Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

Keefe · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 20:08 Post subject: Tyres, Wind Up, etc Scoobi

Anyone with any advice?

I've got a Delica but my brother in law hasn't! Smile

He's got a P1 sti gobberly *beep* scooby doo.
My question on his behalf, sorry, does fitting different makes of tyres on the front effect his car/gearbox?
I say no, as long as they're the same size, eg 225/45R17 etc. As in rolling diameter, as in wind up as discussed on this forum many times.
A supplier/fitter has told him they have to be the same make! He just happens to have that particular make in by the way!! Rolling Eyes

Do/can Subarus suffer the same problems with diffs/gearboxes as discussed on here? (wind up)
He's only replacing the front pair as the rears are okay. (Diameters different 'cause of worn rears. Could this be a problem?)

Sorry Admin, I know it's not really Deli connected but any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Thank you

Keith Smile

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THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

I think there are a number of questions here...

The most important is HOW does the diff work, if its viscous then different size tyres is NOT a good idea - see the number of volvo xc's that have (literally) blown their centre diffs!

The other question is handling, certainly different tyres with different tread patterns and compounds will handle differently AND wear differently...now thats a pretty trick car and i would guess the whole drive/suspension setup was optimised fora particular tyre/pressure and it would be well advised to stick to that, however running different front and back tyres will certainly change the handling, perhaps for the worse, perhaps for the better - or more precisely to suit the drivers taste!

for instance a softer more grippy tyre on teh front will tend to decrease under steer on the entry to the bend and increase over steer on the exit etc -

I think if he's going to run scooby its a moot point as he is going to be changing tyres so often he may as well do it in sets, every one i know who has had them says the tyres cost more than the petrol - and they DRINK petrol!

just buy 4 and prepair to do the same in 4 weeks! 9as he WILL be playing....)
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!

strangerover · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 21:42 Post subject:

my short answer...

buy 4 tryes the same and buy good ones..

I have had several Turbo nutter 4x4's

tyres make a huge difference to handling..

You MUST fot tyhe same size tyres front and rear as it has a VCU (Viscous Centre Diff)

Same brand front and rear is advisable purely for handling, its a 4WD with 200+ bhp and weighs less than 1200kgs!

The tyre shop guy may sound like he is trying it on and in one way he is,
but strictly speaking I think subaru would recomend the same

I know for sure that Porsche recommend replacing all 4 tyres even if you only need 1 due to the difference in rolling diameter and the effect this can have on the electonic traction control etc.
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Regards
Mark

THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

didn't realise they wer THAT light...explains why they bend so badly!
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!

Keefe · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 22:24 Post subject:

Thanks for that guys, I'll print off what you've said and leave it with him.
The 200bhp you mention is nearer 370bhp. It's the one with the water sprays on the intercooler and it's chipped and messed with.
It's fast, grippy,uncomfortable and VERY noisey!
The Bridgestones he has on at the moment are like semi slicks on the outer edges but do grip well.
When I say it's fast, it is if I drive it. I go into nutter mode when I get the wheel in my hand!! He's quite a steady driver and values his licence. (He's an HGV driver so needs it)
I'll tell him to get the couple of new identical Bridgestones that he's ordered and fit them on the rear, putting the older ones on the front.
They're costing him £115 each fitted.
The reason I asked the question in the first place was because I had heard about the volvo gearboxes going into orbit when owners had put the new spare on with three worn tyres.
Many Thanks again.
keefe on behalf of Mick Smile

THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

yeh the volvo thing is true, but the 'spare' IS a space saver....

the issue is that a viscous diff basically use hydraulic fluid (ATF) and the sheer forces generate heat a LOT of heat....and if the tyre sizes are different....you get continual sheer...and LOTS of heat builds up....

but if your driving near the edge and two of the tyres are lower grip and a re spinning all the time...its a similar story....

hope that helps!
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!

Bob Ellison · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 22:45 Post subject:

Please forgive my ignorance. Embarassed

Would this apply to a Delica?

I've got two new front tyres (Federal, put on by the dealer) and two near naff rear tyres (Jap Dunlop) which I want to replace with BFGs.
Is this posible or should I budget for 4 BFGs?

:D
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1994 L400 SE (Black)
1 Labrador lad (chocolate)
1 Labrador Girl (Yellow)
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POCUK LTM No 19

THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

in a word...yes...
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!

strangerover · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 22:53 Post subject:

its always better to have a set of matching tyres....

on sports cars its more critical due to the fact that the driver is most likely to be driving on the edge !

the Delica is most likely to be driven for comfort not speed....

or put another way....

don't worry too much, just try and stick to all the same type...

e.g. all A/T Tyres or all M/T or all road bias...

having M/T at one end and road tyres at the other would not help traction Wink

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Regards
Mark

Bob Ellison · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 23:08 Post subject:

Thanks guys. :D

They are all ATs.
It's just that I was hoping to get two BFGs now and two later when the Federals have worn.
I don't really want to get two more Federals and I don't want to waste the new ones that the dealer put on (I have lived in Yorkshire too long Razz

).

:D
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1994 L400 SE (Black)
1 Labrador lad (chocolate)
1 Labrador Girl (Yellow)
MDOCUK LTM No 101
POCUK LTM No 19

chiefie · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 13:39 Post subject:

hi bob,
the main problem people get when replacing just 2 tyres on the L400's is when changing back into 2WD from 4WD, the gears in the transfer box struggle to line up and often it takes a bit of tooing and froing to get out of 4WD.
as for diff wind up, it doesn't happen on an L400 due to the centre diff

hth

(p.s. its a heat sensitive silicone fluid in the centre diff, not ATF Wink

)
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Bob Ellison · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 14:19 Post subject:

strangerover · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 22:12 Post subject:

THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

That is the issue you get with swedish bricks and they use viscous coupling...for what its worth, i dunno what the effect of goign offroad with dfferent sized tyres would be wit ha locked centre diff...theoretically it should wind up, but the wind up would come out as tyre slip on the loose surface i guess..Can't be 'optimal' though I guess...
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!

chiefie · Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 17:34 Post subject:

andyj · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2412 Location: up norf

had different sized tyres front and back on mine

215/70/15 front and 225/80/15 back

was fine in 2WD, then i decided to put it in 4WD lots of creaking and groaning underneath the car and big loss of power, had to do 1500 revs just to move
then BANG something gave and it switched into 4WD... paniced and shoved it in 2WD again...same thing... then loud BANG and it was fine

after that i shit myself and got 4 new tyres, been fine 2WD to 4WD since (and no teeth or anything in the diffs/ tranfer box thank god!!)

andyj · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2412 Location: up norf

<<<< you can see the old tyres on my pic.. look how small the fronts are

Lewis · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:59 Post subject:

andyj · Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2412 Location: up norf

ill buy you one for christmas mate :D

seriously tho you can see it the fronts are very skinny compared to the backs and check out the clearance on the wheel arch

THE KICK INSIDE · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1592 Location: Staffordshire

You know Andy I had similar when i first got the bus - with (roughly - new fronts slightly worn backs) the same sized tyres on it - scare the ...out of me!, once since going from 4WD-2WD of the move it has also engaged locked centre diff with NO lights on the dash (noticeable due to mega rubish cornering in the carpark!) - i think thats a symptom of a not much used 4WD system getting stuck in a 'weird' place and actually going locked centre diff!
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A Delica - ITS LIKE A SWEDISH BRICK...ONLY BIGGER!