Obsolete tire sizes and my dilemma

[eljefino]

Don't these 15 inch rims originally fit another Mercedes chassis? Aren't there bunches of them destined for the junkyard? Being slightly rare and pricy, yards might take the time to better catalog and save rims from these cars. Also owners might have taken the time to garage and wash brake dust off their status symbols.

Who knows, the next new fad might be losing the donk look. LOTS of classic cars from the 70s and earlier rode around on non-metric size 14 inch 70-series tires that likely take very close to a 195. I think demand will stabilize, just supporting all those classics still running in California.

As you pointed out when you got aligned, your car needs a spring loaded thing to stretch the front end to account for the wheels slipping and stretching the toe somehow. If you got a much stickier tire, that might mess up the handling, for the worse.

 

[Stu_Rock]

I am going through the same thought process with my Peugeot, which also originally had 175R14.

For me, it gets compounded by the fact that I have a bizarre 4x140 bolt pattern, so finding any replacement wheels is nearly impossible. Some other Peugeot owners are working on getting adapters made.

This time around, I am leaning toward getting one of the T-rated 195/70R14 holdouts. In 6-7 years, I bet there will be only 1-2 choices in this size, S-rated only, from China. At that point, the wheel adapters will be a necessary evil.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Don't these 15 inch rims originally fit another Mercedes chassis? Aren't there bunches of them destined for the junkyard? Being slightly rare and pricy, yards might take the time to better catalog and save rims from these cars. Also owners might have taken the time to garage and wash brake dust off their status symbols.

Who knows, the next new fad might be losing the donk look. LOTS of classic cars from the 70s and earlier rode around on non-metric size 14 inch 70-series tires that likely take very close to a 195. I think demand will stabilize, just supporting all those classics still running in California.

As you pointed out when you got aligned, your car needs a spring loaded thing to stretch the front end to account for the wheels slipping and stretching the toe somehow. If you got a much stickier tire, that might mess up the handling, for the worse.


They were used on select w107 and 116 cars. Not readily available here, though in Europe you can find more... But shipping is a pain.

I'm not looking for summer tires - I doubt that a decent H rated, AA/A tire is going to be that much more sticky, and ruin handling or alignment that bad...

 

[HWEaton]

Toyo Extensa A/S...

 

[Stu_Rock]

Originally Posted By: HWEaton
Toyo Extensa A/S...
Where are these made now? They used to be from China, but Toyo pulled out of its Chinese joint venture in late 2009.

 

[Spazdog]

It seems like there are still quite a few availiable at this time: Pirelli P4 (which I think is made in Brazil) and BFGoodrich Touring (made in USA) piqued my interest, but the list was larger than that.

Unfortunately LOTS of Chinese tires in that size. Then again there are still LOTS of those Mercedes Benzes still being used throughout Africa and Eastern Europe that need cheap tires.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Just stopping by to comisserate with ya. Just got a set of new 225/60r15's for my Jag. Only one tire available (BF Goodrich Radial T/A) and one backorder (Pirelli P600).

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Stu_Rock
Originally Posted By: HWEaton
Toyo Extensa A/S...
Where are these made now? They used to be from China, but Toyo pulled out of its Chinese joint venture in late 2009.


I like Toyo. We had good luck with A05 tires in the past. But they were Japanese, IIRC. I'd be OK possibly with Japanese tires...

 

[dailydriver]

Ha!

I hear you on the "obsolete tire size" thing.

245, or 255/50 16s are becoming VERY scarce lately, since the few cars that have ever been specced with them have LONG been 'dead' models.

 

[vintagegz]

I just tried ordering tires for a Z06 corvette 2002 and either backordered, cannot get fronts, old dated stock, not available, etc. So it pays to watch what you drive.

 

[97prizm]

I too hear you. I have Mazda rx-7 and for racing the class requires a 205/60R13! Three years ago there were 4 or maybe 5 tires available in that size I honestly don't know if there is anybody making that tire size now.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: 97prizm

I too hear you. I have Mazda rx-7 and for racing the class requires a 205/60R13! Three years ago there were 4 or maybe 5 tires available in that size I honestly don't know if there is anybody making that tire size now.


They still make you run a pure street tire for that spec class??

 

[Swift]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Hi,

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks!!!



Get a new ride. problem solved

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Swift
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Hi,

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks!!!



Get a new ride. problem solved


Youre kidding, right?

Dumbest response Ive read. Nothing will last as long with as cheap service as that car. They are the longest lasting, most reliable cars on the road, bar none.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: 97prizm

I too hear you. I have Mazda rx-7 and for racing the class requires a 205/60R13! Three years ago there were 4 or maybe 5 tires available in that size I honestly don't know if there is anybody making that tire size now.


I had Cooper 205/60R13s on my '84 RX-7. (Western Auto private label actually but they were virtually identical to Cooper Cobras) None of the other tire manufacturers I sold at that time had that size.

 

[Swift]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Swift
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Hi,

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks!!!



Get a new ride. problem solved


Youre kidding, right?

Dumbest response Ive read. Nothing will last as long with as cheap service as that car. They are the longest lasting, most reliable cars on the road, bar none.


You asked for thoughts. As ar as the longest lasting most reliable cars....

 

[JHZR2]

riiight...

 

[occupant]

14 inch tires are a sad lot these days.

I wanted to go bigger. The 215/70R14 on my Gran Torino were 8 years old, dry cracked, and have half tread. 25.9" diameter. Stock tires were G78-14 and were 27.1" diamater. OK, gotta go get something better.

So I'm thinking 225/70R14, but couldn't find any less than $90/tire plus installation locally. 215/75R14 would be a good compromise but they're only made in TRAILER tires now. 225/75R14 I can get from Coker at $200+ each. Forget it. So I had to get 205/75R14, found a take-off set for $200 cash with rims, and I'm happy. 26.1" diameter so only slightly better but it's better than going even smaller or having to buy 15" or 16" wheels right now. I just dropped $980 on a transmission as it is!

If I had to buy tires again, I think I'm going with 225/60R16 and CVPI steel wheels. I'll also have to buy new trim rings. But it'll be worth it to get tires easier. 2-3 years and I'll be looking into that abyss.

 

[barfan]

The fact of the matter is that 14" tires are following 12" and 13" sizes and being phased out completely. The most common size now put on cars from the factory by OEM's is 16", so 15" will also be going out the door. On the USA made tire front, really only Goodyear still has a sizeable presence in the US of manufacturing tires, with Michelin/BF Goodrich there as well. The rest of the tire makers have outsourced to other countries, that's the way it is in 2011. Tires, like many other things, have become a commodity item and wherever the lowest cost place is to make them that is where the companies will go. That being said, there is a huge difference between an off brand Chinese made tire and a tire by say Pirelli, who just opened a new plant in China. The Pirelli P4 and I believe some of the P Zero series are being made there and I would have to say that those are pretty decent tires.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: barfan
That being said, there is a huge difference between an off brand Chinese made tire and a tire by say Pirelli, who just opened a new plant in China. The Pirelli P4 and I believe some of the P Zero series are being made there and I would have to say that those are pretty decent tires.


Which IMO is ridiculous. There are plenty of US made tires from first-quality manufacturers, which surely have every bit as much engineering, design and analysis (NRE dollars) involved as with the P4. The P4 is produced in a place where the hourly wage is likely 1/10th and the burdened cost of labor is likely even less than that. Where is the savings?

If MY cost is parity with a US made tire, why would I purchase the offshored tire? IMO it is a profit grab by the company with little to no cost advantage shared by the end user.

Kind of like buying a Ralph Lauren polo shirt versus one from wal-mart. The sweatshops are within a few miles of each other, one just doesnt pass along the cost savings as much, and even if the materials are better, etc., at the end of the day there still is a TON of profit not passed along.

What benefit does the American publiuc get long-term by accepting stuff like this with a short-term mentality?