wheatfielder
New Member
Anyone got any up to date recommendations ref. tyres for a 3500 as I haven't changed mine for about 18 years and I think the time has come. Do the usual tyre-fitting places still stock the right size? Thanks all. 
Tyres
- Thread starter wheatfielder
- Start date
Fraid not, in fact it's a nightmare to get the proper 185/80 X 14 size. That was the main reason I put 15" SD1 Vitesse wheels on mine!
From recent experience the majority of tyres apparently available are van tyres - ie with a very sturdy and hence harsh riding carcass construction. Whenever I found a firm apparently doing a car tyre with a suitable speed rating, contact established that they were a figment of the advert writers imagination, whereupon they tried to sell me something else much less suitable!
Eventually we (these were for Stefans' (Transexl) now German V8) we finished up at Vintage Tyres which is a commercial offshoot of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. You could take a day run down there and have them fitted, or they will courier them up to your tyre fitter of choice. Excellent service and really pleasant and knowledgable to deal with.
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
Chris
From recent experience the majority of tyres apparently available are van tyres - ie with a very sturdy and hence harsh riding carcass construction. Whenever I found a firm apparently doing a car tyre with a suitable speed rating, contact established that they were a figment of the advert writers imagination, whereupon they tried to sell me something else much less suitable!
Eventually we (these were for Stefans' (Transexl) now German V8) we finished up at Vintage Tyres which is a commercial offshoot of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. You could take a day run down there and have them fitted, or they will courier them up to your tyre fitter of choice. Excellent service and really pleasant and knowledgable to deal with.
http://www.vintagetyres.com/
Chris
Kman1600
Member
Hi,
We use TOYO 330 185/80R14 91T TL again strictly speaking not the correct speed rating but an excellent tyre, good all round grip. Unsure what the wear rate would be like with "normal use" but we don't see it as excessive with what we do. They are about £50 each but need to be ordered in and can take a few weeks to get but worth the wait
To be honest pretty much any tyre is going to transform the feel of your car compared to 18+ year old ones :shock:
Tim
We use TOYO 330 185/80R14 91T TL again strictly speaking not the correct speed rating but an excellent tyre, good all round grip. Unsure what the wear rate would be like with "normal use" but we don't see it as excessive with what we do. They are about £50 each but need to be ordered in and can take a few weeks to get but worth the wait
To be honest pretty much any tyre is going to transform the feel of your car compared to 18+ year old ones :shock:
Tim
I think the thing that you are all missing here is the speed rating issue. All the tyres others have described are an R rating, not an H rating. The significance of this is not in the actual speed at which you are going to drive - it is in the construction standard of the tyre carcass. In particular how round it is (!), how easy to balance etc. I run 150mph rated tyres on Lucky, not because I intend to drive at that speed, but because that quality of construction gives you an overall much better performing tyre.
With respect to the Irish rally lads, I suspect most of their driving is at relatively low speeds - although high for the situation they are in! So a cheap tyre is completely appropriate for that usage. In the UK you must expect to cope with running at 70 mph on the motorway for extended periods, so slow rated tyres are much less appropriate.
Oh, and don't forget you'll invalidate your insurance if the speed rating isn't up to snuff....any excuse from the sharks!
If Wheatfielder can give us an assurance that he isn't ever going to drive above 50 mph, then take a punt on some cheapies - otherwise get some decent quality ones.
Chris
With respect to the Irish rally lads, I suspect most of their driving is at relatively low speeds - although high for the situation they are in! So a cheap tyre is completely appropriate for that usage. In the UK you must expect to cope with running at 70 mph on the motorway for extended periods, so slow rated tyres are much less appropriate.
Oh, and don't forget you'll invalidate your insurance if the speed rating isn't up to snuff....any excuse from the sharks!
If Wheatfielder can give us an assurance that he isn't ever going to drive above 50 mph, then take a punt on some cheapies - otherwise get some decent quality ones.
Chris
Checked this and with Carole Nash at least, if the tyre passes an MOT and is rated for 10% above the national speed limit it's fine.
Think mine were Ts as well. will check at lunch time. Obviously they are what they are. All depends on how much you can afford to spend when you do it i guess, how far and how you drive the car i guess!
Rich
Kman1600
Member
Hi Chris,
I agree that most of what we do is low speed stuff but we do drive the car to and from events as well, normally hundreds of miles all at Motorway speeds.
We are very happy that the quality of the Toyo tyre exceeds our needs and I think the insurance issue was done to death in this thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11899 all our modifications are declared.
As a very last minute thing Gav. once fitted a pair of “something”, just that was available locally off the shelf, don’t know make but maybe he’ll chip in, but apparently they were almost dangerous to drive on and absolutely no match for the Toyos.
I think it’s just a case of knowing what you’re fitting, know that it meets your needs, and staying away from the Van tyres!!!
I’ve attached a pic of one of our Toyo tyres being “tested” :shock:
Thanks
Tim
I agree that most of what we do is low speed stuff but we do drive the car to and from events as well, normally hundreds of miles all at Motorway speeds.
We are very happy that the quality of the Toyo tyre exceeds our needs and I think the insurance issue was done to death in this thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11899 all our modifications are declared.
As a very last minute thing Gav. once fitted a pair of “something”, just that was available locally off the shelf, don’t know make but maybe he’ll chip in, but apparently they were almost dangerous to drive on and absolutely no match for the Toyos.
I think it’s just a case of knowing what you’re fitting, know that it meets your needs, and staying away from the Van tyres!!!
I’ve attached a pic of one of our Toyo tyres being “tested” :shock:
Thanks
Tim
Attachments
Two months ago I was trying to get 4 matching T or H rated 185x80x14 tyres, and it appears that all my local stockists could supply were 2 Kumho and 1 Falken. This gives reason to believe they all use the same supplier. I was desperate due to the 185/70/14 Firestone/Dunlop mix on the car being at least 16 yrs old and made mainly of coal (but still had lots of tread). The tyre they all offered to supply was a Goodride 185/80/14T. I did some research and Goodride are Chinese and a couple of years back got a warehouse full of tyres refused compliance in USA and had a bad rep in Australasia. They apparently then got their act together (for Chinese tyres) and now are totally different tyres. Anyway I was needing the tyres and they were cheap, so I got 4 fitted and balanced on my drive by Hometyre for £230. What a difference, I am capable of having a conversation at 60 mph now, the car rides undulations better, is all round nicer to drive and the 80 profile look better in the arches. What I considered a temporary change might become long term. (ask me in a year)
John.
John.
wheatfielder
New Member
All good, interesting stuff, thanks. Think i'll go for the Falkens,been quoted @£66 and look forward to the improvement in ride.
Demetris
Well-Known Member
The standard size for a 4 cyl car is 165/80/14. However it is not so easy to find something like this these days.
I have opted for something a little wider, 185/70/14. They give the correct rolling radius and you have plenty of choice, from downright cheap (but not so cheerful) to truly excellent tyres. The last set that i have fitted is Michelin Energy Saver. They are expensive, but well worth at least in my case that i do cover a lot of mileage day in, day out.
I have opted for something a little wider, 185/70/14. They give the correct rolling radius and you have plenty of choice, from downright cheap (but not so cheerful) to truly excellent tyres. The last set that i have fitted is Michelin Energy Saver. They are expensive, but well worth at least in my case that i do cover a lot of mileage day in, day out.
Willy Eckerslyke
Well-Known Member
Demetris, do the 185 tyres look OK on 4-cyl wheel rims? I'm considering upgrading to them myself but wondered if the rims would look too narrow for them.
happy days
Active Member
So my 185/R14/90s, are not doing me any favours, would I notice a difference if they were changed though?
chrisyork said:
Sparky's are 205/65 R15 94V which apparently means they will carry 670Kgs (each tyre) up to 149mph.
I was told (when I was a young'un) that you shouldn't fit lower rated tyres to a car because its not just the speed of the car, but the power (acceleration, braking performance etc) which would be affected by the lower rating. But this was a long time ago and it appears that things have changed somewhat.
Mine were £320.00 for the set of 5, so £64.00 each including fitting and vat, so not too bad a deal.
Richard