General JTD upgrades

[Cris]

Hello all. I am now the proud owner of a 5 door Stilo JTD. Was having a look for info and found this forum. Which is nice.

It's a JTD Active. Has some nasty 15" steelies on it, otherwise is pretty mint.

I'm thinking that a decent set of wheels is in order. My brother has a set of 16" Coupe wheels which I temped by but I'm not sure that they won't make the car look too much like it's on castors (as it does now). If I do then I'd like to pop some 225/50R16s on them and paint them gun-metal (black wheels on red cars are good).

I'm also thinking that stiffer lower springs woul help (it's a bit soft and rolly polly at the moment thought that could be due to the tyres/wheels).

I fancy some sort of leather steering wheel to replace the stock plastic one. Maybe something from a higher spec car (maybe even with radio controls if this is possible???).

Brakes seem OK so far.

Egine tuning is also on the cards. From what I can see someone like Angel Tuning can re-map me up to around 150-160bhp. Which would be nice.

Comments, suggests etc welcome.

Cheers

 

[Stu DemonD]

Hi

Basically, I would suggest lowering springs, say the Eibachs on a 30/35mm drop, and then put on some 17s.

And then remap it - Angel go up to 155bhp standard, although 170bhp possible with a new exhaust system :slayer:

Or go totally mad, drop it 80mm with some 18s :chin:

 

[wolfracepunto]

Hi :wave:

Is yours the 1.9 JTD 115 or the JTD 80? Ive seen a few Actives that are the 80 variant thats all.

Do what Stu said. Its more the suspension thats making the car roll, not the wheels/tyres.

 

[Cris]

Hi

Basically, I would suggest lowering springs, say the Eibachs on a 30/35mm drop, and then put on some 17s.

And then remap it - Angel go up to 155bhp standard, although 170bhp possible with a new exhaust system :slayer:

Or go totally mad, drop it 80mm with some 18s :chin:

Eibachs eh? I'll have a look around for them. I assume that they stiffen things up nicely as well as lower the car a bit (35mm sounds like plenty - I'm not in it for the bling factor - I want a car that handles). Still torn on the 17 vs 16 thing. I have the 16s ready (but for painting) but am worried that they will look a bit silly. I'm sure that the lower profile of tyre on the 17 will make the steering more direct too (it's pretty dead as it is).

155bhp from Angel soounds like plenty to be getting on with. Drove a Gold TDI with 150bhp (Mk 4) and it was pretty impressive in a straight line (felt like it had lead wellies instead of wheels though). Want to sort out the wheels/suspension before I look for any more power but by the sound of Angle are the chaps to go to.

 

[Hellcat]

15" steel wheels huh? Send the old rims my way

 

[Cris]

Hi :wave:

Is yours the 1.9 JTD 115 or the JTD 80? Ive seen a few Actives that are the 80 variant thats all.

Do what Stu said. Its more the suspension thats making the car roll, not the wheels/tyres.

It's a 115 (that or I've bought a lemon).

I think the soft responses are a mixture of soft springs and high profile tyres. It's got 65 profiles on currently. The last thing I saw with 65 profile tyres had John Deere written on the front.

 

[Hellcat]

John Deere huh? That could be lost on people!


You can always try the coupe wheels and see what they look like.

 

[wolfracepunto]

No idea what you're on about with John Deere

I do like the Coupe 16s, but the Stilo has massive arches and they'd maybe look a bit small in there. Lowering would help though :chin: Need a photoshop!

 

[Cris]

The Copue wheels don't have tyres on so I'll have to fork out for them. Don;t fancy that if I'm just going to chuck them later.

I'm feeling that the best compromise will be 225/50R16s on the Coupe wheels then stick on some lowering springs. I assume that 225s will fit (given that 215s fit on the 17" wheels). Should also provide a silly amount of grip too.

I still want to maintain some ride quality (the ride so far is excellent compared to my Tipo TD, just the handling is nowhere near....yet) so don't want to get silly with the tyres.

NB Tipos and 15" Coupe wheels work very well...

 

[Hellcat]

Coupe 15s or coupe 16s?

225s will be great in the dry - torture in the wet/snow/ice/mud

 

[Cris]

No idea what you're on about with John Deere

I do like the Coupe 16s, but the Stilo has massive arches and they'd maybe look a bit small in there. Lowering would help though :chin: Need a photoshop!

Can't do photoshop - far too creative for me. If someone can then I'd appreciate it especially if they could colour the wheels black/grey

As to John Deere this may explain - http://www.deere.com/en_US/deerecom/usa_canada.html

 

[Cris]

Coupe 15s or coupe 16s?

225s will be great in the dry - torture in the wet/snow/ice/mud

15s on the Tipo and 16s (unfitted) for the Stilo.

Must check to see if the 16s are 6.5" or 7".

 

[wolfracepunto]

As to John Deere this may explain - http://www.deere.com/en_US/deerecom/usa_canada.html

Oh

I cant work photoshop either, but quite a few ppl on here can.

 

[Cris]

15" steel wheels huh? Send the old rims my way

I have a fair collection of wheels in my garage which needs sorting.

14" Tipo steelies with crappy tyres
15" Coupes with 195/50R15 on my Tipo
16" Coupes with no tyres
14" Pulsar GTIR wheels
15" Nissan fitment wheels
15" Stilo steelies (on my Stilo)
13" Micra steelies (on my Missus' knackered Micra)
21" Mountain bike wheels on my mountai.......................

 

[Stu DemonD]

I run my *cough* 5 door on Eibachs, with the standard 16" Abarth alloys - 205/55/16s - got some pics in my gallery with it lowered.

I would like to go to 17s, but it is down to the cost aspect - especially with rubber as well [unless PNL wants to do a deal ].

When I first had the car lowered, I noticed the increase in handling straight away.

Have you thought about getting a strutbrace as well? A lot of guys on here swear by them - www.strutbracer.co.uk

 

[Hellcat]

I have a fair collection of wheels in my garage which needs sorting.

14" Tipo steelies with crappy tyres

Don't we all?

I was thinking 16" coupe wheels on my Sedici recently so there is a pic of coupe wheels in black/grey there...

 

[Cris]

I run my *cough* 5 door on Eibachs, with the standard 16" Abarth alloys - 205/55/16s - got some pics in my gallery with it lowered.

I would like to go to 17s, but it is down to the cost aspect - especially with rubber as well [unless PNL wants to do a deal ].

When I first had the car lowered, I noticed the increase in handling straight away.

Have you thought about getting a strutbrace as well? A lot of guys on here swear by them - www.strutbracer.co.uk

Hadn't thought much about strut braces. I'll see how I get on with the springs and wheels first. Not sure that I want the car hard enough to need a trut brace (it is my day to day car and I like my luxuries ).

I think yours looks OK on 16s, given that I'm not sure it needs 17s to look good. I need to do some tyre pricing investigation, 205/55R16s may be cheaper than the 225s but then again...

 

[Stu DemonD]

I pay about £80 to £85 per corner, fitted, for my 16s - and that is for Bridgestone Potenzas, although my last two were the Michelin Exaltos, which seem just as good.

 

[Cris]

Don't we all?

I was thinking 16" coupe wheels on my Sedici recently so there is a pic of coupe wheels in black/grey there...

Probably being a doughnut but I'm missing them. I can see that you have the same computer case as me though.

NB Your three door Sedici must be pretty rare, they're my second favourite FWD hot hatch of the early 90s.

 

[Cris]

I pay about £80 to £85 per corner, fitted, for my 16s - and that is for Bridgestone Potenzas, although my last two were the Michelin Exaltos, which seem just as good.

Sounds about right, I think that the 225s are about the same. Need to sort out the Coupe wheels first (need stripping, painting and maybe one replacing - has a small buckle).

Hmmmmm.