I've noticed the 18s don't offer any kerb protection at all quite the opposite

Have any of you considered any tyre subtitutions that are still recommended for maintining correct speed etc, yet offer a better rim protection? And also maybe have a side benefit of good on price too ?

 

I know there are quite a few on the Fabia depending whether its 16 or 17s you go for ( on my fabia contemplated 195s on the 16s for instance)

 

Having just have had to diy refurb on quite a bad moving (30-40mph) kerbing ( it was horrific to start with dragging the alloy metal to one side on 2 adjacent points across the wheel but you wouldn't even tell now?) I'm now aware how prominent the metal is and just contemplating for when I come to change tyres

 

These were already refurbished when I recently bought ! Sad to see that they would have been diamond finished when new too would have looked awesome!

 

Thanks all

 

Photo of fixed wheel (cost me £3 for alloy metal epoxy stick and £7 for POL acid etch primer and my time).

 

 

Quite a lot of tyres have 'rim protection' versions. See them a lot on www.mytyres.co.uk

This has been brought up a lot over time, especially with the Vrs Rims.I have Goodyear F1's on the front now. These on other cars seem to give a greater amount of protection than on mine. But seem just sufficient. Think it must have something to do with the design of the alloy rim edge.still have Alloygators on my rears.

Thanks all some good ideas when I change my tyres in future ( might go for rainsport 3 with rim prot, RS3's are awesome tyres)

To VRSAnt - hi, like yourself I've been frustrated by the Gemini wheel design - I recently saw a new shape Ford Focus ST with 18 or 19" wheels and the Good year Eagle F1's fitted to them stood proud over the edge of the wheel by several mm's. "Brilliant" I thought, "they're the tyres for me", so yesterday I had the very same tyres fitted to my Gemini 18" wheels with the expectation of the same kind of tyre/alloy relationship as the Ford Focus wheels had...... unfortunately no, they do stand proud but by only about 1mm...... (On the up side they are lovely driving tyres, superior in all respects to the factory fit Continental's, grip and feel is lovely, tracking has gone away)

I am considering 235/40/18's when it comes to replacement - the rolling circumference is only 1.3% larger and the extra width should offer better bump protection - http://www.wheelcalc.com/# - the site does the tyre dimension calculations and comparisons.

(ps. are you a matelot? Pusser's steaming bat and deck shoes in the photo....?!)

Regards, Tony

The best tyres I have found for having a great rim protector are Goodyear Eagle F1's...Brilliant tyre too

You can see it here:

Edited 11 November, 201510 yr by ChrisRs

The Bridgstone Potenza tyres which came as standard on my new vRS (only collected 2 days ago) extend 2mm approx beyond the Gemini rim, so maybe Skoda are speccing the tyres appropriately now?

 

Martin

Lot of tyre models have standard versions and then a rim protection version with a approx 5mm band around the edge.

These were already refurbished when I recently bought ! Sad to see that they would have been diamond finished when new too would have looked awesome!

 

Thanks all

 

Photo of fixed wheel (cost me £3 for alloy metal epoxy stick and £7 for POL acid etch primer and my time).

Great job but I have to disagree on diamond finishing.  I don't like living with it, preferring a more simple look which lasts longer.  I've only ever had issues with diamond cut wheels to the point that I would now refurb then to a uniform finish at the first sensible opportunity.  Conversely I could live with blemished wheels (not diamond cut) until selling the car.

 

I fitted 215s to my Fabia II but have come to the conclusion that no protection moulded into a tyre is "wife proof".

 

Can you shed any more light on the epoxy stuff etc, as I guess there are many like me who didn't know about such things and just go for the refurb option when the need arises?

Edited 11 November, 201510 yr by Jeeves

Thanks!

 

I can't compare with other products as its the first time I've used anything like this, but in using it, its pretty much like mixing 2 part epoxy, except its a 2 part putty !

I've used primers before and time to fill gaps, but this is quicker.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360789214327

 

Just beware, you can't mix loads, and have to use it really quick as it goes off it minutes. Unless you have massive chunks out your wheel, and unless you mix too much material like a lunatic you will be left with almost as much as you started with so its good to have long term

 

You just a tiny scrape miniscule amount of the material which is in 2 colours and you just push the colours together in your gloves, and it forms an epoxy but like a metal epoxy.

It starts to go hard quick, so you have to use something with a nice edge to scrape into the marks / damage in your alloys. Sparingly as ideally you want to leave it almost perfect with next to no sanding, if you can skillfully.

 

Hasten to add I'd do this only on fresh damage, if its not you obviously would be best to get it down to fresh alloy, and possibly a quick spray of acid etch prime first ( you don't want corrosion just breaking straight out again).

Acid etch over the finished lot, sand, finish.

 

Mine was absolutely digusting due to a moving impact, to be fair, but I think you'll agree the result in my thread isn't bad

I must have been moving 30mph+ if not 40mph and testing out my new car on pretty sweeping but narrow roads, I think I'm used to far better tyres on my Fabia 1 vRS with RS3, not these rubbish 2nd hand tyres that include 2 Kumhos ( with no rim protection)

Edited 12 November, 201510 yr by vRSAnt