P3 Tyres

achandler
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:45 pm

P3 Tyres

Post by achandler » Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:43 am

I am faced with replacing the tyres on my 1949 6 light P3 75. At present it is on 600x16 crossplies, (of unknown age, but known decrepitude).
My P3 does not do a great annual mileage, but the miles it does do are on roads that are certainly not up to the UK standards, including unsealed roads, and roads with ruts etc.
At the moment, steering is more "general supervision" rather than pin-point accuracy. I would like to try and improve it a little (quite a lot, would be even nicer!).
Should I opt for standard 600x16 crossplies, or "bite the bullet" and go for 175x16 radial tyres? Whichever I chose is going to cost me heaps, as living in New Zealand, whatever tyres I go for will cost me a minimum of 120.00 pounds each, as they all have to be imported from the UK.
Can anyone give me any advise, especially someone who has gone down the Radial road. I assume radial tyres are likely to be harder riding, but better directionally.

lakesrally

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by lakesrally » Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:22 am

Hi Adrian, I've no experience of radials on a P3 because I always put crossply tyres on it. I've never had a problem with directional stability and I also think radial tyres look wrong on a P3. I might be wrong and I'm sure others will disagree with me but that's my two-pence worth. Hope you are well.

dhbuchanan
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:01 pm

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by dhbuchanan » Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:47 pm

Directional stability on sub-standard roads is less of a problem with the P3: IFS counters the tendency towards wandering and tramlining encountered when driving a crossply-shod P2 on the HGV-rutted inside lanes of some of Britain's poorly maintained roads. That said, my experience of radials on "our" cars is that handling is dramatically improved. The P4 in particular can be driven like a sportscar.

One consideration for Adrian driving on rough NZ roads is that radials are more vulnerable to sidewall damage than the hardier crossplies and once damaged cannot safely, or legally, be patched-up.

Then there's the cost. USA-made 600X16 radials are £270 each in the UK, as against £99 for crossplies, so goodness knows what you'd have to pay in NZ. The 550X17 P2 radial, again imported from the only manufacturer in the USA, is priced here at £252. That makes £1260 for a set of 5! I considered that a price worth paying for the great difference radials made to the handling and stability of my P2. Whether Adrian will see sufficient difference with the IFS-equipped P3 to justify the high extra cost of radials is doubtful.
1939 20 H.P. Salmons Tickford D.H.C.

Bernie Hurren
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:59 am
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by Bernie Hurren » Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:47 pm

Hi All

I know a few guys down here in Oz who are using Falken 175/80R16 light truck tyres and are very happy with them. It is what I will be fitting when I get my P3 back on the road.

Bernie

achandler
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:45 pm

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by achandler » Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:16 pm

Thanks guys, certainly given me something to think about.
To give you a rough idea of costs here in New Zealand, a set of four 600x16 good quality crossplies, would cost me just under $NZ2000, approx 1300 pounds, but four 175Rx16 Austone Taxi tyres would be around $NZ800. As you can see there is a major cost saving, but if the effect is too dramatic, then maybe the extra cost will be worth it.

Tim Moore
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:09 pm
Location: Isle of Skye. North West Scotland

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by Tim Moore » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:33 am

dhbuchanan wrote:
Then there's the cost. USA-made 600X16 radials are £270 each in the UK, as against £99 for crossplies, so goodness knows what you'd have to pay in NZ. The 550X17 P2 radial, again imported from the only manufacturer in the USA, is priced here at £252. That makes £1260 for a set of 5! I considered that a price worth paying for the great difference radials made to the handling and stability of my P2. Whether Adrian will see sufficient difference with the IFS-equipped P3 to justify the high extra cost of radials is doubtful.
Howard, how interesting.....first time ( in my self-imposed wilderness...) that I have seen any reference ever to radial tyres on P2 17 inch, presumably rolled-edge, wheels....Last time I had the pleasure of seeing your 20dhc you still had it on 5.5 x 17 cross plies....

Who in USA did you get the radials from please? Did you still fit inner tubes? Have you fitted pressed steel rims like on later P3's to your P2?

Questions questions questions!!

Best Regards

Tim
Piloting and living with a P2 16 HP Export saloon around mainland Europe for well over 30 years; notably and since 1990 in the Scottish Highlands and Britain.

dhbuchanan
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:01 pm

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by dhbuchanan » Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:37 am

Your questions about P2 5.50X17 radials are easily answered,Tim, as radial replacements for crossplies are now big business in the tyre world. So far as I am aware, North Hants Tyres of Henry John House, 2, Ivy Road, Aldershot, Hants.GU12 4TX ; Tel.01252 318666; email: sales@northantstyres.com still have a UK monopoly in the supply of U.S. made Excelsior Sport Radial tyres. 5.50 R 17 is currently listed at £210.60+ VAT, so £252.72 each excluding delivery. Northants Tyres' classified ad. in Freewheel offers RSR members a 10% discount. I saved the expensive carriage by picking the tyres up on the way back from holiday.

Yes, you do need inner tubes, if like me you're riding on wire wheels with pressed steel rolled-edge rims. Play safe by fitting Michelin heavy duty. With the full pressed steel Easiclean type wheel, tubes may not be needed with radials- I don't know.

What I do know, from experience over the last two years, is that on radials the appalling rutting caused by HGVs in the left-hand lane of so many unrepaired roads in Britain is no longer causing my P2 both to tramline and wander all over the place to the detriment of road safety.
1939 20 H.P. Salmons Tickford D.H.C.

Dirkco
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:12 am
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by Dirkco » Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:24 am

Hello Adrian,

I put radials on my P3 about 3 years ago and it changed the car so profoundly I have put radials on my P2s as well. Seriously all the purists would be changing if they could drive my P3 for a mile or two. Prior to the change I rebuilt the entire front end and purchased crossplies and suffered wandering and generally bad driving. I should also mention I put a rebuilt steering box from Dave Toole in as well. I did all this to attempt to resolve the poor handling and nothing really made a difference until I put radials on.

Coker tire here in the USA sells them and so do a few other companies. I paid $120 each

www.cokertire.com

All the Best
Dirk in the States

p2roverman
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:52 am

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by p2roverman » Tue Nov 01, 2016 8:14 pm

A popular choice for the P3 on 16" wheels was '16" taxi tyres' used on London taxis and presumably available easily and relatively cheaply.
However, this was a while ago and the later London taxis may be on smaller wheels.
But, as others have said, there should be an extensive range of 16" radial tyres available without going to specialist vintage/classic tyre suppliers who understandably concentrate on sizes no longer commercially used in quantity. I'm sure a web search will find many options.

GraPar
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:58 am
Location: Ottawa / Gatineau

Re: P3 Tyres

Post by GraPar » Wed Aug 02, 2017 1:21 am

I'm late to the party but we just replaced the 600/16 with 185/75/r16 Maxtrek - Mk700 black wall $93cdn. Quality built looks very good.
One would think that they would be to wide... Not at all.
The tires + new radius ball bushing = near zero wondering and tram lining on deformed road.
The difference is massive, before, it was a rolling coffin, now a pleasure to drive.

Daniel

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