Wire Wheels and New Tires

[martx-5]

Believe it of not, my '58 TR-3 with wire wheels has Pirelli Cinturatos on it that are old and worn out. I need to put new tires on. The Pirellis are 165 x 15 with no aspect ratio on them, so what size and type should I be looking for. Also, there are tubes inside. The tubes are probably 20 years old. Should I put new ones in?? Who has them?? Will they be a problem with the new tires.

I've read about sealing the spoke wheels so tubes are not neccessary. Is this worth it? Is the procedure reliable??

A lot of questions, I know, but I like the look of the wires. It's either that , or a set of Panasports.

 

[Geo Hahn]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by martx-5:
...I like the look of the wires. It's either that , or a set of Panasports.<hr></blockquote>

Me too, love the wires. Last set of tyres I put on them were Dunlop SP20s 165/15 but these may be NLA. FWIW I use tubes and if you choose to by all means get new ones while you're at it. Had no problem finding the tubes locally.

You'll want to assure yourself that the guy/gal balancing them knows how to mount them on the machine so the wheel spins true.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha, The 165R15 is often refered to as a "metric" radial and has approximately an 80 aspect ratio. The overall diameter of these tires very closely matches the original bais-ply 5.50/15 that came on the car. I usually get a blank stare when I ask about tires for my TR3 or MG, so I ask for a Volkswagon tire. I use tubes with my wire spoke wheels and get them at my NAPA store (the tire guys don't often have them). If the wheel valve stem holes are larger than the tube valve stems, use a valve stem grommet. I get them from 4 wheel drive/off road tire stores. I got 4 for $1, but they usually give them to me if I only need 1 or 2.

George is correct in warning you about mounting the tires. Tire mounting machines that use a peg to engege a wheel lug hole to hold the wheel in place will bend or possibly break a spoke. I mount my tires with tire irons. A pair of tire irons is about $20 and it isn't that hard of a job.

Safety Fast,
Dave

 

[sammyb]

I agree on the size of the tires, and luckily there are a number of tire brands in this size. None are really high performance, but then again, neither is the TR3 (by modern standards.) Honestly, it's better to have a tire with a little flexibility, because it will keep your wheels true for longer.

One thing you can do is ask people in the local clubs (Triumph, MG, Jag, Healey...even the Classic Car Club of America local region) or a larger upscale vintage car dealer for the best wire wheel expert around.

If your wheels haven't been trued in a while, just bring the wheels and tires to an expert and have them mount new tires.

If you'd like to talk to an expert in wheels and tires, I can provide you the name of an expert here in the Seattle-area, and he might be able to give you the name of an expert in NY.

 

[Simon TR4a]

I agree with the others, buy new tubes.
In addition, you MUST remove any stickers or labels from the inside of the tires as they will chafe the tubes and eventually cause slow leaks.
Also replace the rubber bands which protect the tubes from rubbing on the spoke nipples, if bands are not available you can use duct tape or cut them out of the old tubes.
It is recommended to add a small amount of talcum powder so the tubes can move more freely inside the tire.

You can get a rough idea if the rims are true by removing the old tires and rolling the wheels on a flat floor, any wobble indicates a problem.

The Dunlops are still available in my area, and I have them on my TR4a, as Sammy mentioned not a lot of grip, especially braking on a wet road!
Wider wheels of 5 or 51/2 inches are available and will fit 185/70 or 195/65 tires, but this will not fit in your spare wheel slot, so think this one through carefully!
Good Luck!, Simon.

 

[Eric]

I'd echo the advice about ensuring the rubber band around the inside of the rim is intact and in good shape. Without it, the spoke ends will chafe a hole in the tube - voice of experience.