In a message dated 7/13/2004 9:08:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time, the team.net
Triumph digest writes:
> By reasonable price do you mean budget brands, or mid price brands, if mid
> price please ignore this message!! ;-)
> Please have a think on this one! You are putting tyres on a vehicle which
> was a thoroughbred in its day, consider putting on tyres that will do it
> justice, I think it would be a shame to miss out on the potential of your
> car because the tyres were less than optimum for the task in hand.
> I'm not suggesting top price tyres, but try some of the mid to upper mid
> range tyres, and why not consider a wider tyre say 185/70x15 which would
> only give a 0.8% speedo error yet would give you a 20mm wider contact
patch!
Listers, et al:
I'm not looking to go on the cheap, but don't want to spend the extraordinary
price Coker asks for their reproductions of period tires that weren't all
that great in their day. Along with that, my current and past life experiences
tell me that there is only a weak correlation among factors such as tire
price,
quality and performance. Somewhere in the middle price range would be fine,
but I'm also reluctant to pass up quality tires at a bargain price -- if such
a
thing exists.
As far as thoroughbred is concerned, TRs were shod with some pretty pathetic
rubber in their day. Just about any modern radial is an improvement on a TR4's
original footwear, so my conscience isn't bothering me on that count. I'm
leaning toward something in the not-to-exceed $60 per tire range. However, I
have had a few very good reports on the Kumho at under $30 each. That's real
money saved and it gives one pause.
Finally, the 185/70-15 choice is not my cup of tea. In fact, that's the size
I took off the car last year. It steered like a porker (with the smaller
steering wheel the PO installed) and just looked over-tired. I now have the
narrow, age-appropriate 48-spoke wire wheels (known weaknesses and all), along
with a set of old (East) German radials in need of replacement. What I want to
find is a tire that is appropriate in size and appearance. Hence the search
for
recommendations in the 165-15 size. Not being a true Luddite, however, I have
ruled out bias ply and will go with the radials.
Last, but not least, if anyone has use for a set of five Triumph steel
wheels, four of them mounted (and balanced) with 185/70-R15 B.F.Goodrich
radials,
plus four excellent chrome Triumph hubcaps with medallions -- it's all
available
at for pick-up in Michigan at a reasonable price.
Thanks for everyone's on and off list responses to date.
Bob Sharp
Michigan
64-ish TR4
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