Chicago Deepdish and 164 AD #784

["C.M. Smith" <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Deepdish wheels and front drive are a dynamite and possibly deadly combo.
"Fit" is not the problem, suspension geometry is. You will observe that
front drive cars have "reversed" wheels, i.e. the deep part of the rim is
on the inside. This is to reduce steering offset, sometimes to zero or
negative (as in VW Audi products). This is one of the main ways to combat
excessive torque steer, (although VW trumpeted the flat tire benefits of
negative offset, " the car does not pull towards the side of the flat tire"
duh, it pushes to the non flat side instead, and this helps?)

 If you change the offset from the factory spec you will definitely change
the torque steer characteristics. As Alfa worked very hard to reduce torque
steer without deadening the steering feel below acceptable levels, I
predict changes will always be for the worse, and possibly dangerously so.
Alfa has played all the tricks to get the 164 to handle in a balanced and
predictable fashion with reasonably good steering feel and more or less
acceptable torque steer. These are: equal length driveshafts (the passenger
side ds is connected to the diff by a horizontal shaft fixed in a carrier
bearing at the inboard end of the suspension arm), close to zero offset
(Alfa doesn't publish this number), nearly 2.5 degrees of negative camber
in the front, differential tire pressures with higher pressures in the
front (unless max loading then equal front and rear) and tires with a
modest profile (195/65).

Stiffer shocks and slightly lower profile tires ( 205/55?? ) would probably
be a better use of your hard earned dough, if you are looking for
improvements detectable from the driver's seat. These will adversely affect
the comfy ride and people won't be as impressed when your big, heavy, front
drive sedan blows them away through the first corner, as they are now when
you power through on the ridiculously tall and skinny looking stock rubber!
The 164 handles amazingly well on the stock tires and suspension.

If you are keen on modifying an Alfa for more racecar like handling, pick
up a Milano or GTV6. Rear drive cars have much more flexibility when making
modifications to suspension settings and wheels and tires. Front drive cars
are a different ballgame and most of the mods have already been tried by
the factory guys.
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner 

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