[Healeys] BJ* Wheels and Tire Sizes? Research is helping.

[Robert Blair]

Dallas, Thanks, I agree. This has gotten complicated due to the limited size
choices available today - ie no 175R15 for the 4 1/2 or 5 rim.

The original tire size for the Healey was 590x15 which had a diameter of
almost exactly 26 inches.  Interestingly todays closest equiv would be the
185R15 at 26 inches - which looks too fat on the std 4 1/2 inch rims.
However, it looks fine on a 5 inch rim with its narrower 6 inch footprint.

While a lot of folks seem to like the look of the 185/70-15 with a diameter of
25.25 inches and the 165R15 with a diameter of 25.25 inches - they are both at
least 1/2 an inch under the original diameter - which is of course emphasized
by the higher rear suspension.

As I will use 5 rims, I am limited to the choice of 185R15, 185/70R15, or
165R15 - all within 25.25 to 26 inch dia.  As I do not like the fat footprint
look/about 7 inches, but do like a full wheel well, I am now leaning toward
the 185R15 Vredestein which has the narrower 3 band tread pattern/6 inches and
a 26 inch diameter.  Make sense?

   Robert N. Blair  65 Yellow BJ8  rnbmail at yahoo.com
   



--- On Tue, 7/15/08, Dallas Congleton <dcongleton at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> From: Dallas Congleton <dcongleton at embarqmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] BJ* Wheels and Tire Sizes?
> To: rnbmail at yahoo.com, "Healey List" <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 5:11 AM
> Robert:
> "turns out the 165x15 is the SAME diameter as the
> 185/70x15 - 25.25 inches"
>
> The tire size table I am using shows the 175/80R15 as 26.02
> in o.d.; tire
> width 6.89.
> The 165R15 is shown as 25.65 o.d.;  tire width 6.5.
>
> This probably varies some by manufacturer, but 1/2 inch
> diameter on a Healey
> is worth considering, especially on the rear.
> Dallas
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Blair" <rnbmail at yahoo.com>
> To: "Healey List" <healeys at autox.team.net>;
> "Alan Seigrist"
> <healey.nut at gmail.com>; "John Soderling"
> <jsoderling at astound.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 1:04 AM
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] BJ* Wheels and Tire Sizes?
>
>
> > John,
> >
> > Thanks - turns out the 165x15 is the SAME diameter as
> the 185/70x15 -
> > 25.25
> > inches.  The difference is of course the width of the
> tread on the road -
> > 5.1
> > vs 7.4 inches - 2 more inches on the road, and of
> course 20mm more in tire
> > width wall to wall.  Obviously they will look
> different - can you post a
> > 3/4
> > view jpg of your front and rear 165x15 on the 5 inch
> rim?
> >
> > Best, Robert N. Blair  65 Yellow BJ8
> rnbmail at yahoo.com