Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

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MichaelPawelek
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Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by MichaelPawelek » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:23 pm

I have always used Firestone on my T’s and A’s but see from different sites some brands are out of stock. For the 21 x 4.40-4.50 are there any brands you would NOT recommend? This is for a ‘25 Coupe where a previous owner added the ‘26-‘27 wire wheels. Thanks


Banjoe
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by Banjoe » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:39 pm

My favorite tire is LUCAS but I am somewhat biased.

Joe Lucas
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Kevin Pharis
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by Kevin Pharis » Mon Sep 27, 2021 11:42 pm

MichaelPawelek wrote:
Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:23 pm
For the 21 x 4.40-4.50 are there any brands you would NOT recommend?
I’ve had good luck with Excelsior brand tires on my speedster... however, the newer production efforts seem to last fewer miles, and the mold finish seems to be degrading as well. A common story with the same manufacturer.

I don’t know how they perform yet... but I am really impressed with the mold finish of the 30x3-1/2” Blockley tires I just put on my touring car. I will be considering the Blockley 4.50 or 5.25-21” for my speedster in the relatively near future. I am also considering the Excelsior race tires that are DOT approved, and the American Classic radials that are USA manufactured. Not cheap... but if better quality, could be worth every penny

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Steve Jelf
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:54 am

If you're talking balloon tires, there may be some difference among brands. With clinchers, the only difference is between Blockley and all the others. All the clincher "brands" other than Blockley differ in name and appearance, but are made of the same materials, in the same Vietnamese factory, to the same specifications. Clinchers branded as Firestone, Wards, Universal, etc., are essentially the same tire with different names. One tread pattern may wear better than another, but I believe that's the only difference in how long they may last. Blockley tyres are also made in Vietnam, but by a different company which says they're of superior quality. They are just getting started in the USA and are being bought by a few people to see if they're as good as claimed. Our friend Seamus plans to be the US dealer when the shipping companies get over their Covid-induced problems. The last time I figured the numbers the Blockley price of £149 was 19% more than the Lucas Price for Wards. If they last 20% longer, or more, Blockleys will be cheaper per mile.
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by Alan Long » Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:56 pm

Rightly or wrongly, I have formed the opinion that Blockley are the current market leaders in quality Tyres and Tubes
for Model T’s. Their Tubes are excellent quality being 100% Butyl and a greater thickness material / weight than others.
The Company has had a very long association with car racing and Tyre manufacturing going back three generations.
If you are lucky enough to find Tubes from the 60’s that are still in good condition I believe these are a better bet than other new ones currently available.
My 1926 with the 4.40 / 4.50 x 21” Firestone’s have been excellent but they were made in the mid 80’s as well as the Tubes
which are 100% Butyl and don’t drop pressure year to year. Not one Tyre / Tube issue since 1996.
That’s my experience. Alan in Western Australia


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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by TXGOAT2 » Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:07 pm

I have Lucas balloon tires that are several years old. They look good and have performed perfectly, except that they seem to lose about 1 or 2 psi or so a week. I can air up to 30 psi cold and after a week or ten days they'll all be down to 28 psi cold using the same dial type gauge. I assume the loss is normal since they all do the same. I check the tires before taking the car out of the barn. If you have a vehicle sitting out in the sun around here, the tires on the sunny side will get hotter and give you a false reading. I have to run these tires about 6 miles on rather bad dirt/gravel/crushed rock roads every time I take it out. I expected the poor road surface to chew up the tire treads. So far, it has not happened. These roads are hard on any tire at any speed. There are some half-decent gravel roads in this area, but NOT between me and the nearest pavement.
Last edited by TXGOAT2 on Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:18 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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dlmyers
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by dlmyers » Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:09 pm

Here is a link to an older discussion about tires.
I'm not sure what is available today.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/708324/722284.html
The old forums are a gold mine of information.


TXGOAT2
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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by TXGOAT2 » Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:17 pm

Re: 21 inch tire sizes in the old discussion: Maybe they sell a Model A 21" tire as a Model T 21" tire. (?)


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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by Allan » Tue Sep 28, 2021 10:33 pm

Pat, do the tyres on your modern cars loose 7% inflation pressure in a week? I suspect not. Why should it be acceptable for it to occur with model T Tyres? It is not beyond manufacturers to make tubes that hold air. They just have to want to. Tubes which allow that sort of leakage are not fit for purpose.

Allan from down under.


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Re: Your Opinion On Tire Brands….

Post by TXGOAT2 » Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:02 pm

Most modern tires are of much heavier construction and most carry a higher volume of air. It only takes a very small amount of air to restore the pressure on the T tires. Modern pickup truck tires take a lot more air to raise the pressure the same amount. Still, I'd rather they'd go month or so rather than about a week. I usually air up the T tires off a 2 gallon air tank with 70 to 100 psi. For the truck tires, I use a line straight off an 80 gallon shop compressor that runs 125 to 150 psi. Dirt bike tires also seem to need frequent attention.

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