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Another tyre question ... again ..

Hi All,

MOT time soon on the Rickman Ranger (MII Escort based Suzy jeep looking kit car) and that has reminded me I never fully resolved the tyre issue.

It has run Colway 185/80/14's M+S remoulds since we built it over 18 years ago but they are no longer available and I'm (still) having real trouble finding anything suitable.

'Suitable' in this case means ...

185/80/14. Whole bag of worms changing wheels etc and I have 5 perfectly good 6J - 10 spoke steel rims that were made for it.

M + S pattern. About the only thing this car does well considering (apart from being simple to maintain etc) is how well it works on tracks and trails (and snow should we ever see that again). They also look 'right' on this vehicle.

4 ply. I've tried (from memory) 8 ply 'van' tyres and I didn't even need to put air in the rears as they were so stiff. The car is a bit heavier than it's donor but we still use it as a car, it isn't a truck.

If we can get all the above we (the missus and I built it), would still spend a reasonable sum on the tyres (~50 quid each) but would rather not as this project is fairly low priority at_the_moment.

So, the best I can find (in this country) at the moment are these:

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"WT 60 185 R14 94P RF *remould*, studdable"

I don't care that they are remoulds, they have them in stock they are a good price and seem to have some of the look we need and it doesn't matter how well they will last (within reason) as we don't do many miles in it.

But, I'm unsure how stiff the sidewalls are (as lest it doesn't mention 8ply or van and I've rung mytyres and they are 'looking into it' for me) and can't find any other mention of them via Google?

A load rating of 94 would suggest they aren't going to be a stiff as the 100+ rated tyres (and the lowest I've seen in that size is 91) but I'm a bit worried by the RF bit .. does that mean 'reinforced'? :-(

Now if I lived elsewhere I believe I would have a better choice ..

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I rang one supposed UK dealer of Gislaved tyres and he said they simply can't get any of the winter stuff over here (so I'm not sure why they would show them on their web site but hey). :-(

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So, I'll stick some std cheap 'summer / road tyres' on there if I have to but for the sake of the extra few quid I'd rather try and find the right thing.

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. About the only other contender is the Toyo Snowprox S930 but they are getting a bit expensive ..

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Reply to
T i m
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You could try Vredestein SnowTracs...

Top end of the price range, and might not be gnarly enough for you, but I like Vredesteins...

Reply to
PCPaul

Hmm, they aren't bad Paul (thanks) and quite a bit cheaper than elsewhere ..

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Loads of reviews as well and they all look very positive (so a good performing 'semi gnarly') .. and higher speed rating than the 'Winter Tact' jobbies. ;-)

What I find really confusing / frustrating is often when I go to check out the details on the manufacturers web site I find that tyre doesn't exist (yet / now)?

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Like where is the 185/80?

It also confirms the 'RF' does mean reinforced so will that mean stiffer (6-8 ply) sidewalls?

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

PCPaul (PCPaul ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

185 is quite narrow for 6" rims. Is there sufficient clearance for wider 70 profile tyres?

I've got Vrede Snow+ on the 4x4 2cv, and they're very good indeed. My one quibble is that for serious offroad use, they could be a lot chunkier.

Reply to
Adrian

Hmm, it is on the upper end of the scale that's for sure Adrian. Erm, well, at the moment I think the answer is no as I believe anything wider *may* touch the outside edge of the lower coil spring cup .. but as I intend converting to coil-overs soon that may not be a problem? I'll have a look round it again when the weather warms up and see if there is anything likely to be a problem (I think the rears would be ok).

With brand new tyres on the front they used to just skim the back of the front arch under heavy breaking but I've since fitted polybushes (tca's antiroll bar, rack etc) so I don't think the track control arms will allow the wheels as far back any more.

Do you have an alternative in mind then please Adrian? 205/70 14 maybe? (only ~.3" smaller diameter). I'll have to check to see if the extra 10mm inside and out would cause any issues (coilovers excepted etc). FWIW mytyres seem to have even less in that size but the do have this in a 195/75R14 ..

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Getting more expensive again though but only .1" smaller diameter than existing.

Yeah, putting the unused spare on the other day reminded me how nice they look in 'chunky' and how well they have worked in the past.

I was out in the Ranger in the snow a few years ago and wondered why everyone was driving sooooo very slowly. It wasn't until I jumped in the Sierra Estate did I realise just how good the M+S tyres on the Ranger were! We have also driven it fully loaded up some pretty nasty tracks (nasty for a 1300 MkII Escort particularly) and in one instance parking in a pretty rough and recently ploughed field. Much to my surprise it drove out without needing the tractor. ;-)

Ok, being realistic it's still only a 2wd (but at least the right two wheels ) with no diff lock but my point is in those circumstances it's the tyres that are doing much of the work (having the 4.44:1 diff also helped) ;-)

That and the suspension (ala your 2CV) something I really must sort soon (the Rickman supplied springs are better suited to a 40 tonne truck!).[1]

All the best ..

T i m

[1] I think I need to:

1) Get the front on a weighbridge and get a reminder what weight we are talking about.

2) Order the suitable coil-over kit and springs and weld the threaded part in the right place knowing a) the new spring rates, b) the actual load and c) the required ride height (and then I can adjust for anything I've forgotten or couldn't measure from there).

3) Enjoy having some working front suspension again (the std Escort springs were fine but a bit short / low).

Reply to
T i m

T i m (T i m ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Ewww... Spacers?

Sorry! Tall 14" tyres aren't exactly common these days. If you went to

15s, you'd have a LOT more choice - but you'd really be pushing arch space, I presume.

Umm, that's a 185/80 14...

Reply to
Adrian

The 185/80x14 is on the 14" tab... ;-)

It has a higher load index and is indeed 'RF' so I guess it would be a stiffy. Oo-err.

How about the 195/70x14 instead? (If you can find them)

Remember, smaller diameter tyres would give you all that extra acceleration ;-)

Reply to
PCPaul

Hmmm, they still legal (not that I'd use them if they were)?

Well I assume you could get the same rolling radius just with a lower profile tyres etc?

Doh ..

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Oh btw, I think you were one of the kind guys who gave me info re coilover suppliers when I asked ages ago (probably this time last year).

I have:

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.. but I think somewhere else had a bigger range of springs?

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

T i m (T i m ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

AFAIK. They seem to be fairly widely available, anyway.

Yes, but would that give you the "right look"?

A quick calculator sess suggests 195/65 15 would be about right - and a look on MyTyres for availability shows a wide range, starting at £30 for the wonderfully named LingLong Winter Hero. I don't give a f*ck if they DO (inevitably) have all the grip of a labrador puppy on wet lino, that name has to be the clincher.

Unlikely. I know nothing about 'em.

Reply to
Adrian

Doh, sorry Paul .. it's one of those days .. I really should have stayed in bed .. :-(

Hmm, and been there didn't like that. *Luckily* at the time I had a CF campervan that I think had the same size tyres and I put them on that.

Well, I'm sorta open to anything ... especially something someone else knows / like etc.

When we first built the car we fitted the 14" wheels (std fit for the Rangers) the poor little (88k) 1300 couldn't pull top gear. After doing the calcs, replacing the 3.19:1 diff with a 4.44:1 (from a 1.1 Van) brought the rpm / mph back to pretty well what the original Escort would have been.

I was going to put the 2L Pinto in (from my Sierra Estate) but when I got the (50 mpg) Rover 218SD the Ranger sorta became surplus and hence why is has only done 3 miles since the last MOT[1]. However, the Rover is coming up to 200,000 miles and could go bang any second so the Ranger would probably be pressed back into regular service then, certainly for the local running about etc.

Well I can remember at 70 mph the little 1300 is 'singing' ... but then higher gearing is more useful 'off road' and around town ...

All the best ..

T i m

[1] And as it happens would cost more TAX and an insure (compared with the 1.3) and be nearly impossible to get our 17 daughter insured on when she get's bored with riding her 125 scooter ..
Reply to
T i m

T i m (T i m ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

ITYM lower gearing.

Higher gearing would reduce the revs for any given speed.

Reply to
Adrian

Like I said .. I should have stayed in bed Adrian .. :-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

I haven't had Snow-Tracs but the Hi-Tracs I put on when I lived in Wales were just the job on 1:3 hills with wet leaves on...

Heh. My 1100 Escort (Mk II) was absolutely useless. Could only get to

70mph with the wind behind it. And my mates 1600 was far more economical, as well as actually being fun to drive.

The first XR3 had the same 'high torque' engine as the Scrote van, but the van had the lower diff so it beat the pants off the 'sporty' car model. Hence the XR3i was rushed out...

Reply to
PCPaul

Ok ..

Well, couldn't a lower profile tyre on a bigger rim end up the same dimensions?

Ah, now that's another issue ... do I want my Ranger looking like some X5 or Porsche thingy .. no! ;-)

Hmmm .. unfortunately 15" rims to fit Mk2 Escort stud pattern and with the right offset etc might be tricky to find (less you know otherwise)?

LOL!

Doh .. back to bed for me then ... :-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

It is isn't it. ;-)

Now, for 'gentle' acceleration the 1300 Mk1 auto we had was hard to beat and was only beaten by my Uncles 1500 (or was it 1300) VDP Allegro!

Yeah, after contemplating putting the 2L Pinto in (lots of things to swap about etc) I think I've decided a clean 1600 might be a better bet. The 1800 (A Max is it) would probably be more complicated to install than just the extra 1" height tween 13 and 1600 ;-)

Hehe ...

Only ever driven a 1100 'Economy' Mk3 .. it was fun rowing it about with the gear stick .. ;-)

All the best Paul ...

T i m

p.s. Would you happen to know any good suppliers of coil_over_shock conversions for the MkII fronts please?

Reply to
T i m

Err.. no. I wasn't even really aware of the difference between coilovers and McPherson struts until you asked. Still not sure I am.

There's this:

or this:

or if you fancy getting into the nitty gritty, would this do?

TBH it looks like the motorsport places are your only choice nowadays, with the accompanying cost implications.

Reply to
PCPaul

LOL

Well, in one sense they are the same (a coil over a damper) but I guess the McPherson strut makes it less obvious. Many vehicles have separate suspension and damping components so if you combine both functions in one unit you get a coil over ..? I wonder if they call typical motorcycle front forks 'coil in shock' suspension? ;-)

Yep, that's the badgers .. ;-)

As I believe is that ..

True, but I think it's worth it as you get a greater range of springs with the added advantage of a bit of adjustment.

The std Escort springs were fine suspension wise if not a bit low. Std +1" would have been fine but once you go outside 'stock' you are into 'special' and not many people want to run their vehicles higher or that soft (ideal for a slow softroader though IMO, especially as there isn't much range in the suspension in the first place). So you have to pay to have said 'special' springs made with little guarantee it will all be spot on in the end.

I have already had to pay for the Rickman springs but they wouldn't tell me what their rating was because we would 'just go out and buy x' etc. However one man's meat etc ... and I found them to be not only unsuitable but unuseable. :-(

I *believe* the stock 1978 MkII 1300 Escort saloon springs were rated at ~88 lb/iin or similar so maybe a 100 lb/in spring might still be ok.

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

T i m (T i m ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Conor's the man to ask, but I'd have thought it one of the most common PCDs about.

Reply to
Adrian

Well the PCD might be but (as I found before) getting the hub hole right and the other wheel geometry isn't always so. :-(

I can't remember what a likely fit was .. Pug 206GT or summat and as luck would have it a mate had some for sale. I did offer them up to the Ranger hub but think they fouled the lower spring cup (that would be a non-issue with coilovers) and needed hub rings and new nuts / studs etc.

If there is something in 15" that really will just bolt on and (therefore) give me a greater range of suitable tyres I would be really interested!

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

15" hard to find for MK2 essies? Bloody hell, they're as common as dogmuck. .

Look at Minilites/Superlites and Revolution Classic or Compomotive.

Rally & Competition Equipment - Biddulph - 01782 523664 do Compomotive MO and ML up to 18"

Compomotive -

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- 01902 311499 Minilites -
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01952 620215

Reply to
Conor

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