14” Tyre choice??

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YellowBay69

Well-known member
Joined
May 27, 2019
Messages
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Year of Your Van(s)
1969
Van Type
1969 Bay Window
Need advice on tyre choice. Got original 14” wide 5 wheels and not sure of best tyres. Want to stay fairly stock - maybe lose a little of the profile ?? Also using atlas white walls which are staying so need some suggestions on size.
Also - if I have original wheels can I run tyres without inner tubes?? (That’s what’s in it now)
 
These are fairly old wheels, and this may be the reason for running tubes in the tyres. If you stay with stock on the rear especially the profile then everything stays in rhythm as in engine revs are cool with cooling and cool with tyre revolutions and your revs are cool with your gearbox especially the ratios, stock is designed to run all these things in harmony. Reduce the profile and your gearing will be a bit lower which is great for getting up hills but not much else, then your motor will be revving more to maintain the same speed. Lower profile tyres are a fantastic marketing tool for tyre sales as the bugger up much easier especially on a van. Without changing your rim size (stock) you are making it a bit harder for your old van when doing what it’s sposed to do, as in cruising.

Ozziedog,,,,,, ice colour tooo :mrgreen:
 
Hi Ozziedog - I appreciate you taking the time to answer my enquiry, thanks.
As you can tell from the timeline I’m not big on I.t and therefore get on the forum much.
Hoping to get on more now.
Will get some stock size tyres and cruise with ease - when she’s finished!
 
Hankook 185R14 vantra tyres RA18 is what I’m using. They are stock size and have strengthened side walls to help with stability [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
2 1656014HVREDRWA79XL:QTRC5:6302[2] Vredestein Tyres
Season Car / Vredestein Quatrac5 Vredestein Quatrac 5 -
165/60 R14 79H XL TL Fuel Eff.: C Wet Grip: C
NoiseClass: 1 Noise: 68dB
2 1856514TVREDRWA86L:QTRC5:6128[2] Vredestein Tyres
Season Car / Vredestein Quatrac5 Vredestein Quatrac 5 -
185/65 R14 86T TL Fuel Eff.: E Wet Grip: C NoiseClass: 1
Noise: 68dB
 
Thanks for feedback- hopefully won’t be long now until i’m ordering new tyres as that was one of last jobs to do before she’s finished!
🌈🌈👍
 
My two-penneth, based on experience with tyre shops, hope it helps with your decision:
I run 185R 14C, proper load rated, 8ply sidewall, Firestone Vanhawk tyres on my OG steels. These are standard aspect ratio of 82%. I looked for correct rated, lower profile but couldn't find any to fit and it's not a good idea running car tyres on a bus. The Firestones are a good solid tyre for £260 all-in on an offer when I got them.
I always go for decent brand and good tread pattern
For the bigger tyre retailers, online prices are massively discounted and the prices cannot even be matched at the tyre shops.
Just a note to maybe help out:
As a rule, if no aspect ratio is given then it is 82% of the tyre width.
Standard 185 14 tyres sidewall height is roughly 152mm. (82%)
185 70 14 sidewall height is roughly 130mm (70%)
So around 20mm drop with the lower profile.
Cheers and good luck with whatever you go for.
 
My standard steel wheels have 195/75 x 14" Hankook Optima tyres fitted, they come with a thin whitewall on them.
They were on the van when i bought it, quite impressed with grip in wet and dry.
 
Thanks again for the input 👍

Anyone else had experience with inner tubes ??
🌈👍🧻
 

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