What is the correct tire size for the Series 3?
Tire rack says 205/70/15
Others say 215/70/15
Others say 215/75/15
My door sticker is long gone.
I am planning on switching the Chrome rims from the Series 2 on to my Series 3. Is that a good idea? I have a set of 5 in perfect condition and I think they look pretty good. I test fitted on the front and the hub size is the same, they went on with no problem. However, they have 215/75/15 mounted and they touch the rear of the fender well on the Series 3 when I turn the wheel. On the Series 2 they don't touch. I need the best recommended smaller size tire for the Series 3
Thanks

 

Jaguar used both 205/70x15 and 215/70x15 on the Series III cars. The sticker is probably under the lift-up mirror in the glove box.

As I recall the V12s always used the 215/70. The 6 cylinder cars had the 205/70 until 1984 or so when the 215/70 was used...at least on USA market cars

Cheers
DD

 

My 83 is quite happy on 215 x 70 x 15. On the original Kent's as well as the
present XJS sourced "lattice' wheels.


Caveat; The spare is a tad fat and the "lid" on the spare well stands just a tad tall. I made a new hold down screw. It and the "stuff" in the boot
keep the lid in place.


Carl

 

I tried 75 profile tyres on my S3 and found they negatively affected the steering. By comparison to the 70 series they felt vague and sluggish to turn into a corner. Overall the car started feeling ponderous instead of pretty agile for a big car. I actually changed due to slight rubbing at full lock, but then realised what I had become used to. Felt like a different car. This surprised me, but there must have been some boundary in the geometry I crossed.

 

My car came to me with 215/60/15 Michelins and I Loved them! I had no rubbing in the wheel wells even at full lock; steering was crisp and quick, and the car cornered like it was on rails!

After blowing out one of them on the second half of an S curve at 70mph, and discovering they were all 10 years old, husband got me some Altimax of the same stated "size," but have stiffer side walls (theoretically to handle my addiction to cornering Gs), so the car sits about an inch higher, with corresponding degradation in handling and feeling of cornering security.

I'm doing my best to wear them out so I can have Michelins again, and Nix sits menacingly low, like a lurking cat ready to pounce should sit.
(';')

 

As Doug says, the sixes were 205/70 VR 15, with the V12s on 215/70/VR15.My own 1980 XJ6 had the defined tyres and I never had to complain about them.I believe people have fitted wheels off the XJ40 series of XJ saloons so as to get a wider choice of tyres, but the speedo may not read correctly.

 

I thought my speedo might have been thus affected, but every so often I encounter one of those road side radar speed thingies, and to my surprise, it's reading within a couple MPH of the flashing number!
(';')

 

Slick. Yup, I used the dat from one of those roadside radar trailers
to determine the speedo error in my car. 25 on the sign is 49 on my speedo !!


I can fix that. Will I ? Yet to be decided!!!


Carl

 

Thanks for the help with the tire sizing, but now the hard part; what tire to buy. I want to retain the stock look of the Series 3 XJ6, and that limits choices to just a few brands. As far as Michelin goes they have the Defender in the 215/70 or 60 - 15. Yokohama has the Avid Ascend in the same tire range.
Any thoughts from everyone's experience on what brand/model, Michelin, Yoko, or otherwise is a good replacement?

 

There is the Pirelli Cinturato and Avon tyres in 205/70VR15 sizes. However I don't know if you can get these in the US. The recommendation of a classic car tyre supplier here in the UK is that the Michelin tyre to use is the XZX.
Have a look here: -


http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/jaguar-xj6


You'll see 'S' rated tyres too, but the correct rating is the 'V'. Mind you if you're not using the full performance of the car, you could probably get away with the lower rated tyres if you need to save money.

 

I ended up using 215/60/15 tires on my car. As of this point in time, I don't know my actual speed vs speedometer reading. As per my speedometer, it read 100 mph for a short spell before I backed off the throttle, but not sure whether that speed was actually correct. I need to purchase a transducer, since the speedometer works only some of the time. Until I sort that out, I will just be cruising around with my check list.

 

I know this about s3, but we are running Yokohama Avid Touring S 205/70's on our s1, and are absolutely happy with them.

 

I ditched the 15 inch wheels and went with Jaguar 16 inch wheels from a 1996 Jaguar XJ6. Used some 225 60 16 BF Goodrich Radials ... perfect fit ,

 

I still have the original Pirelli P5 spare and the size is 215 / 70 / VR / 15. This size tire makes the car sit higher. I have 235-60-15 Dunlop SP on XJ-40 Teardrop wheels and they made the car a lot lower, like a Maserati. For my taste, Dunlop tires are the best. Also I consider Tire Rack the equivalent of a Haynes manual, i.e.,. useless.

 

In the first picture, the 205/60/15 does make the car sit lower. I switched out the rims for the chrome ones from the S2, because they were in excellent condition and I had 5 of them.
The second picture is the car with the S3 rims and 215/70/15.
I bought cheap, cheap, cheap tires from Tire Kingdom for the S2 rims to drive the car and work out any and all gremlins. How cheap? Tire sale: $310 for 4, mounted and balanced with new valve stems plus disposal fees for old tires
When I am satisfied that the car is totally roadworthy I will switch for the correctly rated 215/70/15 tires.
These tires will then go on another S3 that I am going to lump.

 

Just checked mine 215 65 R15 seem to have a nice stance and handles well...mind you I can't compare it to anything as this is all I have driven to date. Just passed rego (MOT) but will probably need a set next year so all this info is hellpful.

 

Gee, the lump project is more likely to get to V rated speeds!!!


My car got T rated 215 x 70 x 15. on 7" XJS lattice 15's. I got serious
and realized I was not likely to run at 125 for extended periods, if at all.


80-85 at times, about it.


So touring B.F. Goodrich rubber at a great price are doing quite well.


Carl

 

@ JagCad: I happen to have 3 Series 3s and a Series 2. The cheap tires that I have will be used only for moving my cars around. The Series 3 I am planning to convert to the GM powertrain (I have an aversion for the term LUMP)has a rust free body with no engine. I got it like that.
I got the powertrain from the Series 2 which I bought specifically because many years ago it was converted to the GM powerplant, but totally rusted out. so it was a win-win situation purchasing it. I get a complete conversion kit and will sell some of the parts, then off to the graveyard.
That is the engine I rebuilt and plan to convert to TBI which seems to be controversial on Roger Mabry's post.
When I am done with the conversion it will get the appropriate tires.

 

???????


Lump bothers me not in the least. Somewhere I read that the term
was used well before SBC/Jaguar swaps. Merely the power plant and transmission of any IC specie.


Now, some "purists" use the term in derision. So be it, their absolute right.


In another forum, it became I big thing. so, I resolved to just not talk about it. Solved.


Folks here more accomodating. I like that.


Carl

 

Hi Carl

Yeah all these "purists" ...if they actually had the knowledge they claim to have, and they were given a free stock Jag XJ6 and the necessary free parts for a GM engine swap...they would still not have a clue..and if by some miracle, they actually got it together and it ran,.. ( a few years later lots of help and $$$) then,..they would have big time new found respect for those with the ability to pull it off without any big effort.. These guys are just phonies hiding behind ridiculous rhetoric - ("You will cause the car to lose value" yeah yeah yeah,.. here is some big news...- you can buy these cars all day long for the price of an old beater Toyota - couple of grand). they have no idea what they are talking about. If anything, a converted Jag,..if done properly, and documented (that is the important part - documented - every step documented and stored on a flash drive..(parts numbers , procedures etc....) Who wants a car where the only person who knows what was done to it during the swap ,..is the guy trying to sell it ? - no one !!!) = low prices for V8 conversions - sometimes abortions.
Having purchased a converted V8 Jaguar with EFI and having no idea if the previous owner was an idiot or not - you are in for some disappointments if it all starts "unraveling"...and you need to understand the method of his madness in order to save your new buggy by re engineering it. So build and buy your own ... ignore the purists they will all move on to Kia Soul hampster cars soon.. my 99 cents..

I refer to mine as a modified restoration ... a V8 Jaguar Resto-Mod