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Saloon tyres questions

Technical issues not related to a DLOC car marque, eg tyres, ethanol, other car makes, etc. and legal, political and insurance
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captain bobo
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:32 pm
Location: Kimbolton, Cambs

Saloon tyres questions

Post by captain bobo »

I have a 1969 V8 250 with wire wheels. The current tyres are Michelin 185 HR 15 XAS. These tyres are old, although they have good tread depth, so I am looking to replace them.

I don't do the kind of annual mileage that warrants buying expensive tyres. My challenge is that I don't know whether certain tyres will physically fit. I have searched this forum and the old forum and I'm none the wiser - hence the questions below.

I am considering the Retro Classic 001 which is available at good pricing. The dimensions quoted are 185/80 R15 93H. Will these tyres fit my wire wheels without rubbing on the rear spats or catching in any way on the front wings? Is there anything about the spec of these tyres that suggests that they aren't suitable?
Best wishes, Dave B

johnwager
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Thundersley, Essex

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by johnwager »

Dave
The correct size tyres (185 R 15 93H) are available from Retro Tyres, so why would you consider fitting lower profile tyres?
The 185/80 R 15 tyres would have a smaller diameter therefore reducing the gearing and giving an incorrect speedo reading.
Have a look here for example: https://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop ... 0628092746:

I have just fitted four new Vredestein on my car and I'm very pleased with them so far. I bit dearer than the Retro Classic though.

John

Rolf B.
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:07 pm
Location: 68309 Mannheim, Germany

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by Rolf B. »

All Radial Tyres without a number behind the size number for the width of the tyre are always low profile tyres of the Series 80.

185 R 15 = 185/80 R 15

Crossply Tyres are width to height 100 : 100, Standard Radials are 100 : 80, Low Profile Radials are 100 : 70, 100 : 65 and so on.

Rolf B.

Christopher Storey
Helpful Person
Helpful Person
Posts: 404
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 6:40 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by Christopher Storey »

Rolf B's statement is, I'm afraid, likely to be incorrect . Tyres made to the dimensions which have no profile number are in fact usually an 82% profile rather than 80 . The difference is small, but it is, nevertheless, a difference between tyres with no profile number, and tyres with e.g. 80 as the profile number

Rolf B.
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:07 pm
Location: 68309 Mannheim, Germany

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by Rolf B. »

Hello Christopher,

please have a look at

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/185vr1 ... n-xvs.html

for the Michelin XVS 185 VR15 where the aspect ratio is described as "80". Maybe the 80-series tyres have an aspect ratio of 82 instead of 80.

Rolf B.

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captain bobo
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:32 pm
Location: Kimbolton, Cambs

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by captain bobo »

Basically I am completely ignorant of what the tyre numbering system means. That's why I posted the question in the hope that forum members could help me out. John, I had no idea that the tyre I was looking at was a lower profile - thanks for the link to the "correct" tyre. I had already tried contacting the company to ask which tyre was the equivalent of my Michelins but they told me that they didn't offer any technical advice!

Thanks for the comments.
Best wishes, Dave B

KV8
Posts: 304
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:05 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by KV8 »

Hi Dave
As you know I have the Retro Classic 001 185 80 R15 93H fitted to my V8 which has Steel wheels.

The Tyre numbering system applied to this size gives

185 = tread width in millimetres
80 = profile - height of sidewall expressed as a percentage of tread width
R15 = Radial followed by diameter of wheel in inches!
93 is load rating
H is speed rating

TBH the replies given so far are I find a bit contradictory.

The original tyres were designated only as 185 R15 which as has been pointed out means that in fact these tyres were 185 82 R15.

Whilst I believe the current Michelin XVS which as you say is very expensive may be of the 82 profile the choice with other tyres is either 185/80 or 185/85 with one thus being very marginally smaller and one being marginally larger. The 80 profile would mean your speedo would read 1% faster whereas the 85 profile would mean that it reads 1.7% slower.

My reading (as was my choice) is that the 80 profile would be the best choice for your wire wheels as if the current tyres are 82 profile and do not give problems then the 80 profile must work.

As has been also said look at the Vredestein Classic as a possible alternative.

I am going through the same decision making process on my Stag at the moment which had a "tyre deterioration" advisory on its last MOT

Please do not hesitate to PM or phone should you want to discuss.

Regards

H

Chris_R
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Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 12:48 pm
Location: Twickenham

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by Chris_R »

Retro Tyres are Nankong, made in Taiwan by HSIN FUNG FACTORY OF NANKANG RUBBER CO.

Blockley manufacture both 185VR15 @ £139 and 185/70VR15 @ £149. Plus the dreaded VAT.
These are manufactured by Blockley themselves to their own specifications.
Look at www.blockleytyre.com
They also do 185HR14 @ £99 which are suitable for the Stag.

KV8
Posts: 304
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:05 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by KV8 »

johnwager wrote: Thu Jun 28, 2018 10:33 am Dave
The correct size tyres (185 R 15 93H) are available from Retro Tyres, so why would you consider fitting lower profile tyres?
The 185/80 R 15 tyres would have a smaller diameter therefore reducing the gearing and giving an incorrect speedo reading.
Have a look here for example: https://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop ... 0628092746:

I have just fitted four new Vredestein on my car and I'm very pleased with them so far. I bit dearer than the Retro Classic though.

John
I was initially puzzled by the above Post. However on re-reading this thread I realised that the tyres linked above are a different price and description to the 185/80/R15 's suggested by the OP. Apologies for misunderstanding.

However examination of these tyres using the enlargement facility on the MyTyres webpage one can read the small "print" on the tyre wall adjacent to the rim in which it states 185/80/R15 93H. So these tyres are also of a smaller diameter than the 82 profile originals. However as discussed earlier this only makes about a 1% difference in circumference and thus speedo reading.

H

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captain bobo
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:32 pm
Location: Kimbolton, Cambs

Re: Saloon tyres questions

Post by captain bobo »

I ended up choosing Retro Classic 001 185 R15 93H tyres. The tread pattern is almost indistinguishable from the old Michelin 185 HR15 tyres fitted on the car. I think they look good on the wire wheels. The ride quality has improved dramatically, there is less road noise & the steering is sharper. They may not be to everybody's taste, but they work for me.

I have set the pressure to 30 psi. Can anyone comment on what the suitable pressure would be for a V8 250 saloon auto with these new tyres?
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Best wishes, Dave B

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