Wheels/Tyres: 164: tyre size

[woolfie1948]

Thanks John
Your reasoning sounds logical but unfoprtunately 185/70 is not a readily available size even if it is available from specialists - I have not looked.
Guitarman has suggested 165 80 15, which is what is on the car now, and these are readily avaible and at good prices. They are listed as car tyres on the websites - 86 or 87 loading and T speed rating.
It is my intentionto keep the car as pretty much standard as is reasonable so I would appreciate your thinking bearing in mind the car will be for normal road use.
Thanks
Jonathan

[Derek UK]

Standard on the carb 164 was 165/80/15 and still fine for general motoring. A better quality tyre might help with front trye wear due to the inherent understeer. The 164TE got the 175/80/15. The 175 size was fitted to very few other cars. Michelin used to make them for some of the Citroen ID/DS range. 185/70/15 available from Vredestein but not cheap. 195/65/15 readily available at reasonable prices and the often used on the ES to replace the standard 185/70/15. Power steering will mean that any increased heaviness due to wider tyres might even give you better feel and other 164 owners may want to comment on that.

The old "2 size" rule used to come into play when upsizing, e.g. 155/80 went to 175/70, 165/80 went to 185/70.Unfortunately the 70 ratio went out of fashion. There plenty of size calculators on the net. This is a simple but useful one. http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

[john h]

You should not go smaller than the OE tyres, but if the car was equipped new with 165/80 15, then that will be fine.

Some 165/80 and 185/70 options here.

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/sear...1026&x=35&y=16

The Michelins are expensive, but really excellent.

John

[woolfie1948]

Thanks John but I do not know what the OE was.
The handbook gives the tyre size as both 165/15 and 175/15 and the car is on 165s but the spare is 175.
Some say as if it has carbs it would have been supplied on 165s.
Maybe 195/65 would work as there are loads of them available at very reasonable prices.
Jonathan

[woolfie1948]

There seem to be quite a few not too expensive 195/70 available as well and according to the online calculator the speedo variation would be very small.

[Derek UK]

BEWARE- 195/70/15 is a commercial tyre size for vans etc. Don't know if there are any "normal" car tyres in this size. Don't use van tyres!

[woolfie1948]

Thanks for the warning - I think someone else mentioned this as well, and to my surprise it is not always clear on the tyre websites.
I have looked on mytyres where of 12 some are van tyres some are car tyres and some they don't bother to specify.
On blackcircles of 25 only 2 are for described as for cars, and on tyreshopper almost all are for vans even though the heading is car tyres!
In your previous post you mention 195/65 as a possible choice. They appear to be very good on price and choice but I think some are designed for 4x4 use so assume I should avoid these.
I am not desperate to buy now so will take all the above opinions on board (and any further contributions) before deciding but this warning appreciated, thanks.
There never seems to be a simple answer for this car.
Jonathan

[woolfie1948]

Please ignore my comment about 4x4 tyres these were 195/80 - I cant read my own notes!

[jon-]

Originally Posted by Derek UK

BEWARE- 195/70/15 is a commercial tyre size for vans etc. Don't know if there are any "normal" car tyres in this size. Don't use van tyres!

There are

http://www.tyresearcher.com/TyreSear...95-70-15-.html

The B390, A Drive and Rainmax are all car fitment.

I'm not sure which would suit your car though, the Bridgestone will likely have fairly firm sidewalls.

[woolfie1948]

Thanks for that, interesting website.
Its interesting to see they have one 175/15 and 185/15 listed - thought they were extinct.
Jonathan