When we lower our beloved buses, there's always a lot of discussion on front wheel/tyre size - avoiding rubbage, getting down lower with small diameter tyres and the effect on the speedo reading.
When it comes to the rear it doesn't get much of an airing, but this also has it's ups and downs.
At max revs for a T1 engine and standard wheels tyres I believe you max out at about 70 real mph. It'll go faster, but the standard crank will flex above this speed and wear the bearings quickly leading to failure. In extreme cases the crank will snap like this:
To find out how fast we're really going if we have small fronts, which we nearly all do, takes a bit of calculation.
For mine, if the speedo reads 80, I'm really going about 70.
Fine for my bus because I have full size rears - I'm not so low as many of you.
If I put same tyres on the rear as the front, at 60 real mph I'd be tootling along at near max revs which is why I retained biggies on the back (and I like the look).
So the question my fashionable friends with your teeny tyres, is do you guys drive about at 50-55? Or do you say - what the heck, and bomb about hoping for the best?
I ask as much to warn the uninitiated that your engine may suffer catastrophic failure even driving at modest speed in the slow lane as from curiosity.
Me? My new engine will rev to 5,400 like a T4 engine, coupled with the std back tyres and 100HP I reckon I'll be cruising happily at 70 real mph and have rev room to hit 80-85 if required. That's with a standard gearbox.
Maybe this is why you have to fork out for up-ratio gearboxes. I was thinking about doing this, then realised I won't need to - in fact I wouldn't be doing my cooling any favours, but if you have teeny tyres, I guess this would get you more or less back to where you started?
Expensive fashion innit? :lol:
I think if I ever decide to go lower, I'd be tubbng my rear arches rather than down-sizing the tyres. Looks better and got to be cheaper than a new gearbox.
Please add your thoughts and feel free to correct my rough calculations.
When it comes to the rear it doesn't get much of an airing, but this also has it's ups and downs.
At max revs for a T1 engine and standard wheels tyres I believe you max out at about 70 real mph. It'll go faster, but the standard crank will flex above this speed and wear the bearings quickly leading to failure. In extreme cases the crank will snap like this:
To find out how fast we're really going if we have small fronts, which we nearly all do, takes a bit of calculation.
For mine, if the speedo reads 80, I'm really going about 70.
Fine for my bus because I have full size rears - I'm not so low as many of you.
If I put same tyres on the rear as the front, at 60 real mph I'd be tootling along at near max revs which is why I retained biggies on the back (and I like the look).
So the question my fashionable friends with your teeny tyres, is do you guys drive about at 50-55? Or do you say - what the heck, and bomb about hoping for the best?
I ask as much to warn the uninitiated that your engine may suffer catastrophic failure even driving at modest speed in the slow lane as from curiosity.
Me? My new engine will rev to 5,400 like a T4 engine, coupled with the std back tyres and 100HP I reckon I'll be cruising happily at 70 real mph and have rev room to hit 80-85 if required. That's with a standard gearbox.
Maybe this is why you have to fork out for up-ratio gearboxes. I was thinking about doing this, then realised I won't need to - in fact I wouldn't be doing my cooling any favours, but if you have teeny tyres, I guess this would get you more or less back to where you started?
Expensive fashion innit? :lol:
I think if I ever decide to go lower, I'd be tubbng my rear arches rather than down-sizing the tyres. Looks better and got to be cheaper than a new gearbox.
Please add your thoughts and feel free to correct my rough calculations.
