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59 TR 3 Tires

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JPeter

JPeter

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What size tires will fit nicely on my 59 TR3? I have stock 15 inch wire wheels.
Today the car has some VERY OLD Good Year G800 red lines that are 185SR15. They look to be a bit large as well as looking scary.
My calculations would make it look like the 195-65-HR15 might fit. But is it too big also?
Your experienced input will be appreciated.
Thanks
 
Over on the MG forum we've been having dicussiona on tire size. One entitled TR6 wheels on an MGB seems to have some relivence to your question. Seems 185/60's are a good choice and one member writes of running 195/60R15s with no trouble. As an MG guy I don't know what the rub factor is on running those sizes with your car.
 
I have always used 165R15 which look right to me... though probably too skinny for serious autocross, etc. For that you might look into TR6 rims and wider tires.

Biggest problem is everytime I get a set they seem to immediately go NLA... Michelin XZX, then Dunlop SP20 and most recently Cooper Sportmaster. Still some good brands out there in this size, just not as many choices as there used to be.

For comparison... here's a pic of my 3 behind a 6 with a larger tire size:

tires.JPG
 
165/15 is the original size, available from Dunlop (SP20) and a few others. I have the Dunlops on my TR4, they are ok for cruising around, not much grip especially in wet weather.
A modern tire of similar diameter would be 195/65 or 185/65 would be about 2% smaller, it varies slightly from one model to another. The problem is a 195 section is really too wide for the stock rim, so to look correct you may want to stick to original size.
 
My experience with tires is to use the factory specs or closest to that. Having said that, the 155- tires are kinda hard to come by, and might be kinda skinny. I have been using the 165 -15. The 165-15 are narrow by today’s standards; however, this narrow road surface is easier on tie rods and steering silent blocks. I think the suspension, in general, will need less maintenance and last longer with the 165 opposed to 185 and up…on a tr3.

George
 
Last week I had a BFG 185/65 HR15 mounted on a KN 5.5" knockoff alloy and tried it on a rear wheel of my 58 TR3. After bouncing the rear to bottom out the suspension, the fender lip marked the top of the tire. I then drove the car relatively fast out of the shop, down the apron and turned onto the street and returned, also relatively fast. The tire was marked about half way around by the fender lip. Bending the lip would not add clearance because the axle moves forward to hit at the top of the fender lip. I know some racers who use this size. I don't know if their rims have a different offset or if my springs are sagged, but if I raised the rear about a half inch I'm sure it would clear. I had my Michlin 165 HR15 remounted for now and decided to do more research and suspension analysis.
 
On my '59 back in Houston, I went to Pep Boys and got their 165R15 for $30 per tire. They were absolutely fine all-around radial tires. They are essentially made for VWs. I ran a Funkhana and had no trouble -- also drove very hard on the streets and they were more than adequate.
 
Ditto on the 165R15's... I got some from Big O tires here in SoCal. They carry them for old VW's. I'm not thrilled with the lovely WOOSONG logo on the sides but nobody notices them but me. Haven't driven very hard on them yet but they are round and hold air.

Turns out the manager at the place has had a string of Lotuses (Lotae???) and a couple of Spitfires so he was personally gentile with my wire wheels. TireAmerica back in the 80's wouldn't touch them until they dug up the manager who came out and showed the "kids" how to put them on the mounting machine.
 
I haven't done any research myself, but this is the setup on my '59 TR3 as I bought it. I've had no trouble with interference, and they seem to drive pretty well. Then again, I don't remember the tires on the couple others I drove.

Riken 185/70R15
Dayton 72-spoke wheels (TR6 type?)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
Back in the late 1980's I was looking into tires for my first LBC, a 1959 TR3A. Everything that I read stated that the correct (factory) size was 155R15. Of course, that was not an off the rack size in this small town, so I did some checking and came up with a supplier called Coker tires. I don't know if they are still around, but at that time they specialized in modern performance tires in the outdated sizes, basically a restoration supplier for tires. They had the 155R15's in full whitewall, and I believe a 165SR15 in blackwall that would work for the TR3. You may do a google search and check into Coker, I was impressed with their selection, prices were relatively reasonable as well. If I run across their address or phone number I'll post it. If you want an original look and size in an all-season or performance tire, I'd look them up.

Brian /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Well, they are still around..... here's the link for the 155R15 blackwalls, tubeless.

https://www.coker.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=18382&cat=&page=1

The 165HR15 in tubed blackwall is pricey, but a quality tire and looks correct.... Double-check with them on the TR3 application, but I am sure I remember them telling me that was their recommendation for a bit "beefier" ride with no fender grinding. I didn't see the whitewalls, but they probably still have them available.

Brian
 
How hard is it to find a shop that will mount and balance tires on a wire wheel? They must have an old style adaptor to get the balance correct, right?
 
I was able to get it done at the major discount chain in our area... Discount Tire. The manager did it personally (while I watched) as he could tell it was important to me. Main thing is using a mounting fixture that holds the wheel center at the correct point. Sorry, I am not at home where I have a picture of the correct & incorrect mounts.

Okay... found this site which explains it well:

https://www.daytonwirewheels.com/html/balancespline2.htm
 
[ QUOTE ]
I haven't done any research myself, but this is the setup on my '59 TR3 as I bought it. I've had no trouble with interference, and they seem to drive pretty well. Then again, I don't remember the tires on the couple others I drove.

Riken 185/70R15
Dayton 72-spoke wheels (TR6 type?)

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm thinking of doing the same...TR6 wires on the TR3 I'm restoring.

Are those Daytons you have 5.5" or 6" width?? I can't seem to find out if the 6" width with 185-70/15's will work without fender interference. Supposedly the 5.5's will work.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are those Daytons you have 5.5" or 6" width??

[/ QUOTE ]

I've got dozens of receipts from the previous owner, but not the one for the wheels. I do have the brochure from the vendor he bought them from- British Wire Wheel in Santa Cruz, CA. Here are the possibilities they list for 72-spoke TR wheels:

TR250, TR6 15x5.5 Dunlop
TR250, TR6 15x6 Dayton
TR3,4 (non-orig) 15x5 Dayton

I tried to measure them (not easy while they're on the car), and it looks like they are the 5" version; maybe 5.5" but definitely not 6".

It looks like a 6" would easily work, if the offset is such that the extra 1" is to the inside. A 6" with the same offset as my wheels would be very, very close to rubbing the fender.

Moss sells a 5.5" Mini-lite replica they say fits TR2-TR4, so 5.5" should work.

Sorry I can't give a more definitive answer.

-Jiri
(see attachment for idea of clearance)
 

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I have bought and am using British Wire Wheels on my TR3.

I had to go to a specialized shop to have the tires switched from the old wheels.

As long as you use a tube, they work great.
 
Wider than stock tires will rub on the front of a tr3, this is only in hard turns and does no real damage. I would recomend the 185/65 /15 as the best size on the front, you can go a bit larger on the rear without doing body-mods or ruining the tire....
What ever you use, remember with a tube, to find and remove ANY stickers, tags,stamps, or GOK from the inside of the tire. These will in time chaffe the tube and leave you on the side of the road doing the pitstop thing......
MD(mad dog)
 
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