Tire Size and Stock BE Wheels

[Jim_Gruber]

What is the widest tire I can use on stock BE Rims on a Bugeye with stock springs. 155/80/r13 is typically used. Can I go to a 165/70/r13 or a 175/70/r13 on that rim? Thinking I need to get a 5" rim to go to a wider wheel. A BE Rim is either 4 or 4.5 " wide? Thanks.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Going from memory... a bugeye rim is 4" wide.

Don't buy tires yet. If your project stalls the tires will go bad before you finish it.

 

[smaceng]

According to Horler, Sprite wheels are 3.5 inches in width.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Not planning on buying yet. Trevor. I'm slow getting this back together but not that slow. Trying to put a plan in place for buying at the right time. So I know a 155/80/r13 fits. How about a 165/70/r13 on stock rims? I've been able to find 155/80, 165/70. and 175/70/13 out there.

 

[drooartz]

Don't know if you can go wider, but I had a set of 155/80/r13 on the Tunebug and they worked really well. Will do similar with Penny. The car was plenty fun to drive and handled fine, even with the hotter motor I had.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Thanks Drew. 155/80worked well on Bugsy I my '68 Sprite.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Didn't mean to imply you are slow, but buying your tires right before the first test drive means you'll get more use of them.

 

[nomad]

My BE came with 165/80 tires on it. They were old Michelin's with nice stiff sidewall's. I replaced them with some new Firestones and couldn't stand the car without around 35psi in the tires because the side wall's of the modern tire's are as thick and as flexible as inner tubes used to be!. Can't get the 165/80's any more though they seem to fill the wheel well just right so now am running 155/80's. I would sure consider 14" wheels and low profile tires since the selection of 13" is getting so thin. Of course you would lose your BE rim's.

Kurt.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Kurt,

trying to to save for Hap's Black Friday sale!

 

[aeronca65t]

I have these ~Faulken 175/70-13~ tires on my street Midget.

The car has 3.5 X 13" Austin rims (identical to a Bugeye but from an A35 sedan). It drives nice and with 28 psi, I see no signs of the tire rolling off the rim.

$232 for set of four with free shipping.

 

[59diamond]

I might as well get in on this discussion because I am awash in tires and rims. I have a set of Firestone 520/13 -2 inch whitewalls on rims and balanced with 500 miles on them that I bought in August 2013. I took them off as part of the sale of my Bugeye to lower the price for the buyer. They are sitting in my garage waiting to be put on someones car.
I also have a set of black walls size 155/80R13 on rims an balanced with about 200 miles on them that came as an extra set of tires with the new Bugeye I bought. I also have one really nice set of AH HUb Caps that can go with either set of tires. Anyone interested send me a PM. I need to make room in the garage.

 

[Rut]

I've seen the pictures of both sets and they look like new! Very much a bargain IMHO and if I wasn't on the other side of the country a set would be mine.
Rut

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Thanks Nial now whether you could get a tire store to mount would be the question.

 

[Rut]

Down here its $20 per tire to mount and balance which seems steep to me.
Rut

 

[59diamond]

Well where I am at it cost me $25 each to mount and balance the White Walls. So along with the purchase of about $600 for the tires themselves plus the $ 100 for the rims you can see how things can mount up. Thats why I think they are a steal at $450.00 plus whatever shipping costs. I am a retired CPA and I know all about "SUNK COSTS"

 

[nomad]

The tire business is interesting! A few years ago I could buy tires on line and have them mounted for next to nothing. It appears that the guys that do this came to there sense's and figured out that if they couldn't make money off selling the tires they would make it off of mounting them! Can't blame them i guess. $20 a tire here as well....I can mount them but can't trust my harbor freight bubble balancer.

Kurt.

 

[drooartz]

I am a retired CPA and I know all about "SUNK COSTS"

Sunk Costs, otherwise known as the alternate title of any Spridget restoration. At least any one I've done. :grin:

 

[aeronca65t]

I mount my tires with two tire irons. I have a hand operated bead breaker to pop them loose.

I made a 4X4" adapter for my bubble balancer so I'm balancing them on the studs and not on the punched hole in the middle of the stock steel wheels.

I usually charge myself one beer per tire. :friendly_wink:

 

[59diamond]

I just own and drive cars. How I wound up with all these tires is beyond me. I bought my present Bugeye so I could take my wife to our 50th wedding anniversary in the car that is the exact replica of the one I sold in 1963 to buy her an engagement ring. I just want one car with 4 tires and a spare. So make me some low ball offers for these tires and you might get to own them.

 

[The_architect]

Jim, mine came with rotted 175/70/R13s and not knowing any better I replaced with the same size. I'm quite happy with them, but I've nothing to compare them to. Charile