurement.

Measured mine, from the floor to the wheel arch through the centre of the wheel (if you get what i mean) is a cock hair under 57.5cm i would say 57.3cm (573mm) hope that helps

Awesome, exactly what I needed. When its back from having its gearbox replaced I will compare. Your a gent, thankyou.

[Daz4567]

It is irrelevant what your opinion is on tyres. Just as mine is irrelevant. However, if we are talking about 'altering the car Renault built', which i think you will agree is the topic of conversation from the quote, then we have to put personal opinion to one side.

The fact is that if the premise is not altering the car Renault created, then 185 tyres are a must. The fact that you, erroneously in my opinion, state that 195 tyres are 'more planted' [sic], shows this to be true, by simple logic.

As for being more planted, this is a separate topic. But the whole fun in the williams is that it is not 'more planted'. In fact the grip in the focus and the 200 are way more than the williams. This increases corning speed significantly. However, the point of the williams is that it is a driver's car that is not planted, but adjustable (Evo mag called it a plateau on which to play). The fun in the williams is that it moves about on its tyres and becomes unsettled at lower speeds than other more modern cars. This is the whole essence of the car, something i feel that you have obviously missed, due to your desire to remove this characteristic and replace it with the sterile feel of a more grippy modern car.

Sure, if you like a car that has a crashy ride and a more planted feel, please fit the inferior 195 tyres (and some hard coilovers). If, like toyota with the new GT86 you want a drivers car that is fun, stick with the 185 tyres, one of the defining points of the car.

As for the 185 tyres, Renault fitted them for a particular reason, something that they learnt from rallying. The group a cars ran a 16 inch wheel with an unusually narrow tyre. The reason they did this was to stretch the tyres sidewall and increase the stiffness of the tyre while at the same time improving the damping of the car for the french B roads. Interestingly, renault also fitted an unusual (at the time) wider rim to the williams, and to it mounted a thinner higher sidewalled tyre. Copying the intent of the group a cars, something that works particulalrly well and is known to be a defining characteristic of the car.

But if you know best, please continue to buy your cheap man's tyres.