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Considering replacing older BFG TA Radials with look alike to OE GoodYear Polyglass or Firestone Wide O Oval with an FR70-15. One of the look alikes has an S speed rating which doesn't instill confidence in the construction type.
Car gets driven very sparingly. Trying to balance the period correct look v safety/quality/performance of completely modern designs.
I bought BFG Silvertown red stripe radials from Coker for my '68 and '69 4-4-2 convertibles. What a horrible mistake. They look absolutely great but it's almost like those reproduction radials are out of round and you can't get a good balance on them. My best luck has been with Diamondback Classic Radials. What they do is take a modern day tire and put the stripe on it that you want (red stripe, white stripe). With a modern day radial you are pretty much assured of getting a good wheel balance whereas with the reproduction tires (especially radials; don't know about the reproduction polyglas or wide ovals) it didn't turn out well for me. I had hoped the repro radials would give me a much better ride and handling but, without a good wheel balance, it's just a rough ride down the road!
I bought BFG Silvertown red stripe radials from Coker for my '68 and '69 4-4-2 convertibles. What a horrible mistake. They look absolutely great but it's almost like those reproduction radials are out of round and you can't get a good balance on them. Randy C.
I've purchased 2 sets of Coker vintage radials and I love 'em. My recommendation is to find another tire shop to take care of your tires. I’d wager in your case, it is either a tire or a wheel that is causing your problems, or both.
If in your shoes, I would suggest to first call ahead and ask the shop if they true and balance the tire on the car. If not, call someone else. Eventually, you will find a tire shop that didn't throw out the machines that can true the tire and wheel as they rotate on the car. And a tech that can balance the wheel on the car. Plus, don't let them mount a weight on the outside of the rim as that just ruins the look, in my opinion, and especially so, if you run poverty caps.
A shop interested in providing good service and stewardship for your vintage automobile will mount your tires and tell you to go hit the expressway and run them until they get good and warm, then return to have the tires trued and balanced. The guy that keeps up with my tires tells me new tires are seldom perfectly round, and too, seldom is found a 50-year-old wheel that is true either. Plus when you have the tires trued, mark the rim and hub if you remove them so you can remount them exactly as before.
I’ve done this with my vintage cars and I have a showroom ride as a result. Hope this helps you with your issues.
It took me three seasons to find a shop that could align my 66 Cutlass and balance my new BFG Silvertown Red lines. I run them at 35 pounds. No outside weights.They are fine now. My convertible is the most quiet since I bought it.
Beautiful automobile, Wayne. Yep, I run my vintage radials at 35psi too.
Oftentimes the problem is neither found with the tire or the wheel. Problems can originate from strange places, like the driveshaft slinging a weight and suddenly you have vibrations from that. That problem can easily be confused with tire or wheel problems.
tnswt, thanks I enjoy driving it. It's a factory 4-speed car which surprises a lot of people. They ask if its a 4 forty 2.
I learned one thing and that is the tires I have are "M&S, mud and snow. The road noise in a vert will continue. Next set of tires will require more research.
Thanks
Wayne
Last edited by 35tac; March 1st, 2021 at 03:39 AM.
February 28th, 2021, 12:06 PM
