Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Drive train, fuel, suspension, steering & brakes => Topic started by: TR on July 31, 2011, 14:47:18
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Anyone know if the Vredestein 185HR Sprint tire is available in a white wall version?
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I don't think so Tom.
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Oops; I just noticed that I put this tire subject into the wrong category. Sorry about that.
But thank you, Cees, for your input. I've very recently spoken with some old and new friends about this, and it it sounds like the only higher-end whitewall tires currently out there for our cars is Coker's revived version of the Phoenix 185HR14 with a 3/4 inch whitewall.
I will begin making phone calls tomorrow to learn about the possibility of having whitewalls applied to a set if Vredestein Sprints (which I've never even seen) by someone like Diamond Back Classics.
I'm on a tight time-frame for this, so would appreciate any thoughts / guidance that anyone might care to offer.
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Yes they are, through Diamond Back Classics by a vulcanized add on.
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In Croatia recently I saw a white-wall that was an extra add-on. It wasn't attached to the tyre but was sandwiched between the tyre and the rim. I've no idea where to source one if you wanted one though...
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Stick, I've seen these for sale on eBay from time to time, mostly for Volkswagens.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Atlas-16-Wide-PORT-A-WALL-WhiteWall-Tire-Insert-Set-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem415bf02c21QQitemZ280715340833QQptZVintageQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
http://www.portawalls.com/
http://vintagewarehouse.com/VW_accesories.html
If you read the installation guide in link #2, it sounds pretty complex.
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I haven't heard good things about those.
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On the way to the PUB, the 8 year old/ 14,000 mile Yokohamas I was driving gave up the ghost. The left front suffered a belt separation and the vibration got steadily worse as I limped into Parkersburg, WV. The only set of tires that they had to fit my car were a set of Cooper 205/70s. They are whitewalls and look very nice. (Once I had them re-mounted to face out) I drove them on the Interstate and on two-lane roads in 100 degree heat and am I surprised to have no complaints about them.
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Thanks everyone for your kind input. I especially appreciated & enjoyed the telephone conversations about this.
And Raymond you might get a kick out of this, but I had a 1st hand report on your tire situation via a old friend who also had attended PUB-11. That report came in while PUB was still underway. Thank goodness your tire situation worked out okay & safely. It's pretty amazing that a local tire shop along the way had a set of tires, particularly nice looking whitewalls, there waiting for you.
I will be flying from Idaho to Maine in a couple of weeks to pick up the car. The good news at this point is that the handling issue may not be coming from the tires, but rather some front axle problems, which have just been corrected. Still, a set of Vredesteins will be tested just to see if we can get any better performance in terms of handling. If that is the case then I will likely wait until after I've driven the car back to Idaho to make the change. If I do go ahead with that then I will probably work through Diamond Back Classics. They can supply the Vredestein Sprint Classic 185HR 14, which comes only blackwall, and then they can apply the whitewalls at their facility. Since I have the original spare that came on my 280SL we ought to be able to get the placement of the whitewall where it should be (i.e., starting 1/2 inch out from the rim). The primary question to ponder at this point is, "would Paul Bracq maybe prefer the whitewall to be a just little bit wider than 3/4 inch on a 280SL with full wheelcovers?" Say, 1 inch wide perhaps?
BTW, after departing Maine we will head to Essex, MA to visit the good folks at Paul Russell's place in order to thank them for the contribution they made to the thorough going over this car has received during the past 8 months. Then we will begin a driving trip of approx. 4,000 miles back to Boise.
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.... The only set of tires that they had to fit my car were a set of Cooper 205/70s. They are whitewalls and look very nice. (Once I had them re-mounted to face out) I drove them on the Interstate and on two-lane roads in 100 degree heat and am I surprised to have no complaints about them.
Hi Ray,
are those 14' or 15" tires, and what is the speed rating?
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Noticed these Kumho's on TireRack...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/BigPic.jsp?sidewall=White+Stripe+.5-1.0&tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Solus+KR21&sidewall=White%20Stripe%20.5-1.0&fromCompare1=yes&partnum=975TR4KR21&vehicleSearch=false
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Alfred. The Coopers are the Lifeliner GLS and are T rated. I wouldn't have chosen these tires for performance. I have yet to drive them in the rain, so I can't comment on wet traction. The manufacture date code on the tires is 1208, so these hides were hanging around the shops store room for 3 years before I got them. But, given there was no other choice, I am happy to have them. It just means I'll be buying new tires in about 4 years.
Michael, or anyone who has experience with the Diamondback work. Isn't it expensive to add the whitewall? I heard something close to $100 per tire. Then, I wonder about any structural issues of cutting a groove into the sidewall of H or V rated tires. It would be great to have whitewalls on modern performance tires.
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You can go to the DB Classic website and see how the ww is added. Yes, I think it is costly. We are in a market now where all 14" tires are getting scarce. 185-HR14 tires are not used on any production vehices to my knowledge, and even the replacement market is dwindling--this is reducing variety and choices, and increasing prices.
Not too long ago, I think the Michelin MXV went from production tire to lo-volume classic and the price skyrocketed. i was at Sam's Club the other day, and the 13" and 14" tires were relegated to one shelf on one rack--and the sizes were things like 195-65 and other low profile models. They did not even stock a P195-75 or 205-70 in the 14".
Seems that each passing day the choice set gets smaller. WW only exacerbates the issue.
Places like Diamondback and Coker serve this dwindling market, for all kinds of obscure sizes.
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Raymond -- I think you're probably pretty close on the cost of applying the whitewalls. Including the cost of paying for a set of four Vredestein 185HR14 Sprint Classics, and then adding in the cost of whitewall application, plus shipping the total would probably end up in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars, or around $250 per tire.
FYI, I talked with someone at the Classic Center about this. The person I spoke with said he'd seen tires that Diamond Back had changed to whitewalls and offered a personal comment that it seemed like a pretty good option for those who may want whitewalls. I'm sure he was not speaking for Mercedes or for the Classic Center, but I appreciated his willingness to offer a personal comment.