TIRES AGAIN

[gimp]

I was reading up on tires. Marked down which people thought were the best and went to the tire shop to buy 4 Bridgestone Turanza LS-T and found that they are no longer being produced.
As I went through the list with the sales man there was only one tire left that was still being made, that was the Goodyear Assurance.
I am sure that there are more good tires out there. Just wondering what they may be.

[Jordan]

Gimp, you don't say what tires were on your list.  I put Uniroyal Tigerpaw AWP2 tires (ww 195/75R14) on mine last year but don't know if they are still available. I am quite satisfied with them but haven't driven them in snow or rain.

[dtuttle123]

I too have the Uniroyal Tigerpaws - been on for 4 years - good performance, and no problem.  I bought them because they were also available in whitewalls.

[gimp]

I checked on Micheline Harmony, Pirelli P 400, when I mentioned Coker Tires they kind of shook their heads, so I took that for a not good.
Right now I have Deans on. They have been on for about 15 years so the time has come to replace them.
So you both think that the Uniroyal Tigerpaws would be good.
Thanks I will look them up.

[Alex D]

I to am looking for some new tires for a 1967 250sl.  Any recommendations would really be appreciated.

Alex D
250 SL
Cleveland, OH

[dtuttle123]

Hi Alex - I too have a 1967 - 250SL - with the Tiger Paws.

[thelews]

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=12493.0

[dakman29]

Just my two cents - I put a set of 195/70/14, T rated Michelin Hydroedge tires on my 68 280sl.  Michelin had a $70 off a set of four deal going.  These are blackwall tires but I like both the look and performance so far.  Only had them on since late September. These replaced a set of 205/70/14 Sumitomo H rated tires.  So far I prefer the Michelins for both look and performance.

[hauser]

If WW are what you want have a look at Diamondback Tires.

Here's the link.  Once there click on the catalog.  I would recommend going with a 195/75/14 since it's close to the original size.  You could go 205/70/14 but may or may not have a rubbing issue.

http://www.dbtires.com/

[scoot]

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=12493.0

Exactly.  I have the Vrendenstein 185 Sprint Classic tires on my 250 SL and I love them.  I think I paid $136 each, free shipping from tiresbyweb

[Iconic]

Scoot,
I bought 4 tires for $257.60 with shipping ! (in May of '09)
And then I mounted them on aluminum wheels I bought from you ! 
The tires are Kumho Solus KR21 White Wall 195/75R14 (the closest diameter to original, except for original itself).
They feel great to me. No snow (sorry Peter), but yes on the rain. They did fine in the rain, but I was not pushing the limits.
I shot the aluminum wheels with black paint.
For inexpensive tires, I would, and did, consider these Kumhos.
Of course I run with hubcaps.

[ljg]

I purchased a set of Phoenix Firestone 185-14 (white walls) from Coker.  They are certainly correct.
ljg

[Ulf]

I'm on 205/70/14 ww Tiger Paws as well - no rubbing experienced, but quite heavy steering when parking. But when they need replacing (in 6-7 years?), I'm going for the original 185/14 size. After all, I'm pretty sure the German diploma engineers designing these cars had a pretty good idea about which size would work best... :-)

[thelews]

I'm on 205/70/14 ww Tiger Paws as well - no rubbing experienced, but quite heavy steering when parking. But when they need replacing (in 6-7 years?), I'm going for the original 185/14 size. After all, I'm pretty sure the German diploma engineers designing these cars had a pretty good idea about which size would work best... :-)

Not sure I agree with your last comment.  My 250 SL had 205/70-14 Michelins on it when I acquired the car.  It drove splendidly.  I do have the typical over-powered steering so I can't say the steering was heavy.  Tires were smooth as silk, looked good (beefy) and drove great.  Being 12 years old and often seeing 90 mph. in the car, I switched them out to 185 HR - 14 Vredesteins.  These too, are very nice tires, and the car does perhaps steer a bit more precisely, less turn of the wheel relative to car movement.  Before and after pics attached, after renaming.

Where I take issue with your German engineer comment is on my 190 SL.  The car came standard with 13" wheels.  I switched to 14" 205/70 - 14s on that car.  What a difference.  So much smoother, much more elegant ride.  More stable and the car looks proportionate with this size tire rather than looking like it's on training wheels.  Sure, it might be harder to steer at slow (parking lot) speeds, but it more than makes up for it once you're moving, which you should be doing.

[Ulf]

I agree with you in principle John - but it sparks off a new question, were the 205's even available back then? Surely beefier tires were available, but were wider/lower tires with the same rolling diameter even an option back then? I have no idea myself, and maybe my opinion is also based on what a lot of (especially young) people do with their cars, lowering then, fitting oversize rims with just a black rubber band instead of tires and beating the living daylights out of their undercarriages...
My daily driver is a BMW 5-series where the PO had 18" alloys fitted, I went back to the 15" steel wheels (with winter tires for now) and the car rides so much smoother, will also refurbish a set of 15" alloys in spring and sell off the big rolls to some hormone-crazed kid

A great weekend to you :-)

Ulf

[thelews]

With respect to newer cars, I agree with you on the oversize wheels.  My daily is a 2001 BMW 330 CIC and I used the first opportunity I could to get rid of the performance tires and put on softer all seasons (bought the car used with the sport package).  My wife had a BMW 540 IAT wagon with sport suspension and I took the 17" wheels off it and put on 16" with all seasons.  MUCH smoother ride and to our liking.  I can't put 16s on the 330 or I would (brakes too large).

I also agree with your assessment of availability of sizes and profiles back when our cars were built.  But, we do have options today, without going to the extremes of riding on wheels with a thin strip of rubber, and many of them work out nicely on our vintage cars...for those who like driving them.