MTFCA Forum

Hi, I know couple treads covering that topic in the past. But now in 2020, the reality changes and tires are not the same than previous decades. Which tires are the best to use and the easier to install in 2020? But I would like to know for 30x31/2 tires which one is the best so far. All were made in Vietnam by Universal Vintage tire so I suspect the price difference between Universal and Firestone is the license fee Universal has to pay to Firestone. We have COOKER, Lucas and Wards Riverside also in the market.

So the intent here is to heard what you experienced the last 3-5 years in the actual market in regards all tires manufacturer. We want facts, no bashing, we want scientific approach and experiences shares with respects.

My personal experience: I bought White Firestone tire for my 1911 touring and after 5 years they turning yellow no matter I protect them form UV light most of the time when I'm not driving my T and used the recommend tubes with them. I'm not mad about the supplier , I'm just disappointed but the other side side, my tires look more original in yellow than Cristal white. They also not easy to install or mounting on the rim. Took me 1 hour each with the help of my dad per tires. So 4 hours task.

I'm impatient to heard your experience and thoughts either.

I’ve used both Firestones and Universal T Drivers, they both were easy to install and have given me good service. The best wearing are original Wards Riversides, they last forever.

The only experience I have had with modern BE tyres was with a set of universal T drivers which came to me with an unfinished project. I fitted them to my 1917 shooting brake in 2013 and since then the car has done almost 2000 miles. The ones that were on the rear are almost gone, fronts at about 20%. They were easy to fit. Apart from that, the only good thing is they did not crack up in the sidewalls.

Allan from down under.

Universal T Drivers for me too!
Went on easily with tubes and flaps.
Much easier to put on than the 1960's Lincoln Highway Tires that I had to take off.
They were like four rocks!

Gene

My superb new tires from Blockley went on easily. I use tire irons that are 17" long. The sidewall on my Blockley tires is much thicker and stronger than the flimsy tires sold by Lucas and Coker. They cost more but you get what you pay for. https://www.blockleytyre.com/search

Gene, I forgot to detail that the T drivers I had were brand new when fitted, so the mileage is abysmal.

Allan from down under.

I installed brand new T-Drivers in July of 2019. They have 2900 miles on them and still have lots of life left. If your tires are wearing out at low mileages maybe something else is going on to cause premature wear.

Hi Chris.
I understand that the Blockley Tyres also have a balance mark on the side wall that indicates the lightest Section of the Tyre
If so, did you align that make with the Tube Valve?
I’ve also been told that the T will “handle”much better with these tyres. Have you noticed a difference?
How about the Tubes? These are HDuty and 100% Butyl and wonder if they are dropping any pressure?
Just seeking your personal experience as we are about to by 12 of each.
Alan in Western Australia

I'm interested also as I need to purchase a set of 4 also.
Thanks

364$ per tire with Blockley , really hope they are good tires. Never heard from them. It's look they made the tires by their own.

364$ per tire with Blockley

£149 = $196.68 USD = $257.77 Canadian = $275.65 Australian.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:24 pm

364$ per tire with Blockley

£149 = $196.68 USD = $257.77 Canadian = $275.65 Australian.

LMAO I add the tube and the shipping cost to Canada and that killing me. So I will keep my yellow tires

For me on the west coast I also have freight across Australia to consider.
I’m going for it! I have spoken to the Owner of the Company in the UK and for around $2000 Aus i can get a set of Tyres and 100% Butyl Tubes that will Out last my T Driving days!
The comfort of knowing a Tube won’t blow out or Tyre seperate while on the highway is priceless for me.
Others he in W.A. Agree and looks like we’re ordering 12
Alan in Western Australia

Those of us with 30x3" tyres are still waiting !! Hope I'm not down to cord before they offer them as well.

When I bought my latest T four years ago I reckoned a new set of tires would set me back around $ 1,000, delivered at that time. That's when the reports of discoloring white tires and generally shoddy quality began filtering in on the forum. That has put me off.

Meanwhile, tires of all types have become much more costly. Like Allan, if I can buy a set of Blockleys I reckon I'll be set for this life. I hate tire trouble !! (Even more fun with non-demountable rims !)

Those of us with 30x3" tyres are still waiting!!

No news yet. Maybe before next year?

https://www.blockleytyre.com/search

I can't count the number of white tires I have bought and mounted but it's in the dozens. I was using them on cars that were daily drivers and knowing they would last only about 5,000 miles didn't bother me. When I sold a car, it would usually go out with white tires and when I'd buy a another car it would get new white tires.

For a long time only Firestones were available in white, but later Coker introduced their "Commander" tire in white for less $$$ and I made the change to them instead and I bought loads of them, too. I wasn't unhappy with them.

Then Coker started getting shaky and production all moved overseas, the supply of white Commanders dried up and Firestone was again the only choice, so I laid out a healthy pile of money for six (two spares on that car) and mounted them only to have the same miserable experience so many had of them turning Hershey's chocolate brown.

During this time I bought four 36 x 5 straight side rib-tread Universals in all white for a car and they stayed white. I then heard they were discontinuing the 36 x 5 size in white and I have two cars that use that size so, like a greedy pig, I asked how many of them Universal had in stock; they had 16 so I bought them all. Most of the 16 turn brown - or will turn brown - when mounted. A friend bought five 35 x 4-1/2 for his 1914 (non-Ford) at this time and they all turned chocolate brown, too.

I haven't bought any 30 x 3-1/2 all white recently, and I need some - but I'm reluctant to get stuck with another raft of crummy brown tires. Like everyone else, I buy them to be white. Turning ivory doesn't much bother me (I still want white), but the dark brown is not cool. I've tried talking myself into learning to love them because they look just like period authentic gutta percha tires, but I can't make myself love the look. I still have the set of six brown Firestones I took off the car prior to letting it go to a new owner and replaced them with a new set of all black Coker Drivers and may put the brown ones on something just to run them off and get some disappointing use out of them. The problem I run into now is changing clincher tires (just like relining and reinstalling bands) is not the same fun adventure it was 45 years ago - I hate it. Arthritis in my hands makes fussing with the edges of the flap inside the tire carcass, then prying and beating the tire on the rim a really unhappy day. I can't do a set of tires in an hour or so any more, it takes an exhausting hour to demount the old and mount just one. In my mind's eye, I can still see my hands prying the tire over the edge of the rim and then just stripping it the rest of the way off the rim with my hands. No more. When I start the first one of a set, I am reminded how much ground I've lost with age. Every one is an ordeal and I just can't do a full set in one day. Being laid up with a sore back and unable to bend my fingers is not worth it, I now do it over the course of several days or a week.

In my next lifetime, I'm not going to have anything to do with old cars.

I understand that the Blockley Tyres also have a balance mark on the side wall that indicates the lightest Section of the Tyre
If so, did you align that make with the Tube Valve?
I was unaware of this.

I’ve also been told that the T will “handle”much better with these tyres. Have you noticed a difference?
Not yet. waiting on engine rebuild.

How about the Tubes? These are HDuty and 100% Butyl and wonder if they are dropping any pressure?
Very heavy rubber. Haven;t lost any pressure in several months.

Dan Haynes wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:31 pm

In my next lifetime, I'm not going to have anything to do with old cars.

Dan, that's the best argument for recruiting young enthusiasts to help us geezers with the heavy lifting ! Our old cars and "forty years' gatherings" tend to own us. When it's no fun anymore, it's time to quit.

Last night, I found letter, dated 8/16/1972, from Firestone to my grandpa about getting out of the antique tire business.

Darin

Dan Haynes wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:31 pm

The problem I run into now is changing clincher tires (just like relining and reinstalling bands) is not the same fun adventure it was 45 years ago - I hate it. Arthritis in my hands makes fussing with the edges of the flap inside the tire carcass, then prying and beating the tire on the rim a really unhappy day. I can't do a set of tires in an hour or so any more, it takes an exhausting hour to demount the old and mount just one. In my mind's eye, I can still see my hands prying the tire over the edge of the rim and then just stripping it the rest of the way off the rim with my hands. No more. When I start the first one of a set, I am reminded how much ground I've lost with age. Every one is an ordeal and I just can't do a full set in one day. Being laid up with a sore back and unable to bend my fingers is not worth it, I now do it over the course of several days or a week.

I went to the local welding store and got some of the extra-large "C-Clamp" Vise Grips... they allow me enough leverage to do what my no-longer nimble fingers can do.

I'm still waiting for the Blockley 30x3's... I may just order the 30x3 1/2's, put them on the rear, and then do the x3's when (and if) they ever show up... those and 28x3's for the old bike (tho I'm still partial to the "non-skid" pattern for bikes, as they're like a normal motorcycle tire shapewise) as they build their tires to run at "normal highway speeds"... We'll just have to wait and see.

Seamus was the Guinea pig for Blockley's 30 x 3-1/2 on the rear of his '14 and he said they cracked very soon after putting them in service. Since he was experimenting with them in real life in real time, he told Blockley about the cracks and they changed their rubber formulation. I like the fact that they are taking quality seriously and are fine-tuning it for improvement.

Since all the other tires on the market are made in the same factory from the same soft rubber and they all wear out in the same short time, if Blockley can get a good good formulation on a sound tire carcass and they wear like old Ward's Riversides, that would make a lot of people very happy. That was a run-on sentence, wasn't it?

IIt was a "Run on" sentence about a tire I can't wait to run on... May just go ahead and order the 3 1/2's and tubes now, and get the 3's when they come out.

Need to check about flaps.

I hope a U.S. dealer will soon carry the Blockey brand. From what I've seen so far, I think the tread design is not good looking. Perhaps if I was to see one I would change my mind. Next, on the tubes. I wonder if the valve stems are the same exact dimensions as the originals, and if they supply tubes that we can use our original authentic hardware on? What country are the manufactured?