How to correct speedo for change in tire size?

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Tina Venne, Aug 9, 2003.

  1. Tina Venne

    Tina Venne Guest

    Can anyone tell me what the original size tires were from the factory
    on the 1987 Civic Si?

    If someone is good at math, can you tell me what the speed difference
    would be, as indicated on the speedometer, between this stock size and
    the currently installed P185-65-R15 at, say, 60mph?

    Also, where can one obtain the driven gear (or whatever it is called)
    that would correct the speedometer for the above current tire size?
     
    Tina Venne, Aug 9, 2003
    #1
  2. Tina Venne

    Mista Bone Guest

    speedo gear cannot be adjusted or replaced with a different size.

    --
    Charles Tague
    93 Honda Civic DX HB
    1.6L SOHC VTEC 14.85 @ 89 mph,1.98 60 ft.
    With ZEX 85 hp ZEX 13.09 @ 103 mph, 1.81 60ft.
    86 Pontiac Trans Am
    225/50/15 GForce Drag Radials
    305 peanut cammed 15.29 @ 88 mph
    http://home.cinci.rr.com/mistab0ne/
     
    Mista Bone, Aug 9, 2003
    #2
  3. Tina Venne

    Randolph Guest

    The original size is 175/70 13 for a tire diameter of 22.65" and a
    circumference of 71.14"
    Your size is 185/65 15 for a diameter of 24.47" and a circumference of
    76.87".

    The difference is 8%, your speedometer will show 8% lower than it would
    with stock wheels. If it showed 60 with stock wheels it would show 55.8
    with the wheels you have. I don't know how accurate the speedometer is
    in and of itself, but it is not unusual for speedometers to show a
    percent or two too high a reading with stock tires.

    Do a google search for "speedometer calibration" to find places that can
    calibrate your speedometer.
     
    Randolph, Aug 9, 2003
    #3
  4. I also like this one so you can set the gears:
    http://gs.tolan-hoechst.com/tirecalc.htm

    Although, personally, I crack out a spreadsheet and generate the formulas
    myself (not hard at all if you think for a bit).
    but you can't adjust the speedo, you can swap the speedo, with one from an
    EX, for example, which might have stock tires close to that size.
    Since most speedos under-read to begin with by about 5%, maybe more, (my 94
    CX was closer to 10%) you may have increased the accuracy of your speedo,
    but that also means, that if you used to cruise down a 35MPH road at 45, but
    were really only going 41, a cop may not care, but now that you are actually
    going 45, you could get pulled over.
     
    Peter Doherty, Aug 10, 2003
    #4
  5. Tina Venne

    Andrew Guest

    When I compared my speedometer reading with a handheld GPS receiver, I
    found that the speedometer on my '93 Accord read 3% high. Presumably,
    this means that my odometer is 3% high too. The tires that came with the
    car are 185/70-R14, which seems a little small compared to other cars
    in its class which seem to come with 195's. If I changed to 195's, I
    would cause my speedo to read 5.4% lower that it is now, and 2.4% lower
    than true, so maybe Honda intentionally calibrated the speedometer to
    fall between 185's and 195's so they could have the flexibility to use
    either sized tire with reasobale accuracy.

    Andrew
     
    Andrew, Aug 10, 2003
    #5
  6. Tina Venne

    Guest Guest

    Don't presume! The speedo and odometer are separate instruments. You need
    to check the odometer separately. My speedometer is 10% optomistic while my
    odometer is almost dead on!

    The tires that came with the
    Few speedos are pessimistic, probably because the manufacturers don't want
    to be blamed for speeding tickets. Most modern ones are very close to
    correct with the stock tires and wheels.

    George
     
    Guest, Aug 10, 2003
    #6
  7. Woops, yeah, I screwed that up...i mean to say over-read. Most speedometers
    read a speed higher than you are actually travelling.
    Actually, in the UK, it's illegal for the speedo to indicate a lower speed
    than you actually go, but it can read higher than your actually speed by
    about 10% plus 5km/h or something like that....I don't know what the
    regulation is here in the US, or if there even is one.
     
    Peter Doherty, Aug 10, 2003
    #7
  8. Tina Venne

    Prime Time Guest

    Here is a great little program which actually calculates this for you.
    btw, I scanned this for viruses when I DL this morning and it's clean.
    as of VDAT 8/15/03 from Mcafee......
    Hope this helps
    PT
     
    Prime Time, Aug 17, 2003
    #8
  9. Tina Venne

    Marco Guest

    sorry but your file didn't post
    can you try again?
     
    Marco, Aug 18, 2003
    #9
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