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Triumph TR3 - Tire sizes for factory rims

I have a 1960 TR3A with the metal wheels and chrome hub cap w/madallian. I believe these to be the factory rims but I don't know what sized new radial tires are recommended...especially a model that is affordable and easy to find. I currently have Pirelli 185/70SR/15 but these are now hard to find and I'm looking at 185/65/15 which seems a little shorter but still notably wider than original.

SHould I look at a 165?


Hoots

Over the last 12 summers, I have been running 165-15's. The first ones were Michelin 165-15R's ($95.00 each Cdn in 1990 including mounting and balancing before taxes) and I got about 55,000 miles out of them before they got the famous "tire separation" where "TRusty" would weave all over at 50 mph on the highway and slowing down at stops, the TR would bounce up and down like I was driving over 3" speed bumps every wheel revolution. I never had a flat with my stock steel wheels and I ran with no inner tubes. With tubes, you will get 4 flats in the first 100 miles.

I run mine at 30 psi front and back.

The Michelins are available through 2 places in the US (Coker and British Tire and Wire Wheel) as well as a guy in Simcoe who brings them into Canada. His price 2 years ago was $174.00 Cdn each before taxes - unmounted. If you want to learn more, call him. John of Queensway Tires in Simcoe (519) 426-5289.

I heard that Michelin France sold the moulds to Coker who are having them made in Venezuela or somewhere like that and I heard a rumour (un-confirmed) that the quality is ssshhh....ttt !

The problem with mine occurred on the way the VTR in Colorado, two summers ago. In Cedar Falls, Iowa, I bought 4 new Kelly/Springfield 165-15's (note there is no "R" rating like the Michelins) with the name "Centreds" on the sidewall. I paid $38.00 each US for them, mounted and balanced. They have to be balanced using the 4 mounting holes (not with a conical central spindle because the center of our steel wheels are not round nor concentric.

Since then, I've done over 15,000 miles and they feel great. They are made primarily for the old VW Beetle owners.

Happy motoring

Don

Don Elliott

This thread was discussed on 03/02/2003

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