Quote:
HH56 wrote:
If your car is like mine and tends to sit more than move, then I have a definite bias against bias tires. In my experience they generally become square long before they ever accumulate more than 100 miles.
One question on yours (and mine) that maybe the more knowledgeable and mathematically inclined can answer by pencil or by experience. According to the chart at Diamondback, 760-15s have an average diameter of 28.6 and the 225/75s have a diameter of 28.1. A difference of about 1/2". My car would take 215/75s to fit the original 700 bias size but I 'm wondering if that same almost half inch difference will be an issue with the speedometer and if so, how much.
On the subject of "square" bias ply tires, with the ones I have on there now (from the '70s with like-new tread, but cracking sidewalls) I have had no problem with "squareness" that I can discern after they sat for 4 months during the last two winters. Given the obviously low mileage on the tires, I suspect they sat a lot more before I bought the car-- no problem with square tires that I could tell on the drive home after I picket it up. I think with GOOD bias ply tires (which may not even be made any more) the squaring business is not so much of an issue. 40+ year-old tires are of course, a big safety issue.
(Disclaimer: Others may be more sensitive to square-bias-ply-tire side effects, and experience conditions such as nausea and vomiting.)
As for size, I think slightly larger diameter is the way to go for my setup. 4.10:1 gearing, even with overdrive, can use the extra diameter to decrease RPM a bit at road speeds. I don't worry much about the speedometer--I don't think it's very accurate anyway.
My current L 78 size tires fill the wheel wells nicely, and the 3 1/2" whitewalls go all the way to the rims, and IMO compliment the body-color exposed rims and dog dish hubcaps-- no "beauty rings" needed!
The "blem" radials are tempting as far as cost, but who knows anything about Lucas "Sierra" tires? Maybe somebody. The other downside is the narrower whitewalls. (I was just kidding about used tires-- no way!)
I don't give a fig about judging, except maybe for "best driven to show" or "longest drive to show", if those are even categories. Mostly, I want the look and performance of the car to please me (a horrible, selfish attitude, I know) while keeping it essentially stock.
The idea of just getting a set of "drive-around" blackwall radials has occurred to me, too. They'd be fairly inexpensive and reliable. I doubt if I'll do it, though, because I know I'd eventually consider it a waste. It'll be cheaper and more satisfying to just go for one set of mid priced tires that have the right look and decent performance. I'll probably put on an average of about 400-500 miles/year tops. At that rate, I won't wear out any kind of decent rubber before I'm in no need of tires for anything, ever again.
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