What are the best tyres for a BX?

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mnde
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Post by mnde »

I currently have a poor mix of tyres on my car and it handles like shite.

Front: Euromaster, Firestone
Rear: Michelin Energy, Euromaster

It tramlines like hell on the motorway and the rear jumps alarmingly off line if I hit a bad mid corner crack/pothole - even though I've recently had the rear arms done. It's better since then, but still doesn't handle like a Citroen. I'm tempted to swap with my mint Michelin spare for the time being, so

Front: Euromaster, Euromaster
Rear: Michelin Energy, Michelin MXV

I've spent enough on tyres recently: over £200 on a set of 4 Michelin XZX 145R15s for my GSA!

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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

Interesting point about original manufacturer's specified tyre. It becomes difficult to say that they are going to be the best, as a car gets older. It's like saying the originally specified spark plugs, oils, fuels, bulbs etc. are going to be the best. With a car that's getting on for say, 16 years old, there's no reason not to take advantage in the improvements in technology. I wouldn't claim to be any sort of expert, but a Michelin, as specified by Citroen (they'd hardly recommend anything else...) of say, 1988 technology might have been improved upon!

As with many things in life, it's down to personal taste. I am prepared to sacrifice the life of the tyre (rather than mine) if I feel it provides the security of handling I want.

Interestingly, I don't think I have kept a car recently for anything like the life of even a fairly soft-wearing tyre such as the P6000, so a tyre that'll give me 30,000 miles is of little relevance :lol:
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DavidRutherford
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Post by DavidRutherford »

mnde wrote:It tramlines like hell on the motorway and the rear jumps alarmingly off line if I hit a bad mid corner crack/pothole - even though I've recently had the rear arms done.
Have you checked the front wishbone inner bushes?
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Post by adamskibx »

Cheers for the advice everyone. I think I will stick with Michelins, and if they do those "Enery" ones that were suppose to replace the MXV's in 165, not 185, then that would be great. I was looking in the handbook. It seems that in 1985 when only the MK1 was about, the widest tyres were 170's and were fitted to certain TRS 1.6's, but not the 1.9 GT.

Regarding my worn out front tyre though, its very odd as it has worn out on the inner edge more than the outer edge- ive never seen this on a front tyre of a BX before- Maybe I should get the tracking checked? I know the steering wheel needs centering, and I cant imagine they left the factory like that, so the adjusters must have been tampered with at some point or another- I remember someone on here pointing out that an offset steering wheel should'nt be centered by removing the wheel, as it mucks up the geometry of the track rods and rack a bit- maybe if I get the tracking done and make sure that they do it in a way which leaves the wheel centered, it will cure both problems. I remeber once when my old St Tropez went to the local specialist to have the rubber coupling replaced for the MOT; I went to pick it up and he said "right, ill show you how we center the wheel now". I didnt know much about cars other than 2cv's then, and I expected some sort of lazer tracking system to be used but, no, he just drove me down a straigt road, removed the steering wheel, then puit it back on again in the center :D It was a private road BTW lol
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Post by Kitch »

The 19GT has Michelin Energys all round.....the ride is superb.
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Post by jeremy »

Wheel tracking isn't really that difficult. Wear on the outside edge suggests toe - in, inside edge - toe out. - its often possible to see if its out by looking at the wheels while you walk acros the front of the car!

Rack cenntralisation is important as otherwise the car will not feel the same when steering to each side. A rough check can be made by driving straight ahead and marking the top of the steering wheel with chalk or tape. Now turn to full lock and note the tape position, and do the same the other way. the wheel should move the same amount each way. If it doesn't - adjust by moving the rack by shortening one track rod and lengthening the other at the same time.

You ought to measure more carefully and haynes says pull back one of the rack boots and measure - but this is difficult and messy and I don't see why you shouldn't do it by turning the wheel fully to one side, placing a heavy block or something against the track rod end ball joint, then turning the steering the other way and measuring the gap. Now work out half the gap, position the ball joint at this distance then centre the steering wheel.

Having got that bit right - now you must set the wheels so that each toes out by half the recommended amount when measured from the centre line - then the wheel will be straight and the car will run straight ahead. What you have to be careful NOT to do is to get the wheels aligned correctly with each other but not straight with the car - which is where you came in from in the first place.

This is not very difficult if you sight the front wheels with the back - ie get the same picture then adjust each by the same amount - then check if the picture is the same.

I think these cars will always seem slightly heavier to steer on one side - due to the use of an external ram on the rack. The ram is a cylinder with a piston secured to a rod, which operates the steering. The rod passes through a seal and the ram is double acting - so providing assistance on the extension andcontraction strokes. this is fine but on extension the pressure is applied to the whole of the piston face, but on contraction its applied to the piston less the operating rod - so less assistance! Oh for the good old British AD West rack as used by Triumph, Jaguar and others! (These used the rack itself as the ram and the piston was attached in the middle of the rack and was the same area both sides!)

This should keep you amused for a couple of hours!
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Post by adamskibx »

Thanks Jeremy. That took some thinking about I have to say. I think I understand what your saying about the operating rod- I take it its the physical area it takes up as it mates to the piston that reduces the piston area that fluid can provide a useful force to. I have to say I can never really work out which side is the easier to steer to, or at least ive never noticed it. I'll have a crack at setting up the alignment and rack centering soon I think, juat so I know its right, then if the wheels still offset then ill correct that- a bit more difficult on the MK 1 as the wheel doesnt come off at the top.
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

DavidRutherford wrote:
mnde wrote:It tramlines like hell on the motorway and the rear jumps alarmingly off line if I hit a bad mid corner crack/pothole - even though I've recently had the rear arms done.
Have you checked the front wishbone inner bushes?
Ah yes... there is one side that needs doing. That's on a to-do list for the summer along with cambelt.

I'm picking up my GSA today :D and I'm sure it's going to be a dream to drive, especially on 4 new Michelins! Pics soon.

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Post by Vanny »

Whats an MXV? i've never heard of an MXV, thought they where MXT's? They where then replaced with Michelin Energy and now Michelin Enegy 2.

I ordered yesterday a full fet of 4 Exalto 2's for the silver BX alloys and got them as 185/60 r14's all 4 for about £170 which you really cant complain about :D
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tyre calcs, you never know when your going to need one. . .

Post by joolie »

Heres a couple of links to some tyre size calculators I found useful while looking out for a set of big fat 'ol 9mm studded wintertyres.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html

I got dunlops for the summer, wearing ok, but I would of got the Michs' if they were in stock. . .
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Post by cavmad »

Vanny wrote:Whats an MXV? i've never heard of an MXV, thought they where MXT's? They where then replaced with Michelin Energy and now Michelin Enegy 2.

I ordered yesterday a full fet of 4 Exalto 2's for the silver BX alloys and got them as 185/60 r14's all 4 for about £170 which you really cant complain about :D

Anorak alert!

The MXV was a performance tyre (i.e 195-60-14) and the MXT was a lower rated tyre, such as 175-70-13 etc.
I believe the `T` and the `V` are the speed ratings. `T` is something like up to 113mph and V is about 130mph.
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tim leech

Post by tim leech »

Just had 2 new 185/60 Yokohama Avantos put on the Gti £70 the pair and boy does it grip.
M

Post by M »

I have a right mish mash of tyres on the BX at the moment all 165/70/14, and surprisingly it handles well.

But... Just got 3x 175/70/14 tyres - 2 Polish and one Dunlop SP all almost new and best of all FREE - so on they will be going very soon when I get another SP and swap one of the rims from a MK1 to a MK2 BX effort (so me wheeltrims fit).

So fitting the "best" tyres to the back means I get some odd make Polish efforts on the front to make handling "interesting" - should be fun :D
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

I was experiencing traction and braking problems with the mish mash of tyres that was on my BX so opted for a set of 195 uniroyal 550s, great, no more third gear wheelspins, they have probably done 10k now and appear to be holding up well, superb in the wet too. I the bad old days my 19RD had 165s and was very critical of tyre quality, michelins were good and lasted, economy tyres were chewed up on the outside edges rapidly, I agree with Dave about 185 being all you need for grip.
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Post by cavmad »

I have to say that all the BX`s I`ve owned have had no problems on any tyre combination (as long as same size of course) and even running on cheapo tyres has made no difference.
The estate is currently running 195 (though maybe 185, can`t remember!) 60 14`s and if the truth be known the handling is definately worse than 175-70-14`s. It seems skitty and vague and sometimes appears to tramline. It`s only the fact the tyres are nearly new Goodyears and they`re on non standard wheels that I`ve kept them on.
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