Scooter wheels on a light truck? O.o

[Tuskano]

Hey there, so I have been debating on stretching the tires on my kei truck before I go and lower it. The wheels on it currently are 13in Toyo Kogyo rims (6.5in wide) with Nankang AS-1 (175/50R13) tires. Their load/speed rating is 72V.

Now this is what I am debating, as my options with a small tired car is low. Unless I look at scooter tires. Thinking of this guy, a [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Power-Pure-Tire-Construction/dp/B0068CAQDK"]Michelin Power Pure SC Tire[/ame] (140/60-13) with a load/speed limit of 57P. That is 507lbs per tire, which all together is 2028lbs. The truck is only 1600 empty (2-3 guys can pick the rear up and move it around). The speed rate of 93mph is way beyond the trucks max of 73.

Fitment page.

Scooter tires mounted on 1st gen RX7 rims mounted on a truck... think it is doable? Wanted to ask before I hit the purchase button

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

It's been a while since I've changed the tires on my girl's Vespa, so I don't remember whether the beads look anything alike, though I do suspect there are some important differences. In any case, you're going to wind up with just about zero contact patch. Scooters get away with it because they lean and because they weigh just about nothing. Even a portly bastard like a P200E only weighs about 100 kg. So, unless you're going to rig up some kind of dumb suspension system, and figure out how to cut about half the weight out of your truck, you're going to have just about zero traction.

The other issue is the weight limit of those tires. Throw two medium-sized dudes in a 1600 lb truck and you're already touching the tires' maximum weight. It would be extremely easy to severely exceed those tires' weight limit, and a tire overheating and coming apart on you is not a super fun time.

[Tuskano]

It's been a while since I've changed the tires on my girl's Vespa, so I don't remember whether the beads look anything alike, though I do suspect there are some important differences. In any case, you're going to wind up with just about zero contact patch. Scooters get away with it because they lean and because they weigh just about nothing. Even a portly bastard like a P200E only weighs about 100 kg. So, unless you're going to rig up some kind of dumb suspension system, and figure out how to cut about half the weight out of your truck, you're going to have just about zero traction.

The other issue is the weight limit of those tires. Throw two medium-sized dudes in a 1600 lb truck and you're already touching the tires' maximum weight. It would be extremely easy to severely exceed those tires' weight limit, and a tire overheating and coming apart on you is not a super fun time.

I just compared the beads between one of my trucks spare tires and one of my stock scooter tires. They are about the same. How they will be once stretched I wouldn't be sure.

Yea, I was iffy about the weight limit on the scooter tires too. I went with the x4=car weight math and all I really need is 500lbs per tire. But not all the truck weight is evenly spread out. Most is in the middle and front.

Traction I kinda threw out the window as stretching is already bad for it lol. And I spin tires when start/turning at the same time, so I know I don't have much traction atm.

I am going to lower it for now and see how the tires sit before I think about stretching them. My options are not much and golf cart and rear motorcycle tires are about the only size that I need. I could always try finding Japanese sites on kei drift trucks and try to see what they use but that will be a long shot.

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

I just compared the beads between one of my trucks spare tires and one of my stock scooter tires. They are about the same. How they will be once stretched I wouldn't be sure.

When it comes to tire beads, about the same is not the same as the same.

I don't know whether they are or they aren't, but I've had tires debead - it's pretty lame.

Yea, I was iffy about the weight limit on the scooter tires too. I went with the x4=car weight math and all I really need is 500lbs per tire. But not all the truck weight is evenly spread out. Most is in the middle and front.

If your vehicle has a significant forward weight bias, then that means it's all the more important to have a significant safety margin on your tire weight ratings.

Traction I kinda threw out the window as stretching is already bad for it lol. And I spin tires when start/turning at the same time, so I know I don't have much traction atm.

And you want to make that situation worse? A mild stretch should not significantly affect traction, certainly not as much as cutting your contact patch by 90+%.

I am going to lower it for now and see how the tires sit before I think about stretching them. My options are not much and golf cart and rear motorcycle tires are about the only size that I need. I could always try finding Japanese sites on kei drift trucks and try to see what they use but that will be a long shot.

13" is not an uncommon wheel size by any stretch of the imagination. Plenty of MKI VW guys run 175/50R13, so you might look at what tires they're running.

[Tuskano]

When it comes to tire beads, about the same is not the same as the same.

I don't know whether they are or they aren't, but I've had tires debead - it's pretty lame.

Never debeaded... but yea, not wanting to just throw money at something that might not work.

If your vehicle has a significant forward weight bias, then that means it's all the more important to have a significant safety margin on your tire weight ratings.

Not significant... but definitely more than the rear. It being mid-engine helps even it out too.

And you want to make that situation worse? A mild stretch should not significantly affect traction, certainly not as much as cutting your contact patch by 90+%.

13" is not an uncommon wheel size by any stretch of the imagination. Plenty of MKI VW guys run 175/50R13, so you might look at what tires they're running.

/shrugs I was just focusing on looking at the sizes and weight at that time. Though now that you mentioned VW, I might also look into that when I decide to stretch. Though if anything the 175/50R13 are the stretched tires :p. But there is always that chance.

Thank you

EDIT:

Good news, found a set I am liking. Not scooter tires of course.