Would larger tires improve the ride of 71 Matador?

Got screwed by Tires Plus. They put too small tires on my Matador, basically E78s(19/14s)instead of H78-14s(234R14s). Would having larger tires help cushion the ride more and improve the ride? I read that the smaller, narrower tires are causing the ride to be like crap.

Reply to
sctvguy1
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sctvguy1 wrote in news:lbsuch$7ec$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

A car that size should take G78 bias-plys, no? In any case, I think E's are the size you would have put on a Dart or Maverick. not a Matador. F's would go on something like a Nova. Those smaller sidewalls would definitely contribute to a harder ride on your Matador.

I can't see -- especially in today's litigious climate -- that Tires Plus would put the wrong size tires and call it OK. Your speedometer must be WAY off. I think you should go back and get them to put the correct size on.

Reply to
Tegger

Google actually says E78-14 was the original size

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I cannot seem to find what the rim width was or an image of the tire pressu re sticker (which usually lists the factory tire size.)

but Tire Rack lists 205/70R14 as the recommended size for a '71 Matador. A n E size tire is actually closer to 195 but today a 195/75R14 probably is i ntended for a much lighter car than a Matador. And yes, more air volume in the tires will help ride, and you may have to play with the tire pressure. Perhaps ask the tire manufacturer what the recommended pressure would be for the weight of your car (I think they had GVWR and GAWR stickers back in '71 yes?) as the pressures recommended for the original bias tires are irr elevant to the radials you undoubtedly have.

If you know or can measure the width of your wheels, it's possible to calcu late an acceptable wider but lower profile tire size that will give you a l ittle more "meat" without changing the rolling diameter, and probably yield ing a higher load rating as well.

FWIW my memory says that the stock tire size on my dad's (formerly my grand father's) '73 Chevy pickup was a G78-15, and that was a much heavier vehicl e. We drove around on some skinny ol' tires back in the day... looking at a vintage 6.70-15 bias ply - a pretty big tire for the late 50s/early 60s

- would probably horrify someone who grew up thinking that 255s are "little bitty tires" for a performance car :)

nate

Reply to
N8N

N8N wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Now that's unbelievably teeny-weeny.

My dad's '70 Custom 500 (a low-end Galaxie) took G78-15. A friend's '74 Nova took F78-14.

That's for sure. Many early-'70s Japmobiles rode around on B78-13, about equivalent to a 155/80-13 these days.

Reply to
Tegger

The bigger the tires, the softer the ride. I think so.

Reply to
JR

JR wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Yep. And those Monster Trucks ride softest of all.

Reply to
Tegger

To a point. At least in the 1980's, one could legally drive on the street in Hawaii with a huge amount of lift - rode in a guy's Toyota P/U with 48-inch tires, and the ride was terrible due to the very stiff springs and shocks needed to control all the unsprung weight.

Reply to
T0m $herman

I see these rides occasionally. It's pretty cool to see the suspension with a battery of shock absorbers and everything lifted up. The drive shaft will be canted at an unreal angle. A lot of trucks here won't have that amount of lift but some lift is desirable because pig hunting is popular over here. OTOH, I've seen an 80s Lincolns and Cadillacs running of 4 space saving spare tires. Whoa baby!

I used to have a VW Rabbit with skinny tires. Those were perfect tires for the car. If I went a little too fast around a corner the whole car would slip sideways and then regain traction without changing direction. That was pretty cool. Narrow tires are better on wet roads and snow although it rarely snowed in Hawaii. :-)

Reply to
dsi1

dsi1 wrote: "....Narrow tires are better on wet roads and snow ..."

Narrow tires are actually better overall.

Combine with a tall rim so you have, say, a 60 sidewall, and you'll have le ss sidewall latency(flex), higher weight per contact patch and better strai ght-ahead stability(less twitching and correction).

A wide tire requires aggressive amounts of caster and SAI(kingpin angle) to travel in a straight line, and are more sensitive to pull if one side diff ers even a little from the other. Plus, they'll hydroplane more readily in anything more than a shower due to lower weight per contact patch.

Reply to
thekmanrocks

Skinny tires are better unless you don't care for slipping sideways on corners or are concerned with traction on dry surfaces. What does lower/higher weight per contact patch mean? Thanks.

Reply to
dsi1

less sidewall latency(flex), higher weight per contact patch and better str aight-ahead stability(less twitching and correction).

to travel in a straight line, and are more sensitive to pull if one side di ffers even a little from the other. Plus, they'll hydroplane more readily in anything more than a shower due to lower weight per contact patch.

Narrow tires are better on wet roads? I don't think so.

Reply to
m6onz5a

m6onz5a wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

I believe he means it won`t hydroplane as soon with narrower tires, and that is correct. KB

Reply to
Kevin Bottorff

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