Morris Minor Owners Club

bmcecosse wrote:and since the standard tyre that came with Minor was 5.20 x 14 - I don't see that anyone is now using the 'correct' tyre!

I am but I probably wouldn't on an everyday car.

Rog

Welung666 wrote:

alex_holden wrote:It says here these tyres will let me drive at up to 118MPH!

But does you car go that fast?

If it doesn't, I'm sending the tyres back!!

I'm sure a Minor could do 118mph with a little assistance

My suggestion would be a boot rack, Gaffer tape and one of those Rockets for assisting Take off on short runways.


Oh and a long straight road

Just to add my ha'penneth, I ran on the Firestone F650 - the now sadly discontinued ones, 155R14 on standard rims (tubeless) and I have to say they felt nicer than the 145R14 Kumho's, which is why I've stuck with 155s.

For once I've actually worn out a set of tyres (not punctured nor worn hideously unevenly) and am finding it a struggle to get anything much locally - but the one piece of advice I did get from one garage - after saying I really wanted the firestone's again, but obviously not available was that I shouldn't even consider the Camacs as they're dreadful; which was something commented on by another tyre place.

Am waiting to see what's available locally but I might have to get them from *somewhere else*.

Hmm - I wonder if them saying that has any bearing on the fact that profit is probably more on a more expensive tyre? They've always been fine for me, though I haven't done high mileage on one.

well i have run with nankangs for 6 years and i like them and no problems and at £26.00 a throw not bad, i did have firestones but found a few where the walls bubbled out

I had Firestone's (145x14) and the wire started to appear on the outside edge of the tread towards the sidewall!! It wasn't a one off either as 2 of our cars had the same problem and the tyres were bought 6 months apart!
Would never have them again!

has anyone used this company for tyres?

http://www.etyres.co.uk

firestone f560 145r14 for 38.90 each and that includes vat and mobile fitting so looks like a bargin

Rob, I'd buy the Bridgestone B381 Ecopia at £32.50 - it's a good tyre and cheaper. I have B330s on the Fiesta and they've been a best buy in the last four Which? tyre tests.

I bought a Camac the other week as it was cheap and I was skint, but I don't think I will again. The steering is a bit too vague - I think the small high tread blocks make it wander more. Grip seems OK though, but it's hard to tell.

The other question I'm facing is 145's or 155's, I'm currently on 155's but the rear are pretty much on the limit and the front look pretty 'old' although the tread is good, so it might just be easier to change the whole lot in one go (all 5 will cost less than 1 on my Astra).

What really is the difference in 145 155, given the car was specified to run on 145 is that the better option? I do find the 155's I have seem very spongy and a not very grippy on corners, I guess I should play with pressures on these before I change to see if I can get a better ride

My Bridgestones are supposed to be arriving today. Apparently Mytyres put the wrong address on the parcel, but the delivery driver phoned me yesterday and I was able to tell him the correct address.

Edit: and they've arrived. Mytyres had got the address wrong.

What really is the difference in 145 155, given the car was specified to run on 145 is that the better option? I do find the 155's I have seem very spongy and a not very grippy on corners, I guess I should play with pressures on these before I change to see if I can get a better ride

I'd say that you should use the tyres that the wheels were specified with, i.e. 145s. The slightly wider tread will mean the edges of the tread are very slightly pulled up towards the rim. Not much, I grant you, but still...

Oh, and the Minor tyres are not going to seem grippy compared to the rubber bands you have on the Astra

I'd say that you should use the tyres that the wheels were specified with, i.e. 145s

erm - you mean 4.20 crossplys?

Seriously though it seems as if the 145s and 155s have been used without serious problems - pause while I check that I'm using 155s...

I suspect that a decent set of 145s will give better handling that rubbish 155s...
My personal opinion is that almost any tyre's good in the dry, it's the wet weather grip that's the big variable. We don't find that out until too late!

Let us know how the bridgestones are

all the best.

Colin

So far 4 Bridgestones 500 miles and everything is fine except now the wheel bearing is a bit clicky. Tyres are nice and quiet and seem to really grip on the corners, far more grip than I'm prepared to try my luck with.

far more grip than I'm prepared to try my luck with.

What Paul is trying to say is that he's not prepared to try and keep up with the twit in the 1275 four door exploring 4 wheel drift on roundabouts - and quite right too .
But in the interests of informing our viewers and answering important technical questions I can advise you that 145s feel much more positive than 155s. Less floaty. As to whether they grip more, well I would say thats more down to the age and brand of the tyre than a tiny increase in width.

I do find the 155's I have seem very spongy and a not very grippy on corners,

I have heard a few owners say that and sometimes depending on the make you can see the extra middle age spread on the rims.

I'm amazed this isn't a one horse race with 155's a lap in front.

Mine was fitted with 145s when I got it, plenty of tread on them but they'd dried out badly on the sidewalls.

After fitting 155s (purely because no-one sold 145s locally) the difference was amazing.
The handling on 145's was more 'precise' but too much so. It felt like you were driving on bicycle wheels attached to rails.

The 155s are so much better its unreal. The grip is phenominal in comparison.
No longer does the car slide about like a bar of soap in a prison shower! Its stable and predictable. I can slide the back out at will - rather than whenever it feels like it!

You could say this was just the difference between old tyres and new ones - you'd probably be right. But you can't argue that a wider tyre won't provide better grip and stability, even counting the extra movement/flex in the sidewalls.

But you can't argue that a wider tyre won't provide better grip and stability, even counting the extra movement/flex in the sidewalls.

I'm afraid I can

You're right, but only where the wider tyre is fitted to a wider rim. When a wider tyre is fitted to a narrower rim, the tyre can roll from side to side more. The wider tyre is less likely to keep the whole tread-width in contact with the road.

OK, so we're talking about a very small change here, but in general you can't assume that fitting a wider tyre to the same rim will improve things.

I wonder what the difference will be between my series II's 145x14 firestones and my MM's 5.20x14 crossplies

It will be fun, I'm sure