Topic

Well, after some attempts to fix my sons MG ZR which led to buying the pscan tool and a successful extraction of the EKA code I kinda ended up buying a 2006 MG TF 135…

Got delivery on Friday and took for a spin properly yesterday. What a lot of fun. Although scary handling. Looked afterwards and yep, literally each tire is a different cheap brand…so I guess all the warning about tire choice where right after all!

Hi Paul,
welcome aboard!

Well done, it sounds as though you were drawn inexorably into the ranks of TF owners. There was no escape! Welcome to the forum. Quite a bit has been written on tyre choice, fortunately the most reccomended tyres are not particularly expensive and it really is the case that the backs should be a different width and profile to the front. Also check out the correct 4 wheel tracking alignment settings - the high street places all have the wrong measurements so be sure to go equipped with the settings from the How To section if you have it done as it makes a lot of difference to the handling.

Thanks!

Thanks - glad to be here

Great- thanks - yes being doing my research and looking at the Falkens probably, had not thought about the alignment, from what I can see laser alignment is the way to go.

I have posted several time about both the benefits of four wheel alignment and also double checking if they are using the correct data, ATS for one doesn't. I also keep getting surprised how different brands of tyres can be very detrimental. I decided to get my five spoke wheels powder coated, I took them to be refurbished (Anthracite) while on holiday and put on a spare set of wheels fitted with APLUS branded tyre made in 2020, correct tyre sizes and XL rated. After returning from holiday I collected the wheels and had the Falkens refitted but my wife drove the TF a few times with the APLUS tyres, on Monday evening she told me to sell the TF because it was dangerous to drive. I have fitted the refurbished wheels with Falken's and all is well now, she had no idea that the offending tyres were not Falken's but she could tell me the difference just from driving the car.
I think that when the current Falken's and the Toyo TR1 are replaced with new versions our cars will really struggle to find decent tyres, our cousins in the USA have a much wider range of brands to choose from and much "grippier" rubber as well.

As may be gathered MGB281 has had great experience with tyres & alignment. He has illustrated graphically how important this can be & has uncovered errors in the alignment information used by the larger companies.
On the back of this I did some reading up found several references to the “string method”
Basically you create an accurate “box” around the car & from that measurement are taken.
Anyone who has looked at my posts will have gathered that I can be obsessive about things & so I “boxed” the car using lasers mirrors & prisms.
The car was placed on skid plates, levelled & by using the front O/S wheel as datum, which was tested with the appropriate MGf info (it was within a midges dick) I set the laser up & measured.
There was nothing to worry about in the findings, it just took all bloody day, which was fine if you have a day to spare & another making all the bits to do the job.
Tempting providence I’ll attach a picture of the gear; I didn’t take any pictures of the operation.
M

Will someone give me concise instructions on attaching pictures, I go through the same procedure each time

Hi and welcome to the forum.

My wife used to have a ZR160 that my son now owns.
He also has a F.
And to complete the circle, my F is actually my wifes.

James