Kind of another tire thread

[Tatback]

Ok...I know how to use the search function and I use it quite a lot (keeps my questions down to a minimum)

 

I removed the wheels and tires on "Dorothy" and the 7.60 x 15's were dry rotted a little with only one being pretty bad,  and not knowing the age of the tires its just best to replace them. I don't want to start another debate on which is better, bias-ply or radials. Im going to go Radials as the roads I will use most often all have 55+ speed limits. 

 

The tires that came with the car are Allstate Guardsman 4-ply polyester Tubless 7.60-15

 

 

Ive found a couple sizes recommended:

 

205 75 15

215 75 15

225 75 15

 

 

I just want to know which ones you guys are currently using or recently used and how you like(d) them. I'm not going to go with white walls. Just simple black radials is all I want. Also where did you get them from and approximate cost. Being in West Palm Beach it seems like a hit or miss with the price. 

 

This is the worst one, the rest look like this one without the deep cracks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

That tire looks like it sat flat for some time too.

[P15-D24]

I would stay away from the 225, makes low speed steering really heavy. (I have them on my B1) 

[Tatback]

I was told the car was sitting since the early 80's so you're right about being flat. 

 

And thank you Webmaster, this is exactly the type of answers I'm looking for. Looks like I'm down to the 205 or 215 then. 

[Seaside Pete]

You can do some calculations, because the width of the tread x 75% (series) = the height of the sidewall x 2 + the dia of the wheel.gives you the rolling radius so, you can then compare it with you existing wheel/tire and make your choice.

 

Example using the 205 75 x 15. remember radials are measured in metric.

 

 

205 x 75% =      153.75

15" wheel x 25.4 = 381 This is converting " to mm

 

so the rolling radius of the tire is:     

 

153.75        (top sidewall)

153.75        (bottom sidewall)

381.00        (wheel dia)

 

688.50        (total rolling radius)

 

 

Pete

Edited June 1, 2015 by Seaside Pete

[_shel_ny]

205/75 will probably convert to being a shorter tire. Will cause more speedo/odo error than the 215/75. I ran 235's on the rear of my D24. Reduced the rpms on the engine, but increased the speed/odo error.

 

Tire size chart showing how tall the tires are, but I can't locate it now.  Maybe someone will post it again.

[Seaside Pete]

If you use the calculations that I have listed above you can work them out yourself.

 

Pete

[greg g]

I run 215 75 15 on the rear, and 205 75 15 front. My car was on 16 inch rims, so these are a bit shorter than stock. An indicated 65 on the speedo shows 61/62 on the GPS. This with 4.11 to 1 gears. I starred with 205's all around but changed to the 215 rears to drop a few rpm at cruise. First set was tiger paws from W mart at about 40 each. Rear pair are from Pep boys. Easily found and replaced if necessary on the road. I am running after market rims that replaced the stock 16's.

[46Ply]

There's a lot of calculators out there, but here's a pretty good one:

http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-chart/

[Tatback]

Thank you for the calculator... Im pretty sure I'm going to go with a 215 75 15 BUT I'm just trying to see what everyone else is using and how they like them. Any pros and cons of one tire over the other. 

[Don Coatney]

Radial tires are fatter than bias ply tires. With radials installed on my P-15 it is necessary to jack the unsprung weight in order for the tires to slip under the rear fenders. In other words I must jack the frame up and not the differential. 

[Tatback]

I actually had to jack my car up like that to get the tires that were on it off. They are pretty tall tires and that mixed with how much this car has "settled" since new...it was a small challenge

[Plymouthy Adams]

going 225-75-16 on mine but I am upgrading to better modern wheels at the same time...most folks here with stock rims settle for the 205's

[Tatback]

I just wanted to pass this calculator along also that I've been using. Simple and allows comparison. 

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?tires=215-75r15-205-75r15

[BobT-47P15]

I personally think 215 is the best size.....both for proportion in the fender well and for the part about 

rpm's.   I once ran some 205s but felt they were a tad bit small,    Radials are indeed harder to turn

at a stop or a low speed, but more than make up for that in their driveability on the road.  

The 75 series is a little taller and more narrow than the 60 series.

 

The radials make the front end seem like new, even if it has some play in it.  

Noticed that big time when I replaced some radials with bias ply..........next will go back

to radials.  

 

In regard to jacking the car up to change a tire...... the rear of the car (due to the sagginess of

the leaf springs) has to go waaay up in the air.  So now I always carry a small rolling hydraulic

jack, AND the old original bumper jack.  Might even want a slab of wood to go under the bumper

jack base.  And a couple good blocks (chocks) to put in front of the opposite tires.  You have to be 

real careful with those bumper jacks........be on as level a spot as possible.  And I put a rag of

some sort between the jack and the nice new chrome of the bumper.  Original style jacks can usually

be found on eBay.  On a P15, they actually did not provide a specific place in the trunk to hold the

jack and lug wrench.  So you just have to either lay it in there, or invent your own hold down system

possibly involving the spare tire.  

 

How do some of you fellows mount your original jacks.......might be an interesting show & tell. 

Edited June 1, 2015 by BobT-47P15

[DonaldSmith]

Not quite original, but where the original jack would fit.  The little bracket at the lower right would hold the column of the bumper jack.

 

 

(This is the DeSoto Suburban, with the Bakelite panels in the cargo area.) 

Edited June 1, 2015 by DonaldSmith

[Tatback]

Bob, perfect answer and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much. I found some at the Sears a few mins away. Looks like I'll try to drop off the old wheels and tires this weekend. No in a huge rush as I'm pulling off the steering wheel tonight to fix all the cracks and restore it.

[greg g]

If you are going tubless with stock rims, be aware that some have oval shaped valve opening. You need to use 2 piece truck type screwon valve stems.

[soth122003]

I'm running 205/75/15 on my P-15. $265.00 from walmart for a set of 4. Here is a tire chart for you to gander at.

 

Tire Conversion Chart, Old Sizes To Radial Size
 Old Size Letter Size 82 Series 80 Series 75 Series 70 Series 65 Series 60 Series 50 Series
6.00-14 155R14 175/70R14 185/65R14
6.45-14 155R14 175/70R14 185/65R14
6.50-14 175R14 185/75R14 195/75R14 215/60R14
6.95-14 175R14 185/75R14 195/75R14 215/60R14
7.00-14 E 185R14 195/75R14 205/75R14 225/60R14 245/50R14
7.35-14 E 185R14 195/75R14 205/75R14 225/60R14 245/50R14
7.50-14 F 195R14 205/75R14 215/70R14 235/60R14
7.75-14 F 195R14 205/75R14 215/70R14 235/60R14
8.00-14 G 205R14 215/75R14 225/70R14 245/60R14 265/50R14
8.25-14 G 205R14 215/75R14 225/70R14 245/60R14 265/50R14
8.50-14 H 215R14 225/75R14
8.55-14 H 215R14 225/75R14
9.00-14 J 225R14
9.50-14 L
6.00-15 B 165R15 165/80R15 185/70R15 195/65R15 205/60R15 225/50R15
6.50-15 C 175R15 195/70R15 205/65R15 215/60R15
6.70-15 F 195R15 205/75R15 215/70R15 235/60R15
6.85-15 C 175R15 195/70R15 205/65R15 215/60R15
7.10-15 G 205R15 215/75R15 225/70R15 235/65R15 245/60R15 265/50R15
7.35-15 E 185R15 195/75R15 205/70R15 215/65R15 225/60R15
7.60-15 H 215R15 225/75R15 235/70R15 255/60R15 275/50R15
7.75-15 F 195R15 205/75R15 215/70R15 235/60R15
8.00-15 J 225R15 225/75R15 235/70R15 265/60R15
8.20-15 K
8.85-15 J 225R15 225/75R15 235/70R15 265/60R15
9.00-15 K
9.15-15 L 235R15 235/75R15 255/70R15 275/60R15 295/50R15
9.15-15 N 305/50R15

 

Hope this helps.

 

Joe

Edited June 2, 2015 by soth122003

[Tatback]

Wow, thank you for that. Really does make it easier. Saving that for a print out

[DonaldSmith]

My jack, revisited.  For some reason, I found it better to store the jack vertically, in the bracket that secures the spare tire.  I secured a wood wedge above the jack to provide something to raise the jack against, to secure the jack.

 

 

Besides wheel chocks I also have wood blocks to place under the jacks.  

 

 

 

I keep the pictorial instructions with my jack, as a reminder. 

[BobT-47P15]

Good pics Donald.  Does that arrangement raise the rear wheel /tire enough for easy removal and mounting?

 

I see you are using a new style scissor jack, which is fine...........   where do people store their original

bumper jacks........those long skinny things?  Apparently when a P15 was new, the jack was sitting in a box in

the trunk floor...........then it was up to the owner to figure out what to do with it.  The boxes are very rare today.

 

Guess you could invent your own box................if desired. 

When new, you could have ordered a tool roll with a P15 (or probably any other Chrysler product)........I don't have the

canvas holder, but the roll included some items similar to what I have laid out here.  The things on the right are.........

tire changing irons.    (Had them made from pieces of leaf spring at a spring shop.)

 

[DonaldSmith]

BobT, I found that it took the two wood blocks under the jack to make enough height to get the wheel off.   For the front, the blocks and jack are at the stabilizer bar anchor, to get enough lift. 

 

Regarding jack stowage,  it looks like the jack was placed behind the spare tire, with the tire tightened against the jack.  Maybe that was just for the DeSoto Suburban, since the spare is exposed.  There is a removable part of the wood cargo floor at the spare, which allows the tire to be removed and also gives access to the space under the wood floor for storage, or stowage, of the jack handle, chocks, blocks, etc.      

[Young Ed]

I have no idea where it came from but mine has this tool roll

[Ulu]

My car did not have the bumper jack with it, nor would I ever use a bumper jack if there was any other way, including digging a hole under the flat tire to get it out.  

 

I used to carry (2) 1.5 ton hydraulic jacks, chocks, and a few bits of 2x6 with me.

 

My chocks were bright yellow USAF chocks from Hill AFB, with the GI pull-ropes attached and stenciled with black block letters

 

Nowadays I carry folding steel chocks with teeth.