Tires for a 57 Eureka

I need a new set of tires for my 57 Eureka...I am not sold either way on bias ply or radial...they both have their pros and cons...that said, any advice on the matter would be nice. Have you used properly load rated white wall radials on an old coach? Any issues?
I would like to approximate as closely as possible the white wall width...What is the proper ww width for a 57?
Any thoughts on brands and sources in either bias or radials? There is a local guy who has a set of bias ply tires in his garage for sale...they have never been installed on a car...they have been in his garage for about 4-5 years...given the fact that they have been indoors, they may be okay (??), but I have heard that time is time when it comes to tires...he wants 500 for the set of four.

Thank you all in advance for your advice...

My recommendation

I have had both 235-75-15 radials and 890-15 bias ply tires on my '54 Eureka. If you sit both tires side by side on concrete, there is a 3" difference in height, 1.5" in height based on mounted radius on the car. Doesn't sound like much but makes a substantial difference in appearance on the car. Even though the driving characteristics are different between the tires, I have gotten used to the bias plys and they seem to give me no problems. Mine are from Coker Tire. Phone them, tell them my name, buy the same ones I most recently purchased. They are the wide whitewall too. If you purchase radials, be sure to try to purchase XL rating for extra ply, extra weight capability. Hope this helps.

Tom Hoczyk said:

I have had both 235-75-15 radials and 890-15 bias ply tires on my '54 Eureka. If you sit both tires side by side on concrete, there is a 3" difference in height, 1.5" in height based on mounted radius on the car. Doesn't sound like much but makes a substantial difference in appearance on the car. Even though the driving characteristics are different between the tires, I have gotten used to the bias plys and they seem to give me no problems. Mine are from Coker Tire. Phone them, tell them my name, buy the same ones I most recently purchased. They are the wide whitewall too. If you purchase radials, be sure to try to purchase XL rating for extra ply, extra weight capability. Hope this helps.

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Thank you, it does help....the fact that the vehicle's appearance is altered, and it is very noticeable, matters to me. I drove my 59 with Bias Ply tires...kind of scary, but I guess getting used to it would be possible.

Would you consider using a 31" radial truck tire with an added white wall?

thanks

Oh, one more thing....do you know how wide the white walls are supposed to be to be correct?

I would have no problem using a truck radial that has the proper height dimension, and having a white wall put onto it by Diamondback Tire. From memory, I believe that the white wall was 3" starting at the rim of the wheel. Just be prepared for the sticker shock of the costs involved.

Stick with bias ply. No Cadillac 1970 or older should ever have radial tires on it! IMHO

The bias ply vs. radial argument is as old as radial tires themselves, and each recommendation is based solely on personal opinion. If your goal with your car is to have it judged, then you're stuck with bias plies, as so many clubs deduct points for radial tires. If your goal is simple driving enjoyment, my opinion is go with radials. Radials don't wallow all over the road, trying to follow every groove and railroad track, like bias plies do.

And here's another strictly personal opinion, deal with someone other than Coker. I have heard multiple stories about Coker tires failing, even though I personally have not had such an experience. But I have experienced their lack of customer service and their unwillingness to stand behind their products.

I will call on Monday to get a quote to add a white wall to a 31" tuck tire....I like the fact that the ride height will be the same...I like the fact that they can be obtained with a high load capacity...Maybe I am wimping out, but driving on bias plys scared the heck out of me...It was not a fun drive at all.

Like I said, I will call them on Monday. Hopefully, they are not too proud of what they do that they charge too much.

I will let you all know what they will cost me....and if I care to afford them.

The car clubs that are more in tune with the times, allow for safety upgrades without a point deduction in all classes, except for factory stock and factory stock restored.

I can save you some time. the corker / Universal 890x15 tires come in either 5 or 3 in wide walls get the 3. they are correct for you car,8 ply rated and the correct load rating. put 40 psi in them and your good to go.

the only truck tire that is offered in a radial is the 700x15. you can get them in up to a load range e. the only one making them is either Yokohama or Toyo. they are only offered in black wall. so one either need the porta walls or send them in to be put on. they are not raised white letter.

today it will run you a 1000 bucks to put tires on a car no matter what way you go.

John ED Renstrom said:

I can save you some time. the corker / Universal 890x15 tires come in either 5 or 3 in wide walls get the 3. they are correct for you car,8 ply rated and the correct load rating. put 40 psi in them and your good to go.

the only truck tire that is offered in a radial is the 700x15. you can get them in up to a load range e. the only one making them is either Yokohama or Toyo. they are only offered in black wall. so one either need the porta walls or send them in to be put on. they are not raised white letter.

today it will run you a 1000 bucks to put tires on a car no matter what way you go.

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Was thinking between 1000 and 1300 for a set of good tries. Thank you for the intel...

ive never spent more than $450 for a set of 4

Tires

I recently replaced the tires on my 1955 Meteor with a set of 265/70/15 radial with 3 inch white walls, from Diamond Back Classic tires. I can't brag enough about the ride ,handeling and good looks on the Meteor, this tire is guaranteed that the whitewall will never yellow due to a patented process.
I discovered a bubble in one of the whitewalls, the mfg. replaced the tire no questions and no charge to me, they did ask me to return the origional tire for them to determine what happened during manufacturing. I recommend you check their website www.dbtires.com.
Good luck.

Bill how wide are your 265s? the set I looked at were about 12 inches wide. there load rating was good and the diameter is right but they were to wide for the 72. I'm sure on a 50s car they would fit. but not a lot of room behind the skirts on that 72.

now Rick if you can get a set of white wall 235s with a load rating over 2000 lb for 450, will I'll be out there next week let me know were so I can get a set. besides it's my turn to buy.

I bought 3 sets of 5 tires for my hearses from Diamond Back and have many of them browning at the edges.

With other problems I had with dealing with them, the last set I bought was American Classic tires with a 1.6" whitewall.

All tires are 275-75-15 with a 1.6" whitewall as they are all 1960 or 1962 Cadillacs.

I will likely take photos and send them to Diamond Back to see what they say anyway.

The American Classics were about 165.00 a tire, DBs were about 245.00 a tire.


My many experiences... I love the look of a bias ply tires but Radials give a much better ride. Smooth, straight, corner really well, don't jump sideways after hitting a bump and don't follow grooves in the road, etc. Nothing negative about the ride height with the radials either as they are a couple inches lower than the bias ply.


I drive my cars sometimes thousands of miles in a single trip and that's why I what radials on my cars.

I agree that bias ply have a way less chance of blow outs even if really old, where radials have a good chance of a blow out if they are about 10 years old or cracked in the tread area.


If you have radials, always check the condition each year and replace old or cracked tires even if they have little mileage on them.


My opinion,
Darren

I agree that bias ply have a way less chance of blow outs even if really old, where radials have a good chance of a blow out if they are about 10 years old or cracked in the tread area.


If you have radials, always check the condition each year and replace old or cracked tires even if they have little mileage on them.


My opinion,
Darren[/QUOTE]

Blow outs are a factor on radial tires. I have a set of tires from DB on one of my cars. I bought the car with them on it but I was told they had less than 500 miles on them.The tires look great. I let my car set for a period of time and one of the tires seemed to be out of balance. I took the car in and one of the tires has a broken belt. A accident waiting to happen! If you let your cars sit and value your quarter panels I would go with bias ply. I've used both on my cars and never had a problem with the bias. They look better and last longer than the radials tires (age wise). Sure you are giving up some handling but people drove on bias ply tires for 70 years!

Since I enjoy driving my coaches I go with radials from Diamondback. 70,000 mile tires and no browning, not sure why someone else has this issue especially with so many sets, maybe the way they clean them? I don't know, I just know I know many people with them and never have had any troubles. The ones on my 49 are now 10 years old and still look as white as they did when they were new. I also know I would not put Cokers on anything I own even if they gave me the tires AND paid me to use them. But that's just me.

there are a lot of marginal tires out there. I have a set on my 72. if you running radials on the car keep the tires at max air presser. most of the extended load are now running at 50 psi cold. if your the kind of driver that can give the car it's head you can get along with bias

tires

Surprised no one mentioned the new radials with the sidewall look of a bias tire. You get the old look with the better road handling of a radial. I think these are also American Classics.
I have had Coker L78 bias wide whire walls on my 61 M-M. It is now riding on Diamondback radials with a 3" white wall. The radials are extra load rated. I explained to Diamondback that my coach is heavier than an every day Cadillac. I clean the whitewalls with Simple Green spray as per Diamondbacks instructions. No problems with the tires in any way so far.

Spoke with Bill at Diamondback...Great Guy! He got into the books....found me a few options...he said they can be made with any size WW that I need. He instructed me to gut under the car and measure to see how much room I have, but he is pretty sure that a 265 75 15 will fit...

There is a BFG 265 75 15 it is 30.7" tall, 10.5 wide, load cap. 2242 @ 44psi...tires are 269 each +130 to to ship 4 of them.....BFG says it will fit 7.0-9.0" rim.

Another option is a Cooper tire: 265 75 15; 30.4" tall, 10.6" wide, load 2245, 244 ea + 130 to ship 4....The Cooper books says they will fir a 6.0-8.0" rim.

I don't like to push the envelope when it comes to safety...the Coopers are made to fit my wheel size, so I am leaning toward them...on the other hand, Bill said that the BFGs would work too...He said that the BFGs are a well made, quality tire...Any thoughts on putting a tire made to fit a 7-9" wheel on a 6" wheel?

Thanks