Project 164 Part 14

One of the more popular automotive upgrades of the past decade has been upgrading the stock wheels and tires to a larger size. Aside from the aesthetic "value" of a more attractive alloy wheel, there is a handling advantage to be gained from the use of the lower profile tire that is required of a larger than stock wheel.

The original 15" steel wheels (Base model), of Project 164 had been relegated to Winter snow tire status, leaving the door open for an obvious upgrade for the other three seasons. The first thing to decide was whether a "+1" 16" wheel would be chosen or a "+2" 17" wheel. Although I'm seeing an increasing number of 164's being shod with 17" wheels, I decided that the additional rubber (air, mostly) afforded by a 16" wheel might better survive a pot-hole excursion and provide a little more ride comfort.

Wheel Choices (or lack thereof)

The first thing that you'll discover when looking for wheels for a 164 is that like most things Alfa, it's different. Like all 5-bolt Alfa wheels prior the 164, the 164 uses the somewhat unique 5 x 98mm bolt pattern. A quick call or visit to your favorite tire and wheel dealer will likely find your choices are very limited to wheels with this particular bolt pattern. A trip to Europe might present you with a slightly wider selection, but the costs to import a set of wheels back to the states would make that a relatively cost prohibitive option.

Wanting to keep Italian wheels on an Italian car, I tried to keep my search focused on manufacturers of the mother country - Momo, Cromodora, Speedline, and O.Z. were some of the leading candidates, along with one UK manufacturer, Compomotive. When I saw that O.Z. was coming out with a multi-spoke wheel patterned after their touring car racing wheels (Superturismo Corsa), I knew I had to have a set. Fortunately, they were available in my required 16" x 7" size with the correct 35mm offset for the 164, but the bolt pattern was listed as 5 x 100. How was that going to work?

O.Z. (www.ozwheels.com) has taken a rather unique approach (which they own the patent on), that utilizes a bolt with a floating bushing to secure the wheels to the hub. This system is TUV approved, and is superior to the re-drilling approach that others have attempted. Since the 164 utilizes hub-centric wheels (be sure to use the included correct size hub ring), the wheel is centered via the hub rather than the bolts. Although I was a bit skeptical at first, the mounted wheels spin true, and the minor vibration I had with the old wheels is no longer present.

O.Z. is one of the major suppliers to the various racing teams throughout Europe. If you've followed Alfa's success this past year in winning the Italian SuperTouring Car Championship, you will recognize the white O.Z. Superturismo Corsa wheels that the Alfa 156 brought into the winner's circle ten times this season. The "street" version of this wheel is practically indistinguishable from the racing version - apparently form and function can arrive in one neat package!

Sticky Rubber

An interesting specific development has been in the area of wet traction. Most technological evolution appears first in a manufacturers "high-end" products, and then that technology works it's way down to the common, mass-produced products. In the area of "rain tires", tire-makers went for the main-stream market first, since rain-tire technology of the day didn't lend itself well to the softer compounds used in high-performance tires available at the time.

Over the past two years, the Z-rated, high-performance tire segment has evolved to encompass wet traction as an important requirement (I guess they finally figured out we don't all live in Southern California). My past experience with a too-quickly wearing, well known Italian tire led me to search for an alternate brand. My requirements for a relatively long-wearing, Z-rated, high-performance, wet-grip tire rapidly shortened the list to one: The Toyo Proxes T1-S (http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_lines/high_perf/t1s.html).

The T1-S has a very aggressive tread pattern, which (aside from looking good) provides excellent traction in wet or dry conditions. That's not just the ad copy speaking; I continue to be amazed with the level of traction provided by these tires. Corners I used to loose traction on at slightly elevated speeds are now taken without even squealing the tires. On those rare occasions when I've managed to loose grip with the pavement (I really have to try), the tires give away very gradually and predictably. These tires are every bit deserving of the newly created "AA" UTQG traction rating.

Although traction is certainly the most important aspect of a tire, tread-life has to be taken into consideration, especially on the tire-eating Alfa 164. This is where Toyo has taken a big step forward. The T1-S has a UTQG treadwear rating of 280, which is equal to the common tires found on your Dad's Crown Victoria of just a few years ago. Admittedly, the treadwear rating system is a bit of "black art", but I've found it to be a reasonably accurate indication of how long a tire will last. So far, with about 3000 miles on these tires, I'm seeing very minimal wear.

A quick word on tire width sizing for the 164. If going with a 16" wheel, 205/55 is the correct size. In theory a 225/50 tire should work, but the space limitations will likely make this a futile effort. If opting for a 17" wheel, 215/45 is the way to go.

Camber Adjustment

One other related item to point out before closing out this month's sermon. It comes as no great news that 164's are more prone to wearing out tires than your brother's Honda Accord. Alfa's are designed to handle first, and have a long tread life second. One of the common occurrences we see in the real world is inside edge wear on the front tires, which typically has two causes: too much too out and too much negative camber. Your alignment jockey can handle the toe adjustment, but camber is usually not adjustable on this car (those of you with the later spacer-equipped cars may argue that point to some degree).

After lowering my car, I found that the left front wheel had -2.2 degrees camber and the right front had -2.4, right at the ragged edge of the spec. Since I had the occasion to remove the right front strut one day, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. Using a 1/4" round file, I carefully opened up each of the three mounting holes, "ovalizing" them 2mm towards the outside of the car. When re-mounting the strut, it was pulled towards the outside, mounting it slightly more upright. The net result was a reduction in negative camber by .4 degrees, so that the right side now sits at -2.0 degrees, not quite so much on the ragged edge of the spec.