New tires = new issues?

[Bret]

Ok I’ve been running some 195/70x14 no-name tires for a few years now and over all I haven’t had too many problems. But because I’ve lowered the B so much, (2” front, 1.5” rear) they where a bit too tall. So much so that I would get a “slight” rub the outside rear wheel wells if the vehicle was loaded or if I took a corner a little too fast.

Anyway I finally broke down this last weekend and got rid of those tall tires for a set of Bridgestone tires. They are nice all weather performance POTENZA 195/60x14s and give the B an aggressive stance and look. Likewise the first road test proved the tires to be a huge improvment over the others. Extremly sticky!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I have a new problem however. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif My center muffler is now about 3” off the ground and scraps as I enter my driveway. Not too bad but I’m not sure I’ll clear some of the larger speed bumps around town. So I am considering removing the center muffler and just running a strait pipe back to the rear muffler. That should bring me back up to where I was with the old tires.

Anybody done this before? Is it going to be really loud or excessively deafening? If so what other options besides raising the vehicle again is there.

 

[Steve_S]

Lose the center pipe. It only cuts out the low sounds anyway so your car will sound more aggressive. It will be louder, but louder low notes are not as annoying as high notes. The Peco system doesn't even come with a center box, only a straight pipe.

Good call on the lower tires, too. I'm runnin 195/60R15 and they are a perfect compliment to the car. Still enough sidewall to absorb shock as required by the car's design, but not so much sidewall that they become flexy.

 

[Bret]

Thanks Steve,

Yeah, I thought the car was tight before but now with the new kicks she seems much more fun on the twistys.

Lucky for me the removal of the center muffler shouldn’t be that difficult because it’s a relatively new exhaust system and is only secured with c-clamps and the center hanger. I’ll take a measurement and see if the local auto parts store has lengths that will fit.