| Author | Message | ||
     Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 442 Registered: 6-2009 |
It seems that we've drifted into a tire discussion on another thread and, since this is a frequent topic it would seem to deserve its own thread. The factory spec for these cars was 235/70R15 from the very beginning, or mighty close to the very beginning. Radials were certainly coming to the fore as far as tire technology went, too. I've owned only two SY2 series cars, and these can be fitted with 235/75R15 size tires without any problem. Lately it seems easier to find this size in general, but particularly so for thin whitewalls. The 235/70R15s can still be found but they're almost all blackwalls or have raised or outlined white letters. Every once in a while someone produces a whitewall in the original size, but not often. Even in 235/75R15 those who make whitewalls seem to drop and add them to their lines quite frequently. Another thing to note is that any of the size designations are what are called nominal size, which allows for more variance than you might be inclined to think. A "large" 235/70R15 may not be all that different in size from a "small" 235/75R15. You really need to look at the manufacturer's actual size specs if you fear you're possibly going to be working with too tight a space. Also, it's a fact of life that certain tire sizes go in and out of production or cease being produced entirely. You are going to have to play the "fitment game" at some point. An online tool I've found very useful when faced with trying to find a "closest available match" in sizes currently available is the Miata.net Tire Size Calculator. In their latest version it gives a graphical representation of the tires being examined as well as the numerical data. The set I just bought for my Silver Wraith II is five Hankook Optimo H724 tires, with a load rating of 108 and speed rating of T in whitewall. The four websites that are always my first "go to" places when searching for what's currently available in tires are: Onlinetires.com http://www.onlinetires.com Tire Rack.com http://www.tirerack.com Tires-Easy.com http://www.tires-easy.com Treadepot.com http://www.treadepot.com Of course, this list is entirely US-centric, but I'm sure there are online tire sellers worldwide. It's just a matter of what your (or their) shipping requirements and limitations are. Brian | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 437 Registered: 6-2009 |
This might be a good place to introduce the details on what constitutes a thorough inspection, visual and otherwise, of tires. This would probably have better visibility on a thread of its own. The only thing I routinely look for/at is treadwear and lack of crazing/cracking and any bulges/asymmetry on the sidewalls. I presume there's probably more to it than this. Brian | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 1048 Registered: 6-2006 |
There are lots of areas to look at, as you point out Brian. Unfortunately subjectivity and balance can't be taught quickly or on a forum. Much of the wear and ageing can look bad, but not be serious - some look insignificant but be indication of serious trouble ahead. If you find something you are unsure of, take it to somebody experienced that you trust and ask their opinion. IMHO The most important areas to check are between the tread blocks and the area between the walls and the tread pattern. When you find cracks appearing there renewal is a must. Many tyres get crazing of the walls, waves in the tyre walls, nicks and other deformities - determining which are problems and which are not takes lots of experience and some guess work. There is no guarantee that something related or unrelated to what you are looking at will cause a blow out 5 miles down the road. Unfortunately in this litigious day and age finding anybody willing to give an opinion on anything is tricky. 'It would be safest if you put a new one on' is probably the best you can expect from somebody that doesn't know you. Performance cars and 100 mph + driving are a completely different kettle of fish to sedately driven Pre-'split' RR & B Cars. Is a blown out tyre a matter of life and death? Once again, who can say? I can think of at least four blow outs over my years of driving. Plus a few punctures leading to fast deflations. I haven't even pooped my pants let alone felt I'd had a near death experience. Whether that was luck or measured driving I'll never know but I've always managed to slow down and move over to the hard shoulder and not tried to, or had to, jam the brakes on or swerve around a hairpin bend in the Alps. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 213 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Paul You've just vindicated Bill Currie Ford of Tampa. I took my Ford Explorer in for a simple oil change and they told me I needed the tyres replacing. They were Michelins, had plenty of tread and the sidewalls looked good. They pointed to the area you mentioned, the area between the walls and the tread pattern and said the rubber was rounded and too thin. There was however no cracking. Since I was about to embark on a 2000 mile journey I got them to replace all the tyres. I did wonder whether they really needed changing. Now I know. I am sure an expert would have got a few thousand more miles out of them, but for a paying customer they rightly were erring on the side of caution. I guess this is the nub of the above discussion. If you are expert enough then you can monitor tyres and safely get maximum use out of them. The area between the walls and the tread pattern is a definite inclusion to the list Brian outlined above. Geoff | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1295 Registered: 4-2003 |
One of the main factors contributing to tyre degradation is exposure to Ozone from atmospheric, industrial and electrical sources. If Ozone and ultra-violet radiation are both present, the rate of degradation usually increases; this is why tyres may exhibit the problems described in this thread. Another factor to be considered is that tyres may harden over time due to loss of volatile ingredients and the reduced elasticity of the tyre material may result in cracks forming in relatively low mileage tyres on infrequently driven classic cars. This characteristic may explain the observed cracking between the tread and sidewalls. | ||
| Michael Moran New User Username: mjcmoran Post Number: 3 Registered: 8-2005 |
Since we have moved onto tyres you alerted me to this aging problem which I had completely forgotten about. I looked up my old invoices and the last time I shod the car was well over ten years ago. Of course the tyres still look excellent (nothing as described above) but I think they are contributing to certain vibrations I get at lower speeds which then fade away completely and do not return at any speed until the next outing after the car has rested overnight. As I am unable to obtain Avon Turbospeed 235/70x15s here in Poland unless I courier them at some expense from the UK are there any other brand of tyre you would recommend? Avons get a bad press from some Silver Shadow owners. I am sure this has been discussed at length on the Forum but where is the question? A search refers me back here... Thanks in advance Michael | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 444 Registered: 6-2009 |
Michael, Might I suggest that you find out what is "readily" available to you in Poland and then solicit input on those tires? I really don't know what you can easily get your hands on. I've seen quite a few different tires/brands recommended. There are numerous threads on the forum discussing these including, but not limited to: Tyres (Directly addresses your question, but who knows which of these tyres are still in production or easily available to you?) Silver Shadow Tire Pressure Alternatives to Avon Tyres But, back to my original suggestion, it's more likely you can get feedback that's more helpful to you if you can identify the size(s) and brand(s) of tires you can get your hands on. Brian | ||
| Michael Moran New User Username: mjcmoran Post Number: 4 Registered: 8-2005 |
Thanks Brian. Yes a separate thread is a good idea!  All major brands of European tyres are available here as Poland has been in the EU for 10 years now. For some odd reason Avons are not but of course I can easily pay to get them sent from the UK by courier. Not that expensive. Actually I was simply wondering what the alternatives to Avons were for the SS and their comparative performance. I was wondering about RROCA Members' experience of use rather than availability which is actually not a problem for European tyres. Customs duty on anything direct from the US to the EU is horrendous though. I will peruse the links you kindly gave me and report back on my decision. I so rarely buy tyres I thought I might just look at Avon alternatives since I am planning to buy 4 | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 445 Registered: 6-2009 |
Michael, The only thing I can definitely tell you is that tires-easy is the online entity for Delticom North America. I seem to recall someone from the EU (or maybe even on this forum) saying that Delticom is well known there and operates an online tire store within the EU. Right now I know that Hankook tires are very much liked by a number of people who've used them, as are Kumho tires (but right now I don't think Kumho is producing whitewalls in our size). Last fall Consumer Reports gave the Hankook Optimo H724 very high ratings and since it's available in a whitewall in a size I can use with a 108T load/speed rating that's what I went with. I ended up buying five since the spare on the car I'm replacing the tires on is also well over 10 years old. Good luck with your search! Brian | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 221 Registered: 5-2012 |
Michael When I changed my 16 (or was it 26) year old tyres a few months ago I searched this forum and decided on the tyres Brian recommended, the Hankook Optimo H724 whitewall. I am very pleased with them. Quiet and vibration free. They are also at a very good price - around $150. The slight oversize gives a 2 mph discrepancy at 65 mph i.e. negligible in practical terms. Why does this server flag a spelling error when I type tyres? I thought this was an Australian server. Or do the Australians spell tire the American way. Geoff | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 446 Registered: 6-2009 |
Geoff, Are you, by any chance, using Firefox as your we browser? As far as I know the forums software does no spell-checking, but Firefox does in any field that allows plain text to be typed in. You can add words to the Firefox native spell-check dictionary (see their help for instructions) or, if you want to get really sophisticated (or have the need to) you can get the Dictionary Switcher Add-On that allows Firefox to change the spell-check dictionaries it uses based upon the website you're visiting at the moment. Brian | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 222 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Brian Of course, how embarrassing - I should have realised that. I'm actually using google chrome at the moment but may try out firefox. They probably don't build such a large dossier on you as Google. Geoff. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1298 Registered: 4-2003 |
Geoff, You solve the spelling problem by selecting the English - UK option which is usually offered in spell-checkers. I use Firefox with the English [United Kingdom] dictionary preselected. I have found the English [Australian] dictionaries, if offered, are not as accurate as the English [United Kingdom] dictionaries for traditional spelling. To access the dictionaries available in Firefox [not all locations have dictionaries for licensing reasons], use the following path: Adding dictionaries to Firefox: You can install other dictionaries as necessary. Right-click in any text box containing more than one line. Select Languages. Select Add dictionaries.... | ||
| Kevin Lagden Frequent User Username: kevin Post Number: 85 Registered: 7-2009 |
I just purchased a set of Mastercrafts 235x75x15 whitewalls and they are perfect. I did buy some Maxxis, but when I got them home each had a fault (see picture) apparently they have a whole batch that were manufactured in 2012 and all are faulty. You cant see this until you get them home and wash off the blue protective layer.  |
