Hey fellow Magniacs,

I recently put on a set of wheels, specs are:

17 x 8 (+35) running 235 x 45 x 17 - front
17 x 9 (+38) running 235 x 45 x 17 - rears
There's also hub-centric rings installed to sort the centre bore difference.

After driving around I've noticed that the front end doesn't feel as planted and there's a slight vagueness when driving in a straight line. Cornering seems fine though.

Is there any way to tune this in/out or is that an inherent result of running a wider rear track. Mind you, the car's not for racing or anything extreme. I've heard however that it does put more stress on the rear ball joints.

I know I'll cop some flak from the more holistic brethren out there, but damn, it looks horn!

Anyone here running similar setups?

Try a strut brace to tighten up the front end. Helped greatly on mine. Also a rear sway bar helps if it doesn't gave one. This will make the rear more playful and dial out some understeer

Just to second that, its made a huge difference in TW and that has the better steering rack.

Swap them around if you can?

What tyre pressures, and has it been aligned recently?
36-38psi and only a little bit of toe-in is ideal.

All of the above, strut brace rear sway bar etc. Just part of having wide low profile tyres mate, but if you really want to eliminate the vagueness put a TL/TW steering rack and P/S pump (same as Ralliart). Made a hell of a difference to my car.

Cheers Luke

Got a brace up front but will get the rear sway bar sorted soon.

Also, tyre pressures are at 38psi - it felt a little soft on anything lower. Can't really swap them back to front because the fronts would then be sticking out the guards like dogs nuts and that's just cop bait. The toe-in is an idea though and that would have to be when it gets a wheel alignment.

As for the steering rack, why are the TL/TW racks better? Was the rack totally redesigned? What sort of feel will it give the car and how difficult will it be to get one fitted? Will guys like Pedders do it?

Cheers fellas, appreciate the feedback.

Also, tyre pressures are at 38psi I recommend you put em up abit higher...say about 40psi min, they tend to feather on the shoulders when the pressure is not hard enough.

235 wide tyres seem a little narrow for 9in wide rim dont you think?

Those offsets sound perfect! Can you post a pic? were you going for the Hellaflush look when you grabbed those offsets, cos I can imagine it would be rather flush, or mexican even.

Try a little toe out on the front end. Like 1 degree. With a little camber mixed in with that, it should give fantastic feel.

I recommend you put em up abit higher...say about 40psi min, they tend to feather on the shoulders when the pressure is not hard enough.

That's exactly what they're doing. 40psi it is. Cheers.

235 wide tyres seem a little narrow for 9in wide rim dont you think?

In theory it does. They sit fine on the rim though. I'm running Dunlop Fast Response tyres which have a rim guard so they still sit outside the rim. 245 or 255 would look beefier and meaner but I wanted to stay well clear of the inner guards. Besides, if I ever wanted to run a square setup I could just change the rims and fuss with the tyres.

Those offsets sound perfect! Can you post a pic? were you going for the Hellaflush look when you grabbed those offsets, cos I can imagine it would be rather flush, or mexican even.

Try a little toe out on the front end. Like 1 degree. With a little camber mixed in with that, it should give fantastic feel.

Yeah, I was aiming for the flush look and was surprised that the setup was exactly that. The fronts just are a smidgen outside the guard but you'd have to REALLY look to notice. The rears are spot on. I'll post pics soon.

As for the toe in and camber, I'll have to get that sorted when I lower the beast. Looking at King's and Boge as Wilkinson Suspension in Perth stocks them. Thanks for the advice, certainly helps with getting the ride sorted.

I have been a fan of the Hellaflush style for a while now. I have been waiting to see a Magna with good fitment.

I'm trying with mine, but i'm afraid i'm going to need some 15-20 mill bolt-on spacers to acheive this. I'm definetly not keen. Hahaha.

Yeah mate, Keen as to see some pics!

After the increased tyre pressures, everything seemed to settle down and the car feels responsive again.

Although it changes direction a smidgen slower (eg. through small roundabouts and with the wider tyres), it does turn in a little sharper with less tyre squirm.
The back end wanders a bit but that'll be sorted once the sway bar goes on.

Thanks for the help fellas.

1) Rear sway bar, change the standard Sports one to a thicker one, ideally the adjustable one. Put on the first or second hole.
Make bl**dy sure that it fits perfectly, the sway bay links must be vertical. The bar must be dead horizontal through the crossmember bushes. If not send it back as "not fit for purpose".

2) Change the front suspension lower arm rear bushes for increased castor ones. This I suspect has the same effect as a TW rack.
3) At the same time fit camber bushes and make sure that there is a smidge of negative camber.

These 3 work well as a first step. Turn in will be much sharper.

If you are lowering.
make sure that the front bump rubbers are perfect.
Don't go too low as there will not be enough front suspension travel.
Reading posts recently it appears that a good compromise set up is Boge and Dobinson springs.
If you want a harder shock absorber setup then go to Koni Yellow adjustables.
Don't forget that you will have to cut up the existing front struts and drill a hole in the bottom of each strut to fit the Koni inserts.

When lowered. Make up a spacer kit and reduce the rear camber, this will be vital with big rear rims.
Decent wheel alignment.
Completely agree with the comment about front wheel alignment.
I have 235/45/17's on my AWD all the above mods plus a thicker front sway bar.

I was going through a set of tyres per year. Above mods plus good alignment and tyre life is almost doubled.
Comments about tyre pressures are spot on. Around 40 at the front, bit less at the rear.
Gerry.

1) Rear sway bar, change the standard Sports one to a thicker one, ideally the adjustable one. Put on the first or second hole.
Make bl**dy sure that it fits perfectly, the sway bay links must be vertical. The bar must be dead horizontal through the crossmember bushes. If not send it back as "not fit for purpose".

2) Change the front suspension lower arm rear bushes for increased castor ones. This I suspect has the same effect as a TW rack.
3) At the same time fit camber bushes and make sure that there is a smidge of negative camber.

These 3 work well as a first step. Turn in will be much sharper.

If you are lowering.
make sure that the front bump rubbers are perfect.
Don't go too low as there will not be enough front suspension travel.
Reading posts recently it appears that a good compromise set up is Boge and Dobinson springs.
If you want a harder shock absorber setup then go to Koni Yellow adjustables.
Don't forget that you will have to cut up the existing front struts and drill a hole in the bottom of each strut to fit the Koni inserts.

When lowered. Make up a spacer kit and reduce the rear camber, this will be vital with big rear rims.
Decent wheel alignment.
Completely agree with the comment about front wheel alignment.
I have 235/45/17's on my AWD all the above mods plus a thicker front sway bar.

I was going through a set of tyres per year. Above mods plus good alignment and tyre life is almost doubled.
Comments about tyre pressures are spot on. Around 40 at the front, bit less at the rear.
Gerry.

Wow! That's some pretty detailed mods. Thanks! Will be working on making this all happen.

- For the rear sway bars, I'm going with Whiteline. If you could give me a model/reference number, It'd save some research time.

- Stupid question, exactly whereabouts do the camber bushes go? Would a camber adjustable bolt from Whiteline have the same effect?

I'll get the first stage happening. I take it that what you've recommended above has positive effects for the FWD as your AWD does?
In your opinion, how did/does the your car handle before and after these mods?

Cheers for the info.

As for the pics, here's a couple...

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/864/wylcard001.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/wylcard002.jpg/

Pics again.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/864/wylcard001.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/wylcard002.jpg/

40 psi MIN?

Hmm I run 40 on the front and 38 on the back, how high have you guys gone on 235/45/17s?

I'm surprised you don't have a rear sway bar but you have a strut brace. Compared to a rear sway bar I would say the strut brace does hardly anything IMO.

The rear sway bar is the best bang for buck handling mod you can ever do. They're just over $200 from memory and changed the handling of my car GREATLY.

40 psi MIN?

Hmm I run 40 on the front and 38 on the back, how high have you guys gone on 235/45/17s?
I'd be reluctant to go past 40 psi, I think you'd seriously risk over-inflating the tyre, which isn't good for performance or wear.

While most tyres have a tyre pressure printed on them (usually 50 psi), this is the MAXIMUM pressure before the integrity of the tyre is compromised - it is not the recommended pressure.

I'd be reluctant to go past 40 psi, I think you'd seriously risk over-inflating the tyre, which isn't good for performance or wear.

While most tyres have a tyre pressure printed on them (usually 50 psi), this is the MAXIMUM pressure before the integrity of the tyre is compromised - it is not the recommended pressure.

Yeah I always ran 40 on the front thinking that's the max I should go rather than the min lol

This is 40psi when cold, no idea what it gets up to once it's at max temp.

Both my wheel alignment guy and tyre fitter have recommended that I run 40psi in my tyres 245/35 19 and I have even tyre wear and never had a problem.

TL/TW steering rack + PS Pump was different from TH-TJ??

Can anyone confirm this? What was actually different?

TL/TW steering rack + PS Pump was different from TH-TJ??

Can anyone confirm this? What was actually different?

TL/TW got the Ralliart TJ rack, don't know about pump but would seem logical

Hmmm.. interesting.

Yes pump also. Has something to do with better pressure and in turn gives you more feedback from the steering so that its not as light and nervous in a straight line. Im very happy with my pump and rack, made it feel like a new car.

Cheers Luke

I'd be reluctant to go past 40 psi, I think you'd seriously risk over-inflating the tyre, which isn't good for performance or wear.

While most tyres have a tyre pressure printed on them (usually 50 psi), this is the MAXIMUM pressure before the integrity of the tyre is compromised - it is not the recommended pressure.
Agreed.

You'd be almost nuts to go past 40psi. That said, you could pump 80psi in if you want to (or more if you really feel like it), the tyre will handle surprisingly high pressure, all you're gonna do is reduce grip and increase tyre wear dramatically, wearing the centre of the tyre out far quicker than the sides. chrisby, if you're running 40+ psi, I'd be seriously reconsidering what you're doing, you should consider 40psi in a cold tyre maximum not minimum.

For what you're running, you should be at 38-40psi. I'd probably be running 215's on the front too if your into the stretched look, a 9" wide rear rim should really be running a 255/265 though with 235 on the front 8" if you ask me.

add 2 extra diffs :) :P

add 2 extra diffs :) :P

Facebook LIKE!!!!!

I'd be reluctant to go past 40 psi, I think you'd seriously risk over-inflating the tyre, which isn't good for performance or wear.

While most tyres have a tyre pressure printed on them (usually 50 psi), this is the MAXIMUM pressure before the integrity of the tyre is compromised - it is not the recommended pressure.

50 is the maximum but this would have a safety factor on top of it, it wouldn't cause a blowout or anything drastic, although it would still feel silly inflating tyres that high.

I have 17x7s with 235/45s and I run 40 in the front and 35 in the back, there's not a lot of weight over the back over the back wheels of a FWD and the TL has a rear sway bar, the back end feels skittish around bumpy corners.

I'm sure you could easily get away with running over 40psi cold without adversely affecting tyre wear. Running 40 I still wear out the outsides first with no sign of wearing the middle of the tyres.

Also about the TL steering - the steering is definitely heavier than a TJ or earlier, can't confirm the components though.

Still waiting to see some fitment pics man!