In response to uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU!ks5k's Spitfire tyre question:
[I don't know if this applies to tires, but it probably does to tyres.]
My Spitfire 1500 manual calls for 22f, 26r. Two items come to mind here:
1. Tire pressures "back then" tended to be less, especially for them
new-fangled radials. I don't really know if recommended pressures
got higher because of real changes in the tires or because of a
change in the perceived acceptance by the public of harder rides.
Admittedly tires and suspensions should be integrated, but back then,
they might not have been as good at it. Maybe increasing vehicle
weight was the reason.
2. My experience was that the important feature here was the front/rear
differential rather than the actual pressure. I don't even recall
what I eventually decided to use, but I know it was higher than that
recommended by B-L. I can't recall whether I decided to use a 4 psi
differential, but I did decided to go with more pressure in the rear.
(I haven't had access to the car for some months now, so I can't go
check just now.)
In any case, I'd suggest you start with something like maybe 26f,29r. The
Spitfire isn't very heavy, so you don't necessarily need to run as high as
a tire shop might recommend. On the other hand, unless you are running on
the center of the tread only, you might do better to pump them up more to
get better mileage, etc. It sorta' depends on your tire types and sizes.
Jim Muller
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