[Aberdeenleaf]

The teeny 16" wheels are the only thing that really annoys me about my new Acenta.
Seriously thinking about Juke wheels, which I'm advised go straight on.
I'm not bothered about range, I am bothered that it looks a bit 'grandad' right now.
With regard to the TPMS, is it easy enough for a tyre place to take them off my current 16s and fit them to the Juke wheels?
I'll just keep the 16s in the garage until the car goes back or I sell it.

 

[DBMandrake]

Why not just put the 17" Leaf wheels on ?

 

[Aberdeenleaf]

I'm not keen on the design of the 17s and only an inch bigger seems pretty pointless (oo-er matron).
The Juke wheels come in some very nice designs.
I think 18 is the sweet point, although I've seen photos of Leafs on 19s and they do look damned good.

 

[DBMandrake]

Hope you like a harsh ride then. The Leaf already rides quite harsh on the standard 17" wheels IMHO.

 

[farmergiles]

Hope you like a harsh ride then. The Leaf already rides quite harsh on the standard 17" wheels IMHO.

My Leaf has a very supple ride on 17" wheels, certainly no way would you say it was harsh, especially at low speeds. (its as good as a C5 with hydraulic suspension). I like the 17" design and they are easy to clean.

However I would not spoil it by going larger.

 

[DBMandrake]

My Leaf has a very supple ride on 17" wheels, certainly no way would you say it was harsh, especially at low speeds. (its as good as a C5 with hydraulic suspension). I like the 17" design and they are easy to clean.

"Very supple ride" ? Sorry but I simply don't believe it. Mine rides harsh on 17" wheels, every pothole and crack in the road is transmitted through to the passengers harshly unless I run the tyres 3psi under pressure then it's only bareable...

 

[farmergiles]

"Very supple ride" ? Sorry but I simply don't believe it. Mine rides harsh on 17" wheels, every pothole and crack in the road is transmitted through to the passengers harshly unless I run the tyres 3psi under pressure then it's only bareable...

Leaf 1 must have harsher suspension then.
I run 1.5psi higher and the roads around home are badly patched up single track country lanes and the Leaf rides better than anything I have owned over them.

Same on the rough single track C roads down both sides of Loch Awe.

Tyre make has a big effect. Michelin Primacy 4S2 on the front and the oem Dunlop enasavers on the rear. Crossclimates are harsh, or at least were on the C5 and replaced with Goodyears.

 

[DuRam]

"Very supple ride" ? Sorry but I simply don't believe it. Mine rides harsh on 17" wheels, every pothole and crack in the road is transmitted through to the passengers harshly unless I run the tyres 3psi under pressure then it's only bareable...

Simon, the ride in the Leaf+ is pretty good actually. I'm no expert but all BEVs probably suffer some harshness due to battery weight. My previous motor was an Outlander PHEV and that was much more jolting than my Leaf.

Good point also made about the wheels being easy to clean. The easiest alloys I've ever had actually.

But then I'm in a good mood. Just done Co Durham to London and back with an overnighter. Peasy journey and uneventful charging en route and overnight in the Smoke. Like a flying carpet! 😁

 

[Aberdeenleaf]

Anyone know what ET wheels are required?
I like qashqai wheels but need them to clear the leaf calipers.
Confused!

 

[DBMandrake]

Leaf 1 must have harsher suspension then.

Not sure, it's the only Leaf I've driven. The rear suspension layout is a bit different between Leaf 1 and Leaf 2 so it wouldn't surprise me if there were some differences.

Tyre make has a big effect. Michelin Primacy 4S2 on the front and the oem Dunlop enasavers on the rear. Crossclimates are harsh, or at least were on the C5 and replaced with Goodyears.

You're right - the ride is significantly harsher since I fitted the CrossClimates (so I will be trying something else next time) however even on the original Dunlop factory tyres the ride was not a "very supple ride", although I suppose it all depends on what you're comparing it to. It just doesn't have enough suspension travel (especially at the rear where it's not even fully independent) to have anything approaching a supple ride in my opinion. It's passable at best on the original tyres.

Simon, the ride in the Leaf+ is pretty good actually. I'm no expert but all BEVs probably suffer some harshness due to battery weight.

I hear this comment about battery weight being an excuse a lot but anyone including me who has done any custom suspension tuning knows that it's easier to get good ride quality on a heavier car than a lighter car, and this is for multiple reasons including static friction in suspension joints (which is more problematic on light cars that don't have sufficient inertia to overcome this static friction easily leading to a more fidgety ride) and the fact that small car suspension has to deal with a wider load range between empty and fully laden. (On a heavy car the load variation is typically a smaller percentage of the total car weight so a passive suspension stays closer to ideal load) Small cars also tend to have less suspension travel available.

EV's with heavy batteries should ride better than lighter cars, not the other way around. The fact that they often don't is most likely down to poor suspension design, particularly at the rear where compromises are made to fit the suspension around the battery enclosure - for example the Leaf's rear torsion beam design which is pretty poor to be honest.

 

[farmergiles]

Not sure, it's the only Leaf I've driven. The rear suspension layout is a bit different between Leaf 1 and Leaf 2 so it wouldn't surprise me if there were some differences.

You're right - the ride is significantly harsher since I fitted the CrossClimates (so I will be trying something else next time) however even on the original Dunlop factory tyres the ride was not a "very supple ride", although I suppose it all depends on what you're comparing it to. It just doesn't have enough suspension travel (especially at the rear where it's not even fully independent) to have anything approaching a supple ride in my opinion. It's passable at best on the original tyres.

I hear this comment about battery weight being an excuse a lot but anyone including me who has done any custom suspension tuning knows that it's easier to get good ride quality on a heavier car than a lighter car, and this is for multiple reasons including static friction in suspension joints (which is more problematic on light cars that don't have sufficient inertia to overcome this static friction easily leading to a more fidgety ride) and the fact that small car suspension has to deal with a wider load range between empty and fully laden. (On a heavy car the load variation is typically a smaller percentage of the total car weight so a passive suspension stays closer to ideal load) Small cars also tend to have less suspension travel available.

EV's with heavy batteries should ride better than lighter cars, not the other way around. The fact that they often don't is most likely down to poor suspension design, particularly at the rear where compromises are made to fit the suspension around the battery enclosure - for example the Leaf's rear torsion beam design which is pretty poor to be honest.

Yes, heavy cars ride better than light ones, the sprung to unsprung ratio might have something to do with it.

Try the Primacy 4 (S2 version), less noise, better comfort, excellent grip wet or dry, less torque steer.

The LeafE+ front suspension is stiffer than the rear - you can feel the difference and it also accounts for the very 'safe' amount of understeer. (aka no fun a t all!)
I was planning to change the rear springs for Eibach's but probably won't get round to it.

 

[DBMandrake]

Yes, heavy cars ride better than light ones, the sprung to unsprung ratio might have something to do with it.

Yes sprung to un-sprung ratio is a factor in ride quality too, although unfortunately large heavy cars also tend to come with much heavier wheels and brake discs these days so I'm not sure that the ratio changes as much as you'd assume it would.

Try the Primacy 4 (S2 version), less noise, better comfort, excellent grip wet or dry, less torque steer.

And in winter you'd use...... ?

The LeafE+ front suspension is stiffer than the rear - you can feel the difference and it also accounts for the very 'safe' amount of understeer. (aka no fun a t all!)
I was planning to change the rear springs for Eibach's but probably won't get round to it.

I find the handling balance of my Leaf pretty good - I'm sure it would understeer if I pushed it really hard, but it doesn't really have the power to achieve power on understeer unless the road is slippery. Only 107 hp on mine remember, not exactly sporty...

 

[farmergiles]

Yes sprung to un-sprung ratio is a factor in ride quality too, although unfortunately large heavy cars also tend to come with much heavier wheels and brake discs these days so I'm not sure that the ratio changes as much as you'd assume it would.

And in winter you'd use...... ?

I find the handling balance of my Leaf pretty good - I'm sure it would understeer if I pushed it really hard, but it doesn't really have the power to achieve power on understeer unless the road is slippery. Only 107 hp on mine remember, not exactly sporty...

The Leaf's wheels and tyres are not as heavy as those on my C5 and it has almost 50:50 weight distribution. It comes down to the ratio of inertias and of course to the springs and dampers.

If I lived somewhere prone to significant snow, I'd just have a set of winter tyres ready to go on, or fitted to some steel rims. I don't accept that all season tyres are really that - good in summer and good in winter.

In the snow and ice we had in February, the Leaf had no trouble up or down hills (one was about a 10% gradient with icy bends half way up) on the Dunlops. The smooth power delivery and in ECO, the gentle throttler response both help.

 

[Aberdeenleaf]

Anyway.......back on topic......
Can anyone tell me the ET required (2021 Leaf)?

 

[farmergiles]

Anyway.......back on topic......
Can anyone tell me the ET required (2021 Leaf)?

17" = +45mm Offset according to

Nissan Leaf 2021 - Wheel & Tire Sizes, PCD, Offset and Rims specs the handbook.

 

[Aberdeenleaf]

17" = +45mm Offset according to

Nissan Leaf 2021 - Wheel & Tire Sizes, PCD, Offset and Rims specs the handbook.

Thanks, that some good info there.
I'm going for 18s, they're the same ET45.

 

[farmergiles]

Thanks, that some good info there.
I'm going for 18s, they're the same ET45.

Jukes are 47 not that 2mm is going to make any difference.
Pity to spoil the excellent ride quality but each to their own.

Nissan Juke 2013 - Wheel & Tire Sizes, PCD, Offset and Rims specs

Nissan Juke 2013 - Find out the correct alloy wheel fitment, PCD, offset and such specs as bolt pattern, thread size(THD), center bore(CB) for Nissan Juke 2013

www.wheel-size.com

 

[Aberdeenleaf]

Looks are more important to me than ride.
TBH it's such a soft riding car that some firming up would be welcome
But my previous car was a Polo GTi, so i don't mind hard suspension.

 

[farmergiles]

Looks are more important to me than ride.
TBH it's such a soft riding car that some firming up would be welcome
But my previous car was a Polo GTi, so i don't mind hard suspension.

Consider 10mm spacers on the front - claimed to reduce understeer and torque steer.
Eibach make a spring set which lowers the rear by 15mm and the front by 5.
I was thinking of fitting just the rears to also reduce the understeer as the front is stiffer than the rear as standard.

 

[Jez48]

I must be one of the few that purchased the Accenta based on the fact it had 16" and more rubber + lower cost tyres to withstand all the rutted & pot-holed roads I encounter.