Buying New Tires

[Taylormade]

I'm going to Hershey this year and figured I'd buy tires (six) and tubes for my 32 DL while I was there to save shipping costs. The car takes 5.50-18 tires. I'm going with blackwalls (on straw yellow wire wheels) because that is what came on the car originally and I'm worried about all the "yellowing whitewall" threads on the site lately.

After exploring various sites I've come to the following conclusions:

Firestone - I love the look and the "Gum-Dipped" logo on the tire. They sell in the $165 range, the most expensive. 29.13 inches in diameter. Has the best load capacity, beating all the other tires by 125 pounds per tire.

Goodrich - Don't know much about them. Slightly smaller in diameter than the Firestones and the same price.

Excelsior Comp V - Don't know what the sidewall logos look like. Supposed to be "European" in styling, whatever that means, so that might be a problem. I like that it has a larger diameter - almost an inch bigger. I hate cars that have tires that appear too small. At $138 it's a lot cheaper, but will its overall look spoil the 'original" appearance I'm going for? It also has a cross section almost an inch wider than the other tires and this might be a problem with my sidemount wells. I'll have to measure their width when I go to the painter next time. This is a four ply tire.

Excelsior Comp H - I don't know what $306 gets me in this tire, other than a slightly smaller diameter than the Comp V. Four-ply.

Excelsior All Black - Still has the larger diameter but a smaller cross section. $176 puts it in the middle price range. This is a six-ply tire.

Lester - Again, I don't know what the sidewall logos look like. I like the tread pattern. Same diameter as the Firestone. Price is $147 - second cheapest.

Michelin DR - At $331, the most expensive. Largest diameter of all tires. Cross section about the same as the Firestone. I can't see Michelin tires on a pre-war American car.

So, base on your experiences, which way would you go? One thing I do want to avoid is getting a tire that won't fit into my sidemount wheel wells. This is going to be a driver so I'll put a few miles on these tire and would like something that will wear well.

Thanks for any input and word of your experiences.

Edited September 19, 2013 by Taylormade (see edit history)

[Guest Johann aus Tirol]

Hello, sorry for my off-topic, but i need also new tires for my 1929 Oldsmobile Six.

i'am looking for 6.00 - 20 tires, here in europe we have only 1 shop for such Tires, so where can you buy this Tires in the US??

is there anywhere a online shop??

Thanks

Johann

[Guest Bill Miller]

I have a number of different cars all with different size tires and I drive them all a lot. I can't tell you how much money I've spent on rubber over the years but it's a lot. From my perspective all of the modern repro tires I've bought will drive well if you keep them properly inflated and don't let them sit too long in one spot without moving the car. I have cars with all of the labels you mention except for Excelsior and Michelin (except for modern iron) so I can't say anything good or bad about them. They are all going to be made from modern materials using original molds so what you are really talking about is looks and tread design related to handling. At the speeds we should drive these old cars I don't see much difference. When buying used or older tires the problem arises with age. All tires produced currently have a date code on them and I wouldn't buy a used or OEM tire that was more than 5 or 6 years old because the rubber tends to become brittle with age and disuse and exposure to air and sunlight. Driving on a tire actually helps keep the tire "young" by releasing the oils in the rubber and helps keep the rubber pliable. Another equally important thing is to always get new flaps and tubes when you put on new tires. The old ones get prone to failure with age just like the tires. Yeah, it adds to the cost but it's your life on the line so go don't skimp. Good luck.

[1935EB]

Get your tubes and liners at the same time.

One thing to think about is the orientation of the valve stem. I can not tell from the photo if yours go straight up to the center or if they are offset (stick out towards you). Be sure you know which ones you need.

As for 17 inch tubes for my 1933 PD Plymouth the stems are straight up and are not available from any manufacturer that I know of. I will have to use a motorcycle tube that is straight up but the valve stem has a different size than we are used to seeing on the auto tubes.

The offset valve stems for 17 inch are available given that Ford and Chevy use these.

Hope this helps, Chris

[Guest 1930]

Hello, sorry for my off-topic, but i need also new tires for my 1929 Oldsmobile Six.

i'am looking for 6.00 - 20 tires, here in europe we have only 1 shop for such Tires, so where can you buy this Tires in the US??

is there anywhere a online shop??

Thanks

Johann

Try Coker tire

[Ian_Greenlaw]

I too have been looking at tires available in Australia. You can google antiquetyres.com.au. Funny thing is they are just around the corner from me.

If they made them I'd buy the Firestone Gum Dipped. ( They don't make 16" in the one I want.....I've attached a photo ).I just like the look of them ( either black or whitewall look good ) and I feel a bit of a chunky look suits the car.

Everyone says to me its personal choice but its a tricky choice. Let me know what you decide..

Ian

[Ian_Greenlaw]

Sorry....if you are sniffing around for tyres could you ask people if they are planning on making the 16" in the above tyres. I'd be interested to see what they say as these are AUD$420 each approx.

[cahartley]

Have you checked Lucas Classic Tires? >>> http://www.lucasclassictires.com/Tires-by-Wheel-Size_c2.htm

They have an American made Lester tire with a 999 pound load rating >>> http://www.lucasclassictires.com/18-525-550x18-Lester-BW-71650L.htm

(Whatever you do do NOT buy cheap tubes)

[Pete K.]

Good luck finding anything BUT cheap tubes. Most ALL are made in Vietnam now out of recycled rubber, no quality control over there and the big vintage car tire dealers here in the U.S. don't check any of them before they are shipped to you. I just had to return 5 tubes for my '25 Dodge ($30.00 shipping on my part), after I found that the tubes were full of nasty defects in the rubber. I believe they were marked wrong too, since they were too small, but yet stamped for use on a 20"/ 21" rim.The older tubes were made with Butyl rubber, unlike the mixture used for the tire. They will hold up very well with age. The spot to look at is around the stem for age cracking. If you have old tubes, I strongly recommend using them.

[TexasJohn55]

I have also heard about new tubes sold nowadays. I am told that they can't be used to float the river anymore, if punctured, they explode into shreds. You can rip them up in strips like cardboard. They don't have the ability to stretch out like the old tubes. Not sure how that is relevant to using them in a tire but the compounding is much different than before.

[cahartley]

Here are tubeless radials...... http://www.multimiletires.com/tires/Detail.aspx?lineid=224&application=Passenger .......for your driving maybe put radial tubes in them?

I've had MulitMile tires in the past and had very good luck with them.

I just put a set of 750 × 14 MM tires on my '59 Chev.

[Pete K.]

Hello cahartley, Where did you get the tubes and tires for your Dodge Brothers?

[LennyDaVinci]

Somewhere else in these Dodge Bros conversations is one on (maybe last year) the batch of VERY faulty EEC tubes from Denmark. I bought 6 with new tyres here in Oz and had to return all of them for replacement. Each split at the joint with the neck of the nipple. Beware of EEC as well.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Lenny-Here's my inner tube thread: http://forums.aaca.org/f143/warning-defective-inner-tubes-286287.html

Definitely avoid the cheap "vintage" tubes. Cheap, as in "cheaply made". Not necessarily cheap in price.

[Pete K.]

I'm really "stuck" trying to find decent tubes for my '25 Dodge. The 5.25 X 21" tires are Vietnam made, but seem OK. The date code on them is 010213, if I see this correctly. Numbering is barely legible. Tubes are a whole different story as I posted before. The crummy 5 "EEC" tubes I returned went OK, they gave me a full refund, no questions asked. So.. I order ONE tube now, from a different company, with the correct center brass stem for a trial inspection and fit. IT'S THE SAME EEC TUBE! I give up! Before I mounted it in my tire with the rim & liner today using talc in the casing and soap solution around the bead. After inspecting it for defects, I didn't see any and put about 5 lbs. air in it. Poor thing looked like a dark grey "O" ring. They also have a rough feel to the rubber and stiff, unlike older tubes that are smooth and really rubbery. I've been acquainted with tube tires on old cars since 1970. I ran out of time today so tomorrow I'll put the air chuck to the tire, inflate to 30 lbs, deflate it & bounce it around a bit to help put the tube at home then re-inflate to 32 lbs. and see if it holds. QUESTION; does anyone know what the correct pressure is for the tires? The tire salesmen do not know. It isn't in the owner's manual. I'm guessing at the correct pressure. not good, but I must be in the neighborhood at 32 lbs.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Pete K. (see edit history)

[Ron Lawson]

Pete We have a 27 Chev with 5-50 x21 and we run 36 lbs in the rear and 34 in the front This has worked well since 1970 Cheers Ron

[nearchoclatetown]

Here are tubeless radials...... http://www.multimiletires.com/tires/Detail.aspx?lineid=224&application=Passenger .......for your driving maybe put radial tubes in them?

I've had MulitMile tires in the past and had very good luck with them.

I just put a set of 750 × 14 MM tires on my '59 Chev.

What radial do you think would replace a 5.50X18 in a passenger car tire?

[JayG]

Pete - According to the Mechanics Instruction Manual copyright 1927 page 184 for a Touring car with 31 x 5.25 tires the fronts are 28lbs and the rears are 30lbs. I think those equate to 21" wheels.

Jay

[Pete K.]

Thanks tons, Ron & Jay! I'll go with the Dodge info from your book. I want to apologize to taylormade for the serious hijacking of this thread by me.Maybe there's some tidbit to learn from in my tube rantings.---Pete.

[cahartley]

What radial do you think would replace a 5.50X18 in a passenger car tire?

Sorry people......been busy getting my '27 T Tudor painted and working on my "new" '59 Chev.

Check out this chart from Multi-Mile......there a lots of conversion charts out there but they ALL require a tire OD....... :confused:

http://www.multimiletires.com/tires/Detail.aspx?lineid=224&application=Passenger

[cahartley]

Hello cahartley, Where did you get the tubes and tires for your Dodge Brothers?

Pete......WHEN I buy a 32 × 4 tire and tube for a spare they'll come from Lucas Classic Tires........they attend the Iola Old Car Show so I can save freight AND sales taxes.......

[nearchoclatetown]

Sorry people......been busy getting my '27 T Tudor painted and working on my "new" '59 Chev.

Check out this chart from Multi-Mile......there a lots of conversion charts out there but they ALL require a tire OD....... :confused:

http://www.multimiletires.com/tires/Detail.aspx?lineid=224&application=Passenger

I had looked at the chart, that's why I'm asking. The narrowist 18 inch tire there is a 235, about 10 inches wide and 65 aspect. Do you honestly think that tire would fit a wheel that's maybe 4 inches wide?

[cahartley]

^ > Check that thread FAST >>> http://forums.aaca.org/f119/set-4-denman-white-walls-5-a-360287.html