Good Quality Bias Ply Tires

[LuckyLuke]

After a bad experience with the 15 X 6.40 Bias ply tires made by Excelsior I’m now looking for a good quality bias ply tire of a different brand. My goal is to find a drivable tire with a diameter of 27” and relative narrow width. The handling of the Excelsior was fine with its thick side walls, the problem was a poor cast quality and being out of round by ¼ inch. Please spare me with the recommendation to use radial tires unless you know of one with the size of 15X195-80.
Thanks

 

[Dave Richards]

I've lamented the demise of the smaller Michelin radial tires. I'm in the market for new tires and have considered purchasing from the UK. They seem to be readily available there…

https://www.bizrate.co.uk/tyres/aspect-ratio--80/products__att63--573-.html

 

[LuckyLuke]

Great!!!!!!! Now I found the Falken tire even cheaper in Germany
https://www.extrem-motorsport.de/reifen/falken.html

15-195/80 is what we need!!!!

 

[carlivar]

What about Coker?

https://store.coker.com/search.php?mode=s...ubstring=640-15

 

[Keoke]

What about Coker?

https://store.coker.com/search.php?mode=s...ubstring=640-15

OH notin cept they want $600.00 for a set of four tires.---Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[Bugeye58]

Gee, I just found some 775-15's for $420 EACH!
Everything I saw on the Falken site was a radial.

See if there's anything here you may see fitting.

https://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=24452&substring=640-15

Jeff

 

[Keoke]

Gee, I just found some 775-15's for $420 EACH!---You left em right where you found em didn't Chu.--- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Everything I saw on the Falken site was a radial.---Well thats OK I have never sen a bias ply tire worth sod anyway. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nonod.gif

See if there's anything here you may see fitting.-OK Good site.

https://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=24452&substring=640-15

Jeff

Yep I guess I better get them Verdee"s at $89.00 fore they decide to double the price on them too. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[Johnny]

Kumho makes a 165X15 that looks good and fits well. They are only $40 each at the Tire Rack. I figure your not going to be driving the car much anyway.

 

[bob hughes]

Kumho makes a 165X15 that looks good and fits well. They are only $40 each at the Tire Rack. I figure your not going to be driving the car much anyway.

That sounds like what I have on the front, from memory, good for 130MPH ish. You can get them this side of the pond as well and they cost the same - in Pounds Stirling. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nopity.gif

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

Bob

 

[glemon]

The Kumhos are a heck of a deal and they work great.

I had dunlops RS5 or 6 on the car when I got it, very close to original spec, they looked great and had great tread, but cobined with the non-functional rear shocks on the car when I got it the bumpy corners were a little scary.

 

[LuckyLuke]

After a bad experience with the 15 X 6.40 Bias ply tires made by Excelsior I’m now looking for a good quality bias ply tire of a different brand. My goal is to find a drivable tire with a diameter of 27” and relative narrow width. The handling of the Excelsior was fine with its thick side walls, the problem was a poor cast quality and being out of round by ¼ inch. Please spare me with the recommendation to use radial tires unless you know of one with the size of 15X195-80.
Thanks

many moons later…..the Firestone 6.40 x15 champion did it!!! . I finally found a great bias ply tire that fits for maximum diameter (27” for fast driving at low RPM) and super stiff side walls for good corner handling.
After the first month of driving I can say that interstate speeds are comfortable with out significant vibrations. Taking the car in an oversteer side slide on a dry paved road works well and even for a big Healey the transition back to a straight line is relatively smooth.

The reason why I choose the bias ply in the first place is that none of the radial tires that feature 27” diameter would fit under the Austin fenders (to wide). Contrary to common opinion I have found that the bias plies tires handle stiffer than radial (compared at the same outside diameter!! This is not true for low profile aspect ratios)

 

[Editor_Reid]

Lucky, where did you find them and how much did they cost?

Also, how about posting a pic or two to show how they look - how they fill the wheel well.

Thanks.

 

[LuckyLuke]

OK, Here is a link to some pictures of the Bias plies on my BN7

https://picasaweb.google.com/vintagemotion/BN7

I bough the tires at cooker -- super service -- they took the excelsiors back!!!

 

[Ed Kaler]

LuckyLuke:

I STRONGLY suggest you check to Date Code on EACH of those tires!!!! Where you bought them IS known to have OUT-OF-DATE product!!!!

Decode info is on my site.



Ed

 

[LuckyLuke]

Interesting roomer! Coker has great service an garantee. My tires were manufactured 2 mnoth before I bought them. Did you ever buy tires from coker??

 

[tahoe healey]

My Michelins were almost two years old when Coker sent them to me. I complained and the said to sent them back for a refund. No one else had them so I kept them. My choice and I like them. I will go for cheaper and newer next time and not use Coker again although it was my choice to keep them.

 

[oslo100]

Another very nice (radial) wing/fender filling option is the Vredestein 'Sprint Classic': www.vredestein.com
Got them fitted two weeks ago and the handling and grip is great(although I guess even a cheap recycled type would have been an improvment over the 25 year old Dunlop SP previously on the car). Not too expensive either, I paid $150 each.
I bought the 165/80s but they seem to have 6 choices in 15".

Georg

 

[LuckyLuke]

Thanks for the hint about the vredestein. Dou have a picture mounted on your car? What is the exact diameter?

Rolf

 

[oslo100]

Hi, hope the attachment follows. Regarding the size I haven't measured (yet) but shouldn't this add up to 64,5 cm? (15"+ 165*0,8*2)

Georg

 

[Shane]

I have a couple of pics that I will upload when I get home. I took a shot of my Michelin 175/15's, followed by the Vredsteins 165/15's, and then finally my Dunlop spare for comparison. All of the shots were from the same angle/distance.