[TR] TR3 tire sizes?

Randall tr3driver at ca.rr.com
Tue Aug 12 10:20:32 MDT 2008


> Sorry folks! I had my rim size wrong. My Panasports are 5.5x15. 
>  I had one reply saying 195/65 would work on a 5.5" rim. 
> Anyone else  using that combination?

I ran 185/65 for awhile, which worked out fine.  But don't forget they won't
fit in the spare tire well.  The 185/65 are just a tad shorter (854
turns/mile) than the original radials (835), while the 195/65 are closer
(833).  But I liked getting the car closer to the ground, and my speedo read
low anyway, so I went with the shorter tires.

I eventually wound up with Bridgestone Potenzas in 205/55 mounted on 5.5"
wheels on the ground, and a 4.5" original rim with a T125 for a spare tire.
But there were a lot of other changes and compromises (even after several
rounds of tweaking, they still rubbed the fenders a little sometimes) so I
wouldn't recommend them to anyone else.

>  Something that had not occurred to me before- do radials 
> work out OK  on the TR3? I seem to remember that radials are 
> not necessarily a good thing on  an old car designed when 
> bias ply tires were the only option.

TR3s were available new with radials.  It's possible there is a bit more
wander with radials than with bias-ply, but I've never found it bothersome.

>  I think a 'red line" sidewall would give a nice '60's look. 

There are several places that will add lines in your choice of color.

Randall


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