Anyone that runs wide wheels will know that fitting tyres can be a bit of a pain in the arse, therefore getting tyres stretched and fitted correctly is often a job best left to the men with bead blasters.
So, rather than do the old hairspray, lighter and no eyebrows trick, I took my freshly delivered Yokohamas and my new Image IFX three-piece splits to the crew at the Westbury Tyre & MoT Centre in Wiltshire.
Luckily for these guys, it’s an easy job. The 195/45xR15 Yokohama tyres went on the 8x15s no problem and the 9x15s with a gentle bit of ‘high-pressure’ persuasion. So thanks guys!
Now, I’ve had plenty of Yokohama S.drive tyres over the years and with good reason too. They look great, deliver extraordinary grip and handling on both wet and dry roads, and the directional tread design helps to maintain constant road contact and improve cornering stability.
This means they are the perfect tyres for a performance car and for those that like a bit of ‘spirited’ driving shall we say, they also come in at a fantastic price. Proof that performance tyres don’t have to leave you with an empty wallet or a big overdraft.
My next job was fitting the wheels to the AX. The 8x15s for the front fitted with room to spare and will need a wee bit of spacing. But then I was expecting that, as I was quite conservative with the offset so I had some room to play with.
As for the rear 9x15s, the fitment is almost perfect, but I may need to add a few mills with a spacer to ensure they fill my extended wheel arches when I have my suspension set up sorted. I’ve also sourced a new bumper, see above.
SPENT
Yokohama S.drive 195/45R15s Tyres £296
Tyre fitting and wheel balancing £40
TOTAL SPEND
THIS MONTH
£336
Contacts
Yokohama
Westbury Tyre & MoT CentreImage Wheels
See more of Glenn’s Citroen AX VTS project
