Tyres confused !!!

[Jas Gt6 68]

Thanks for reading, I've recently inherited my dad's 1968 Mk 1 GT6. It's totally original in great shape albeit a few minor marks. 

Before he passed dad bought some 4.5j 13" wire wheels with adaptors from Rimmer bros. 

 

Id really like to get these fitted to the car, I'm quite good with the spanners, my questions are.

 

Is is better to cut the original studs once the adaptors are fitted ? Or remove the original studs and fit shorter ones.

What tyres are best for that size wheel ? 

Are tubes required?

Are rim bands required

 

Thanks for reading ! Any advice and info greatly appreciated.

J 

[Pete Lewis]

on a 4.5J i woulds go no more than the normal 155/80/13    many use 175/70 but will be a bit fat on a std rim  

wires...  cant advise on studs , can advise wires need a lot of maintenance to keep them taut and round , they do flex a lot  and can wreck handling ..but look nice

there are tubeless wires about but if you can see the spokes youre in for a lining band , and tubes, not many modern tyres like having a tube and many places wont fit them , find a tyre place that deals in MG and E types  etc.

disadvantages are with a tube ,a flat is instant and can search for a ditch or hedge or  central reservation  etc. 

they distort a lot making for less precise  handling   than a steel or alloy

can be a pig to keep clean 

advantage  they can look nice 

just some ramblings  

Pete

 

 

[Mad4classics]

If you still have the standard studs then these will not need cutting; but you must use the special nuts to mount the adapters to ensure the wire wheel sits fully home on the cone and doesn't rest on the nut.

Sometimes studs get changed for longer / bigger ones when alloys are fitted.

David

[Badwolf]

Hi Jas, welcome to the forum. I would drive the car and enjoy it as your Dad left it to you for the time being and decide about rims and tyres when you have spent some time behind the wheel getting used to the handling.

[Colin Lindsay]

Don't immediately write off the original steels, with good chrome hubcaps and rim embellishers they can look really well.

 

 

 

[Jas Gt6 68]

Thanks for all the replies much appreciated

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Hi All,

Can you help with tyre pressures front and rear?

I've got a 1976 spitfire 1500 standard steel wheels with 175/70 R13 82T tyres, I can not find these in the original literature ???

[Colin Lindsay]

Modern tyres are a different kettle of fish from the originals, I know the handbooks will give a figure that these days seems quite low, maybe 24 - 26 but I run all of mine somewhere between 28 - 30 on the advice of my fitter.

[Pete Lewis]

your tyre size is as close to the orig as you can get , the book pressures are for very different tyre design of the day  i would use what Colin suggests ant then trial and error to get the handling without a ride on a brick suspension 

keep the pressure differential front to back is wise 

but up the psi by 4 to 6 psi seems what many find good.

Pete

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Hi Both thanks very much.  When you say "keep the pressure differential front to back is wise " do you mean front, at say 28 rears at 32 etc ?

 

Thanks very much 

[dougbgt6]

Manual for GT6 says 20 front, 24 rear which as said, is way too low for modern tyres. I've tried 26 and 30 but that's a bit bouncy.  Now running  24 and 28.

Doug

[Pete Lewis]

the balance ...yes  you can play around to get the car to feel how you like it but the difference in the manual  between front and  rears  was based on many 

handling  and data collecting tests by triumph .   to get the balance of  steering / handling  its hard for any of us to replecate that work 

hence general advice is up the pressures for modern tyres and keep the front rear psi differential.from the manual 

 

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Ah, cheers got it, thanks very much.