Tires

[Jakneedler]

Getting ready to buy tires for the 30 closed cab pickup.
Want to go with black walls. Who makes the best tire? Goodyear\Firestone?
Also who's the best to purchase from?
Thanks,
James

[Gold Digger]

I bought Goodyear that were made in the USA in Camden, Mo. That was 3 years ago and never have regretted it. I had Deming's are something like that on my rpu and I couldn't believe I was driving the same vehicle after mounting the Goodyears.

[montanafordman]

+1 on the Goodyears. They are spendy but they ride nice, look correct, and wear as well or better than other model A tires out there.

[Willie Krash]

I ordered model T tires from Lucas in Long Beach Ca. Easy going folks. Charged me $10 a tire to ship and stuffed the inner tubes in the tire.
Lucas classic tire. Goodyears!
19" Lesters $136, Goodyear all weather $185

[eagle]

I bought mine 2 years ago from Coker Tire. Univeral tire. The dealer owed me a favor so mounted/balanced price was his cost. Less than $90 each. I really like the look of them, and so far have worn very well. Tires for modern vehicles have went up just crazy in the last years so I imagine it would be more now.

[TerryH]

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I also bought Goodyears about a year ago, and really like them. Had BF Goodrich before, and these both ride and handle better. They track really well, and tar strips don't grab the front wheels at all......highly recommend them!

[180 a]

I have nothing but good to say about Goodyear . I have two set on my cars. Ron

[bgarrett]

heres some nice wheels on an A pickup

[Fred K-OR]

I purchased Firestone for both of my cars. I think when I was ready to buy tires a few years ago, I don't think Goodyear had their 21 inch out yet so I went with Firestone.

I think you can buy these standard brands from any of the vendors and get about the same price. So depends on where you live vs where the vendor is that would determine the shipping costs.

[fiddlybits]

Goodyear.
Worth the price in ride and handling.

[Jakneedler]

Looks like Goodyear it is...
Thanks to all for the feedback!
Have an "A" Day!
James

[37fordtruckguy]

I would go through summit racing. They have a good selection of tires that are reasonably priced, plus the free shipping is nice.

[Mafman]

I'm another vote for Goodyears. They wear well and look great.

[BlueSunoco]

Don't have Goodyears but that is what I'll buy when the time comes.

Have seen Universals on cars and I have to admit they don't look half bad. Would buy a set of the original Riverside pattern if available I liked the looks of them plus they wore good too back then.

[P.S.]

Looks like lots of love for the Goodyear tires, no love for Firestone.

I just purchased a set of tires for the 31 Tudor a couple weeks ago, and went with Firestone. The primary reason is the Firestones are a little wider than the Goodyears, and that means more contact surface area with the road. They were also slightly cheaper than the Goodyears and available from my local Les Schwab tire store.

The funny thing is, they both seem to be made by the same place for Coker Tire, so I suspect the material will be the same and wear the same. They obviously are different molds. The Firestone tires will be the closest you can get to a modern width tire without having to resort to using those lame looking V8 wheels on your Model A.

[Napa Skip]

Here's my limited experience with tires on my current Model A:

1930 Model A coupe purchased in February 1977 with five (5) 4.75/5.00/5.25/5.50 x 19 Bedford 4-ply Nylon tires with tubes. In the interim, I have put 15,700 miles on them in Idaho, Washington and California, garaged and non-garaged, driving in everything from snow (with chains on the rear tires) to dirt, including freeway driving, daily driving and a several-year period of non-use punctuated by a 9-month period when our son drove the car daily to high school. How many miles were on the tires when I purchased the coupe I can not say (nor can I remember exactly what they looked like in 1977) although judging by the attached photo, it probably wasn't many.

ss01.jpg

These tires were probably rotated 3 or 4 times in the 36 years I ran them, spin balanced twice and had no flats. I ran them at 35 psig.

After the car was purchased in 1977 as a (more or less) basket case, I installed new king pins, tie-rod ends, pitman arm/drag link connectors and after-market reproduction shock absorbers. Last time I measured, the caster was 5 degrees (+/-), camber was +3-1/2 degrees and the toe-in (which I periodically adjust as needed predicated principally on the amount of "wander" on what passes for paved roads in this neck of the woods) is about 1/16". The tires wore more or less evenly (there was about a 1/32" difference in the center-to-outer tread depth when I replaced them) and there was no sidewall damage other than minor crazing (certainly no cracks).

Last year I replaced the Bedfords with a set of 4.75/5.00-19 "Made in Vietnam" Lucas tires (blackwall for you purists) using new tubes on a different set of 19" rims. So far so good, especially with regard to the new tubes that haven't leaked air or otherwise been a problem. A couple of weekends ago we drove the A up to Middletown for their 1930's days (about 100 miles round-trip by the time we got done) and stayed on the back roads (which definitely had a 1930's flavor, that is, they didn't appear to have been maintained since 1930). As bumpy and pot-hole ridden as this road was, the tires held up well and we experienced no problems, coming or going.

Now we'll see whether the Lucas tires - or I - last another 36 years or 16,000 +/- miles, whichever comes first...

[700rpm]

I run Firestones on all three of my A's. No reason except I like the tread pattern. My '30 peekup has dual sides, and, yes, they are a tight fit.

[gadgetgeeza]

I've just completely worn out a pair of Lucas 21" tires in just 3000 miles on the rear. Can't believe it. Front are fine and show little wear.

[Mitch//pa]

go goodyear
i buy them from kelsey tire

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by gadgetgeeza

I've just completely worn out a pair of Lucas 21" tires in just 3000 miles on the rear. Can't believe it. Front are fine and show little wear.

It's the burnouts

[raprice22]

Does anyone run their A on Lester tires? I've heard that they're very good tires.
Rog

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by raprice22

Does anyone run their A on Lester tires? I've heard that they're very good tires.
Rog

they are very good tires but they dont look good sidewall//profile wise

[mshmodela]

I like the look of the blackwall Goodyears, Mitch's Lucy shows them very well



I like the extra side wall, reminds me of the P77 Pirelli tires I had on my 79' VW Scirocco. The extra beef on the side helped out a lot when I was a kid on our rural roads.. I suspect the Goodyears are great on rural (dirt like ) roads.

[Mitch//pa]

believe it or not i had a lester temporarily on the back of lucy, till the goodyear came in. it doesnt look good to me squared off corner and bulgy sidewall.
but if your not after looks they wear like iron

[DougVieyra]

I have wanted a set of GoodYear tires for my '31 Dlx Coupe for about thirty years now. Even more so now that they are being made with the correct 1928-'31 tread and sides.

But I am just too cheap to throw away perfectly good tires. I keep waiting (I don't quite have the courage to say 'hopping') for my FIRESTONES to wear out. I drive my '31 Model A Dlx Coupe as a daily driver, so I thought that I would be seeing enough wear to justify replacing them with GoodYear - but it just ain't happening. Like that pink bunny with the drum - they just keep going and going !

On the other hand, on my 1928 Phaeton, the correct Firestone pattern for 1928 (they were a short-made run by Universal, about 1978 or so) are showing significant wear after only 7,000 miles. When they finally wear out, I will replace them with my set of N.O.S. Goodyear Diamond tread tires from about 1960. These tires do not have the correct sidewall as the original or of the newly made (thanks to Doug Clayton) GoodYear tires. But they are already bought and have no tax or shipping, so I will use them.

Please - no words of caution or warning of the dangers of driving with 50 year old tires. I am aware of all that has been or ever will be said about not using old tires.

This post is meant to convey that BOTH the new GoodYear tires AND the new FIRESTONE tires are exceptionally good tires. It really should just be a matter of 'taste' and image preference. It must be noted that the GoodYears are 'factory' correct for the Model A, while the Firestones are not, as well as being a little 'over-sized'.

-Doug Vieyra

[Mitch//pa]

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Doug,
there is a market for used tires. whenever i bring old tires to a swap they go first. i sold the other 4 lesters i had on the barn for 200.,, a barner came and picked them up....
so order the goodyears

[bikejunk]

Agree with the above post I got 100 bucks for 4 almost presentable tires. And the first thing I sold at a a swap meet. talk about recycling !

[gadgetgeeza]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

go goodyear
i buy them from kelsey tire

Now on order from a UK supplier. Thanks

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by P.S.

Looks like lots of love for the Goodyear tires, no love for Firestone.

I just purchased a set of tires for the 31 Tudor a couple weeks ago, and went with Firestone. The primary reason is the Firestones are a little wider than the Goodyears, and that means more contact surface area with the road. They were also slightly cheaper than the Goodyears and available from my local Les Schwab tire store.

The funny thing is, they both seem to be made by the same place for Coker Tire, so I suspect the material will be the same and wear the same. They obviously are different molds. The Firestone tires will be the closest you can get to a modern width tire without having to resort to using those lame looking V8 wheels on your Model A.

"LAME LOOKING V-8 WHEELS"?? I thought we were FRIENDS? I look LAME, but Vermin looks spiffy! Does that mean I can't stay overnight with you, when I get the car going?
Seriously, I think the 16's have sort of a classic look on Model A's, as they were used so widely. I encounter quite a few folks that think the 16's came on them from the factory. Vermin looked 7 years older, with the 21's.
Bill W.

[Mitch//pa]

oh i forgot if you have a shop or such or just maybe ask nicely the cost for goodyear's are 145 + shipping at kelsey tire ...
http://www.kelseytire.com/pages/anti...ssictires.html

[P.S.]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

"LAME LOOKING V-8 WHEELS"?? I thought we were FRIENDS? I look LAME, but Vermin looks spiffy! Does that mean I can't stay overnight with you, when I get the car going?
Seriously, I think the 16's have sort of a classic look on Model A's, as they were used so widely. I encounter quite a few folks that think the 16's came on them from the factory. Vermin looked 7 years older, with the 21's.
Bill W.

I stand by my statement. It is my opinion that the V8 wheels look lame on a Model A. However, my opinion has no affect on friendships, nor does it affect my policy on opening my shop and home to another Model A owner who is passing through and in need of a rest stop, a meal, a bed for the night, or pit stop. I might make fun of you a little though.

[green30coupe]

IMG_3567.jpg

16" wheels with 30-31 centers on a Model A bus. Goodyear radials.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by green30coupe

Attachment 198682

16" wheels with 30-31 centers on a Model A bus. Goodyear radials.

This is what I've been toying with. I have a set of the 16" wheels with 19" centers, just need to be cleaned up & painter/powder coated.

What size radials are these?

[green30coupe]

Originally Posted by CarlG

This is what I've been toying with. I have a set of the 16" wheels with 19" centers, just need to be cleaned up & painter/powder coated.

What size radials are these?

215 70R16. $106 each plus $3 per valve stem at Walmart. Mounted "free".

[fiddlybits]

Coming up on 10,000 miles since March of this year on my Goodyear balloon blackwalls.
No complaints. Tread is looking good and the ride and handling are smooth.

[Brother Hesekiel]

"Best" depends on what matters to you. Handling? Correctness for judging? Highest price?

But say, what's the best hair color or bust size for a wife?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

"Best" depends on what matters to you. Handling? Correctness for judging? Highest price?

But say, what's the best hair color or bust size for a wife?

So, Brother,
Whut size & color should I be "shopping" for?? Buster T. will be the final judge of character
Bill W.

[brito36]

I have had Goodyear tires on my cars since 1968 and have never had any problems to this day. I am sold on Goodyear...