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MG TD TF 1500 - tyred of tires

The adventure continues.............OK, the TD is running superb, the weather is great, my wife is happy and my daughter may have a job..........life is good. Now, what tyre (tire) does conventional wisdom say is the best choice for the '53? It took almost 5 years to wear out the Michelens. Tom
Thomas McNamara

Avoid cheap radials and spring for new Michelins, available only from Coker Tire. Just got back from a drive- my new XZX's are really super!
George Butz

Notice in early advertising that 5.50x15 are mentioned as factory. Mine has Firestone 6.00x15. The 6.00 look pretty narrow, what is the size run by most?
g.b.lawson '53TD

I am running 5.60 X15 Dunlops. They were originally used on VW bugs. They are slightly narrower than the 5.50s but look pretty much the same otherwise. I am using inner tubes as well since the rims don't have a safety provision to prevent the tire from rolling off the rim in a hard turn.
Jim Merz

It also depends what you do with your car. If you drive the heck out of it (like I do-drifting around corners whenever possible), get the radials. If for show, go with the original bias ply like Jim suggests. As far as the tube deal goes- see the archives. Yes, in theory a tire could roll off the rim -but only if flat or nearly so. It is not possible to break the bead loose if any much air pressure exists. Also, my local tire man (been doing tires since the 60s) has never seen this, I have never done it in 25 years, the other TD's in town have been tubeless since the 70's, and John Twist told me at the GOF south in April to forget about tubes and that they always run tubeless in TD's with no problem.
George Butz

Just put Vredensteins on, replacing bias plys. They, in conjunction with a diff ratio change (done by University Motors) have made an absolutely amazing improvement. Hard to believe it is really 50+ years old.
Jean

I am using 165 x 15 Dunlops (radials) and find the car drives so much better than with bias ply tyres, same as on Michlin's but a lot cheaper! (See the Archive)

My car is in the body shop so I can't look to see what version. (a long story, based on stupidity of me)
Don Harmer

Tom - I have to vote with the rest. If you are going to drive the car (what other reason is there for having it?), put radials on it. Bias ply tires are only for those who want a show car or who enjoy being jerked all over the road by any little groove or imperfection in the road surface (if you want a real thrill, try driving a TD across a bridge that has open grating as a deck - there is no way to keep up with the jumps the car takes, much less correct with the steering wheel). Congratulations on all three milestones (particularly the daughter getting a job). Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

I agree, crossplies only belong on trailer Queens.

Cheers,

Paul.
Paul van Gool

In the sixties we always ran with tubes in the tubeless tires... don't remember the reasoning other then hard cornering and tubless where fairly new (and it was different then dad!). Remember wearing out a set of Pirelli Sempionies (?) in about a year (looked great, useless tire) didn't drive that hard (i mean it was a stock Bugeye).
Had a set of Canadian Tire tires that came on the MGA coupe and i couldn't wear them out no matter what i did... sold it with them on...(darn..can't think about that car...kick,kick,kick,kick !).
We did autocross, and gymkanna however.
g.b.lawson '53TD

Used to run biased ply but switched to radial 165-15 Dunlop SP4N some years ago. Much improvement in the feel and handling of the car. I also like the looks of the radial on the TD.

Have run without tubes without any problems.
Bruce Cunha

I recently installed Vredestein 155R15 radials. Most people seem to be going with the 165s. My tire place gave me a choice. I put them both next to the car and thought the 165s looked too fat; the 155s looked more like the original 15 x 5.50s. I'm running them tubeless except for my spare, which wouldn't hold air without a tube. I was told there was a bit of corrosion on the rim, although I didn't actually see it. Believe me, after running bias plys for years, the radials have made it a brand new car.
B Sieling

All this talk about "tubeless" applications would be limited to disc steel wheels, I'd presume?

Don't see how a wire wheel would work...
Will

Stopped in at two local places today... Hercules for $65.00 each and Perry Springfield (?) for $75.00 each?
g.b.lawson '53TD

Oops... Kelly Springfield.....
g.b.lawson '53TD

Has anybody had any difficulty getting a tire shop to mount your tubeless tires with tubes ? Had a local tire chain mount my new Michlens to my new Daytons about 5 years ago without out any problems. When I brought a slow leaker in for a fix they gave me a hard time about running a tube in a tubeless tire and didn't want to touch it. Said that it would cause the tube to blow because of the heat caused by abraisive friction. Made me sign a waiver of responsibility just to get the tire fixed. Anybody else had this problem or any thoughts ?
Skippy

Skippy, see my comment 4 posts up. My spare had a slow leak and my tire dealer put a tube in it at no charge. When I initially bought the tires I asked for tubes, following the advice of an MG friend who says the rims are not designed to run without tubes. But I let the tire place talk me out of tubes. They said "we know more about the rims than the people who made them" and assured me there is no problem going tubless. They said "if you don't have to have tubes, don't install them. Tubes are a pain in the a@# and they run hot due to friction with the tire." In the case of my spare I "had" to have a tube due to air loss. They cited the reason for the leak was some corrosion on the rim. Prior to getting the radials, I had bias plys on the car for 25 years with no tubes and no air loss (the spare never held air all those years and now I know why). If I insisted on putting tubes in the 4 tires on the ground, they would do it without making me sign any wavier, but I went with their advice to go tubless.
B Sieling

B, were you running wire wheels ? Tire shop said that the rims were made for tube tires and the tires for tubeless rims. They didn't like the mix. Asked them about tires made for tube rims and they told me just about non existant. These are the wire rims on my 69 B with 175-14 tires. I am planning on converting my TF project to wires and hoping to find a new set of 155- 15 ZX's to put on them. If you are running wire wheels were the nipples sealed in any other way than the ordinary rim band that was in place for the tube? I have enough trouble finding a shop that can mount a tire to a wire wheel without screwing it up and then there is just about zero chance that they know how to balance it properly and now this baloney about the tubes. What gives?
Skippy

When using tubes in radial tires, tubes designed for radial tires must be used.
Len Fanelli

Len has it.

My spare and one of my running tires (radials) have tubes in them due to leaks. A radial tube was used. No problems with the shop getting or installing them or with the running of the tires.
Bruce Cunha

Skippy, I have the steel wheels, not wires. Sorry I forgot to mention that earlier. I would think wires would HAVE to have tubes due to all the possible leaks at the spokes. I don't think a rim band alone would seal it up.

Bryan
B Sieling

Skippy,

If your MGB wires are original you have to use tubes. Len and Bruce a correct about radial-rated inner tubes. Another tip: when choosing a tube size find one that is the smallest tube allowable for your tire. This allows the tube to proper inflate inside the tire with no risk of folds or pinches that could develop into leaks.
If you have the luxury of getting new wire wheels for for your TF get the optional tubeless sealed wheels and ditch the tubes.

p.s. - if a tube were to blow could that lead to tubal litigation? (5..4..3..2..)
Richard Cutright

Hello? (taptaptap) Is this mic on?
Richard Cutright

Ha thats about all you get. Yes I always use quality radial tubes. I'm no tyre expert but the chain shop profeses that todays tires beads are built for tubeless rims. Most of our wire rims require tubes and were designed for tube type beads. They profess that a tube used in a tubeless tire will lead to excessive heat and most likely a (here you go) litigation 3-4-5.
Any way I have been running tubes in tubelees tires for years at sustained speeds of 85 to 90 mph with no problems but now they throw this at me. Was curious if these guys are full of it or do they know of what they speak?
Skippy

I have been using radial tubes in my radial tires on my TF 1500 and 3 MGB's (all wire wheel) for 39 years with no troubles, except when the unskilled labor at the chain tire store tried to install universal size tubes (fit 13-14-15 in x 150 to 220 size tires). then the folds wore thru when they didn't rip them up on the tire machine. The service guy (the expert) said all the crap about you can't use tubes in radials (this was in spite of the fact he had, but didn't install Michlin 165x15 radial tubes in stock) He was too new to know that such existed.
I now go to Gran Turismo East where the same guys (the owners) have been for 30 years, and install tires for all the local race cars and most real sports cars. They know how to install the correct tubes and to balance wire wheels.

Their answer, tube type rims need tubes for safety. Wire wheels always, except for the ultra expensive 72-spoke wheels and those on later Jaguars (both have the spokes sealed and have tubless rims)

Most tire stores today deal in the most common tires and hve no experience with tube types or the use of tubes at all. Their advice is suspect!
Don Harmer

Hey guys. There is no end to the loss of knowledge and gains in ignorance that we have achieved in the last 40 years. Two weeks ago I backed my TD over a self taping screw on the shop floor. Ended up at a little back-street tire place because none of the major tire shops knew how to patch a tube. Had to find the old guy working with a manual tire machine under a 60W bulb hanging on an extension cord. He not only patched the tube but also the tire so dirt could not work its way through the puncture. I watched him like a hawk and he was an artist with that old rusty machine. No tube tears when you have done it thousands of times.

Safety Fast!

Jim Haskins
1953 MGTD
J. M. Haskins

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2004 and 01/07/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.