Wheels

[Myusernamewastaken]

Reviving this old thread....have any of you noticed a change in the way you Cougar drives with larger wheels? I know ride comfort can suffer a little with lower profile tyres, but I watched a video where a chap said larger wheels badly affect Cougars and should have a full wheel alignment when changing them for larger items. Even then, handling can still be compromised.

 

[Quicksilver]

I fail to see how that would be the case because as the diameter of the wheel increases the profile of the tyre should decrease in order to maintain a 'more-or-less' the same rolling radius.
The video wasn't posted by someone from Kwik-Fit was it?

 

[rooster2100]

I've had 15's, 16's, 17s, 18, and 19s on my car. You adjust your tire size to match the factory diameter of the factory tire. Mainly so the speedometer doesn't change. But also so it doesn't rub. There's no change in handling although when you hit the larger rims braking can suffer with the higher wheels. The only handling difference I've noticed is with wheel spacers which widen the wheel width and it seems to handle better. The only time you need an alignment other then for general maintenance is when you raise or lower the car and thats because the camber and toe has changed not because of the wheel size.

 

[nvingo]

With respect to my dad's choosing of his current car (Ford Edge - same format as Lincoln MKX), a higher spec model with larger alloys and lower profile tyres, fell into the next tax bracket due to the emissions or MPG threshold.

 

[rooster2100]

I could see that. More rotating mass to get moving and stop. Bound to kill the MPG. I never paid attention, first step of switching from 15s to 19s is accepting that you're no longer in it for MPG.

 

[Myusernamewastaken]

This idiot thinks they drive like a Granada And he is the one who says something about the suspension geometry. I don't quite get what he's saying.

 

[dandamano]

I don't know what he is going on about either the geometry on the electrics?

Sounds like he's talking about a modern car but he's about 15 years ahead of his time until suspension can be controlled electronically

Put your larger wheels on and enjoy

 

[rooster2100]

Considering the cougar was originally started somewhere between 1964 and 1968 him starting off with ford pulled the plug 3 years into it's lifetime in his first paragraph automatically makes him an idiot. If they start selling Holdens in america and then stop making them in 3 years, thats not them pulling the plug 3 years into its life.

 

[rooster2100]

I just went back and watched that video all the way and all I can say is Oh Holy hell!!

So about 4 decades off on how long its been around.
There are NO electronics that have ANY thing to do with the wheels and whatever the hell electronic geometry is.
Wrong diameter of wheel changes the speedometer.
And if you have two different diameter wheels it CAN cause issues with ABS which I think disables traction control.
This meaning diameter wheels plus tires. Overall diameter.
I'm fairly certain that unless you have zero traction or perhaps you tie the car to a tree that 0-60 is a hair faster then 9 seconds. Its closer to 7.5 and the quarter mile time has been recorded as around 16 seconds.

I'm also certain the steering wheel controls are cruise on and off, accel, decel, and resume. Although he would know that if that great stock radio he was mentioning actually had the security plate on it which would allow him to actually turn it on.

I'm 6'2 and I fit in the back of mine just fine.

The cougar also doesnt handle like a celica. I test drove both when I bought my first cougar and it handles way better then the celica.

And I still cant figure out why the guys nodding and shaking his head in the direction he wants the guy hes interviewing to answer.

It's people coming up with stuff they have NO idea about which helped cause the demise of the car.

Sorry to go off ranting but I cant help it.

 

[Quicksilver]

I don't think I'm going to watch it……………

 

[nvingo]

The cougar also doesnt handle like a celica. I test drove both when I bought my first cougar and it handles way better then the celica.

The Celica and Supra used to be based on the same platform - an I4 and an I6 with an aerodynamic snout.
Before the FWD Cougar, the Celica and Supra became two distinct models, a FWD coupe and a RWD GT car.
So with that Celica, Toyota were just learning. Whereas Ford had several years of Mondeo/Contour feedback to build on.

 

[shirtyzeus]

i seem to remember watching this some years ago and have never heard such **** in all my life...
so if thats the case then i suppose ford really screwed up with the mondeo st200 with its bigger wheels etc....
in fact as the cougar shares the same of everything except outer panels and interior with the mondeo mk2 including electronics and suspension i guess the whole ford mondeo car ,one of fords best ever and most successful cars and most often modified is just rubbish then..

ths type of nonsence just gets my back up...why talk like that when he clearly has no effin idea about the car..

 

[rooster2100]

Totally agree. A simple google search for car stats says most of his stuffs wrong. Not even using the last decade of working on them.

So the 98-02 or 99-02 cougars had 2 different rims. 15 that look like a fan blade from an oscilating fan you cool your house with, and various versions of 16s from what I remember. Some have 278mm brakes some have 260mm brakes other then that the rest of the car parts of the suspension are random combinations of left over crap. And lets not forget they dont change anything else either. Suspension settings, eletronics geometry which I still need to google to find out what he means.
If changing wheels made a difference they'd all have 15s or all 16s unless you got a special model.


Also it doesnt have a top speed of 130. Mine stops at 117.398293864 I checked. Unless mines in MPH and his is in KPH then its just another spot its wrong.

 

[shirtyzeus]

smaller than an st24 ,lack of space in the back and handles like a granada.....well ive had nearly all the SCORPIO'S as the granada name had been dropped years b4 the cougar and i can tell u the difference is like night and day... if i drove my last scorpio the way ive driven my cougar it would have been in the ditch on its roof!!!
is this guy stupid! its the same fecking chassis as the st24!!!

right im goin.....i knew i shouldnt have watched it again...
IMO the cougar and mondeo are one of the least fussy cars ive ever modded.. put them bigger wheels on it and trust us...you'll love it.

 

[rooster2100]

Ford Granada.

How can you even compare that to a cougar?

 

[shirtyzeus]

our version...altho called a scorpio it was basically a very comfortable luxury car...

 

[rooster2100]

our version...altho called a scorpio it was basically a very comfortable luxury car...
View attachment 20395

Why is it smiling? Someone give to much of the happy juice?

 

[nvingo]

Why is it smiling? Someone give to much of the happy juice?

Approximates to a conventional (RWD) Taurus. Ford experimented by first releasing it as a 5dr hatchback, then introduced an estate/wagon and finally a saloon/sedan - then of course dropped the hatchback.
Though before that there were two versions of Granada in the three-box and wagon format slightly more akin to that US one.

 

[Quicksilver]

He certainly got the top speed wrong; they are electronically limited to 141mph, a speed at least one of our members, with the benefit of an unrestricted German autobahn, can confirm.

 

[rooster2100]

See Andy that confirms another difference in our cars. My car is electronically governed at 117mph. All the more reason for me to get a 98 cougar [emoji16]