275/40/20 vs 275/35/20

C

Concept

New Member
I know its been discussed before but so much conflicting info....

About to order some 20" LV3 for my T32 kombi, and they can come with tyres 275/40/20. Front wheels are 8.5J with ET45.

Van is going on to Bilstein B14 suspension so will be lowered 40-50mm.

Leighton Vans say the tyres will rub on full lock on the inner arch at 40mm drop, the VW dealer has an ABT van with 275/35/20 and same suspension, he says he gets no rubbing at all.

Will the 5mm profile make that much difference?

If so, all I can find are 102 rated rated tyre, is that ok or should I just go with 40 profile?

Helllllllp!
 
Ah yeah....totally forgot that, been a long time since I customised anything! How can suppliers like LV get it wrong?!
 
Concept said:
I know its been discussed before but so much conflicting info....

About to order some 20" LV3 for my T32 kombi, and they can come with tyres 275/40/20. Front wheels are 8.5J with ET45.

Van is going on to Bilstein B14 suspension so will be lowered 40-50mm.

Leighton Vans say the tyres will rub on full lock on the inner arch at 40mm drop, the VW dealer has an ABT van with 275/35/20 and same suspension, he says he gets no rubbing at all.

Will the 5mm profile make that much difference?

If so, all I can find are 102 rated rated tyre, is that ok or should I just go with 40 profile?

Helllllllp!
Click to expand...
Hi,

Before you commit to Bilstein B14, I recommend doing bit of research. Bilstein are not a great product for Transporters for various reasons. Bilstein are promoted, by many firms who have limited experience and / or knowledge about suspension, setups and how dampers, rebound and dampening actual work or affect a vehicles driving dynamics.

Yes, lowering a Transporter by 40-50mm all round may result in tyre rubbing. Again, part of the issue is the actual tyre size. If you are running a staggered wheel setup, then 275/40 R20 (on the rear) may be suitable, however this size of tyre should not be used all round. Many companies use this size as they are cheap, easier to access and because of availability - convenient.

A better tyre size for a lowered van on the front would be 245/45 R20. you might be thinking, won’t the profile be wrong and look weird. The 45 profile is in fact a percentage of the tyre width, not in fact the height from rim to tyre outer circumference. If you are in doubt, put the dimensions into the on-line tyre checkers and see for yourself.

One last point in respect of suspension. The Bilstein B14 were not designed to be lowered in this way. The springs would need to be replaced with appropriate ones, otherwise a) the dampers won’t work correctly, b) the spring may snap, c) the suspension will affect driving characteristics.

Suggest speaking with a suspension specialist, not necessarily a van conversion company.
 
I have known the guys at Richter since its inception, and trust their word. I am not necessarily after anything too dynamic, and who knows I may change it down the line, but, happy with their recommendation to start me off.

Had a drive of one with the kit fitted and thought it drove as well as my Tesla Model Y, but thats not a high bar thats been set by any means :D
 
Concept said:
Ah yeah....totally forgot that, been a long time since I customised anything! How can suppliers like LV get it wrong?!
Click to expand...
The reason lots of suppliers offer 275/40 is because it is available very cheap with many options(It’s a Range Rover size so well supported by the manufacturers) . It is oversize and too big for your front wheel.

The Bilstein B14’s are a great option, but in the Komfort version - we haven’t fitted the original B14’s for around 4 years now. Try before you buy is always our advise. Everyone will always have their own opinion and that’s life and forums and I get that - Only you will know what works for you. We actually have our own Coilover from Bilstein which is smoother than the B14K.

Whichever route you go please make sure it is correctly aligned (Hunter if possible)- It is interesting how many so suspension specialists don’t offer alignment or recommend it! And make sure you run the right tyre pressures- Getting both of these points will get the best out of your van and suspension.
 
Last edited:
Concept said:
I have known the guys at Richter since its inception, and trust their word. I am not necessarily after anything too dynamic, and who knows I may change it down the line, but, happy with their recommendation to start me off.

Had a drive of one with the kit fitted and thought it drove as well as my Tesla Model Y, but thats not a high bar thats been set by any means :D
Click to expand...
The Bilstein are an improvement over the standard VW suspension. Then again, that isn’t difficult. However, there are so many other products which are far superior to the Bilstein.

Replacing the standard ARB’s will also make a marked improvement too, in terms of body roll, pitch/dive and overall handling.

Many of the other companies, are similar or even cheaper than Bilstein. It is horses or courses, as some might want sporty handling, others a more comfortable ride, and another a refined and quieter setup - but some really good, and well known alternative.

One word of caution, from personal knowledge but without naming individual companies, have lowered vehicles incorrectly, by installing the equipment, but without knowing the correct setup or tolerances resulting in vehicles which are not lowered 40-50mm.
 
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