Transit wheel sizes

My 1997 Transit Duetto is fitted with the 14" Ford alloys. Is there any advantage to switching to the 15" or 16" transit wheels?

I would have thought the originals were 15 inch.


Mike

Hi.  14inch  alloys on mine as well. All five of them.

Mine were the alloys so I guess they must have been 14" as well. The wheels did everything asked of them so I can't think of any reason to change.

Peter

mikethebike wrote:I would have thought the originals were 15 inch.


Mike

All the early Duettos on the MK5 Transit had 14inch alloy wheels, it was the later "LE" models on the MK5 which had the 15inch steel wheels. Duettos on the MK6 and later on the MK7 Transit both had 16 inch steel wheels as standard.

Changing the wheel size would affect the speedometer reading unless you changed the profile of the tyres so as to give the same rolling radius as the 14 inch wheel / tyre combination.

Appreciate an old thread but does anyone know where I can pick up a spare 14" alloy wheel as my boy loaned the van and left the spare wheel on the site he was visiting! And yes it vanished 

My local Ford dealer have said that they are now obsolete 

Can't seem to see any on Flea Bay 

Anyone please?

Transit forum? Or could you not have a steel wheel as a spare?

Paulmold wrote:Transit forum? Or could you not have a steel wheel as a spare?

Thanks for the pointer both never crossed my mind. Oh and I haven't killed the boy yet 

Are we sure that all OEM Mk5 Transit alloys were 14"? It's a while since I sold mine, but I'm fairly sure the factory-fitted ones on it were larger than 14".

The steel wheel suggestion is a good one as there is typically no difference in weight (in fact alloys can often be slightly heavier), so you won't be saving significant payload.

However... if it were mine, I would be leaving the challenge of finding a replacement to the person who lost the original...

-mojo- wrote:However... if it were mine, I would be leaving the challenge of finding a replacement to the person who lost the original...

Agreed but he works offshore so guess what...........yep you've guessed it 

-mojo- wrote:Are we sure that all OEM Mk5 Transit alloys were 14"?

It was only the LE version of the Duetto (on the MK5 Transit) that had 15 inch steel wheels as standard. The earlier ones (on the MK4 and MK5 Transits) were alloy 14 inch. The LE was only made for a short time before the MK6 Transit arrived and this had 16 inch steel wheels as standard (as had the MK7).

The "LE" was supposed to stand for, "Limited Edition", but was popularly known as the "Less Equipment" model, as the spec was not as good as the previous version.

Spospe wrote:

-mojo- wrote:Are we sure that all OEM Mk5 Transit alloys were 14"?

It was only the LE version of the Duetto (on the MK5 Transit) that had 15 inch steel wheels as standard. The earlier ones (on the MK4 and MK5 Transits) were alloy 14 inch. The LE was only made for a short time before the MK6 Transit arrived and this had 16 inch steel wheels as standard (as had the MK7).

The "LE" was supposed to stand for, "Limited Edition", but was popularly known as the "Less Equipment" model, as the spec was not as good as the previous version.

You are right about the wheel sizes.....but can't agree with you on the bib!

Yes AS took certain things away from the LE which were in the 'standard' Duetto, but they also added extras not fitted in the 'standard'. The 'standard' came with a rev counter and electric windows...the LE came with no rev counter and manual windup windows. BUT....and this is where big changes were made, the LE was fitted with a large Heki 2 rooflight, a higher quality finished kitchen with green topped shelving, gold mixer tap, and matching green oven. All metal body panels were Dinitrol injected and the underside treated. As Ford Transits go the latter is undoubtedly one of the most important 'extras'! My van is now 16 years old yet all wheel arches are original and completely rust free.

As for rev counter....who the hell needs one in what is basically a commercial van!! But if you really want one they are easy enough to fit. Electric windows can be retro fitted as i did with mine. I sourced a set of OE Ford via the Transit Owners forum complete with wiring looms, winders, and even a pair of electric mirrors with original switch. So imo the LE spec was not only an improvement, it was much better than the 'standard' Duetto.

2 Mk7 16" wheels here free to collector