Opinion on Sears Allstate tires

[stouchton]

Hi folks - looking for some advice on my front tires, which are Sears Allstates.

Originally, I thought "ain't that neat? Someone's reproducing Allstates to look vintage!!"

Well - I don't think that is the case. Allstates disappeared mid 70's. So I'm thinking these tires are bad news - almost 40 year old tires.

They look beautiful - no cracking and tons of tread. They actually look brand new.

I'm thinking their age makes them dangerous. BUT - did someone reproduce them??

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

[Special Coupe Frank]

What kind of driving do you do ( or plan to ) with your A: local / around-town, 35 mph or less, or long-distance, higher-speed touring (35-50 mph) ?

[QGolden]

With a nod to Frank regarding what kind of driving you will be doing, If they are really that good and for around town use, I would run them. Keep an eye on them for cracks, but evidently they were well cared for. No long trips.

I would however put new tires on my Christmas list, because they probably will not last as long as new ones would...

[Tom Wesenberg]

If you don't want them, I'll take them and run the tread off of them.

[Purdy Swoft]

The real, real old Allstate tires are rayon cord and are dangerous. I believe that the Allstate tires were produced into the eighties. I have one that I've had since the early sixties that still has good tread. The Allstate tires with nylon cord may last forever. I've got a set that was purchased in 1975 that still have good tread. Small weather cracks are nothing to worry about if the tires are nylon cord . I would trust them anywhere.

[John Kuhnast]

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The date is on them even back then. its the week from 01 to 52 and the year.

[QGolden]

Originally Posted by John Kuhnast

The date is on them even back then. its the week from 01 to 52 and the year.

John,
Where is the date stamp and how is it laid out? Just 4 numbers? Is is stamped on the rubber or molded into it? I have some number stamps on mine in white and in red.

[stouchton]

I try to limit the driving to "around town" 35 and under.

But... have had the car cruising at 50 on some local roads.

Looks like 4 new tires for Christmas, and the Allstates can become the spares.



Purdy - These tires are stamped "Nylon" - hope that means I can run them the rest of the summer at least. I sometimes bring my wife and son with me, so keeping the car safe is very important.

John - thanks for the tip - I'll scope out the date, though maybe it is all about condition?



My rears are Garfields - which I also cannot find info on the internet. Probably same vintage, and not nearly as good of shape.

Thanks to all for the input.

[Keith True]

Old Sears tires,which were actually made by Garfield,sometimes seem to outlast the cars.They get hard as a rock,ride like a rock,wear like a rock,and hold the car up like a rock.You will think your guage is bad because it will read five pounds,and the tire will have no squat to it at all.I've had quite a lot of experience with them,all has been good.I am still running a set on my sedan that were installed in the early 70's.12 years ago I thought I would run them out in a summer or two,they still look like the day I topped off the air and started running them.They may ride hard,but blowing one is pretty far down my list of worries.Hard,black,and round meets my criteria.A few years ago I went to mount a new set of Firestones for somebody,as I was blowing them up I kept hearing snapping and popping.They were splitting open at the joint between the whitewall and the black part.At the time they were 7 years old,stored in a cool cellar wrapped up in their brown paper wrapping.I'm running 40+ year old Wards Riversides on my 30 roadster,I really like those.Still have a set of Insa's I bought in the mid-80's,no sign of cracking yet.Running a set of Universals on a pickup too,5000 miles,no sign of wear yet.

[1931 flamingo]

Running f/stones, made in new Zealand and have to be from the late 80's when the car was redone. Some checking but no cracks, probably 90% 80's air as they don't leak either. FWIW
Paul in CT

[J Franklin]

The zig-zag tread design on Sears/Garfields as well as the weird Insa Premier design were indead period correct. I believe maybe a GoodYear or Goodrich design.

[Purdy Swoft]

I've got a set of Insa tires that I bought in the mid 90s they are nylon cord and I really like them. The Insa Premier tires were advertised to be the lowest priced tire on the planet, at the time . I've had people tell me that the weird Insa tread pattern was originally used on the model A .

[Special Coupe Frank]

My '28 Coupe came to me in 2009 with older Allstate WWW 4.00-21 tires, which were still pliable, and did not show any cracks.

I wore-out two of those, and replaced them with some even older Garfields, which are hard, and have lots of fine checking on the sidewalls.

I would not try to drive cross-country on them, but they have been holding-up.

If there are deep cracks in the sidewall or in the grooves of the tread ( deep enough to reveal cords ), better to retire those tires to "air-holders" for shopped cars.

I believe Allstate tires were actually made for Sears by Garfield. Last brand-new set I bought was in 1988, for a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker: 8.00 x 15 WWW.

I just bought two new 6.50 x 16 WWW tires for my '41 De Soto... I was price shopping, and the cheapest WWW was from Coker, and to my surprise, the tires are branded "Garfield" ! (the sidewall script is a modern font though...).

I have not seen any new Garfields in Model A sizes...

[Keith True]

I paid $28.each for the Insa tires I have,mid 80's comes to mind when I try to remember when I bought them.I did know whose tread pattern they used,it is one of the old tire companies but I just can't remember who.I was thinking it was Hood,but with all the old companies that went out it could be one of hundreds.I don't really care for the looks of the Insa or Garfield,(Sears) but they have done the job for me.I figure they can sit in the garage and age just a good as an expensive Firestone or Goodyear.

[Patrick L.]

We put Sears/Allstates on about '80 or early 80's. There are as hard as a rock and have slight checking, but, the tread still looks new. New tires may ride nicer, but, It looks as though these Sears things will still be turning when I'm long gone. I'm waiting and seeing.

[Mikeinnj]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Running f/stones, made in new Zealand and have to be from the late 80's when the car was redone. Some checking but no cracks, probably 90% 80's air as they don't leak either. FWIW
Paul in CT

I bought a set of five "Made in New Zealand " 21 inch Firestones in 1988 and the sidewalls began cracking badly two years later. I kept them on the car for 25 years and did local parades and never went over 35 mph on them. I'll never buy a Firestone tire again.....especially after the "Ford Explorer" scandal.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Keith True

Old Sears tires,which were actually made by Garfield,sometimes seem to outlast the cars.They get hard as a rock,ride like a rock,wear like a rock,and hold the car up like a rock.You will think your guage is bad because it will read five pounds,and the tire will have no squat to it at all.I've had quite a lot of experience with them,all has been good.I am still running a set on my sedan that were installed in the early 70's.12 years ago I thought I would run them out in a summer or two,they still look like the day I topped off the air and started running them.They may ride hard,but blowing one is pretty far down my list of worries.Hard,black,and round meets my criteria.A few years ago I went to mount a new set of Firestones for somebody,as I was blowing them up I kept hearing snapping and popping.They were splitting open at the joint between the whitewall and the black part.At the time they were 7 years old,stored in a cool cellar wrapped up in their brown paper wrapping.I'm running 40+ year old Wards Riversides on my 30 roadster,I really like those.Still have a set of Insa's I bought in the mid-80's,no sign of cracking yet.Running a set of Universals on a pickup too,5000 miles,no sign of wear yet.

Mine were almost 25 years on the car before they wore out.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

If I could post a picture----- a month ago at a seminar , this guys pick up was sitting in the sun. We heard a giant bang, his spare side mounted Allstate tire blew up from the heat. The four on the grd were new tires, just the one that exploded was 50? years old.blew apart in two places.

[barnstuf]

I have a 1992 Sears catalog. They were selling the Allstate tires for the Model A at that time. $89.95 for 1 to 3, and $84.99 for 4 or more. Plus shipping of course. Maybe yours are not as old as you think they are.

[Purdy Swoft]

I bought a NOS Allstate 19 inch tire on eBay a couple of years ago. I noticed that it was rayon cord instead of nylon. The tire looked perfect and was very plyable. I installed the tire on the spare tire mount of the speedster by hand with Go Jo. I aired it up to 35 PSI and went to wash my hands. Before I could wash the Go Jo off my hands, I heard a loud explosion, it was the NOS rayon cord Allstate tire.