Firestone wide oval tires
hotrodsurplus:
Also note that running radials on the front with rags in the back is asking for trouble. Technically you're not supposed to mix tire construction but even according to Michelin's old tech manuals you can so long as the radial is in the rear. For street tires at least a rag tire is not as capable of achieving as much traction as a radial tire. You always want the tire that can achieve the greater traction in the rear to prevent dangerous oversteer (and swing-axle rear-engine cars are well nigh capable of oversteering).
As someone noted earlier in this thread the rag tires also tend to self steer on inconsistencies in the roadway (squirm). If both axles self steer then the handling and ride is predictable. Rags in the front and radials in the rear will cause the front to self steer and the car to feel spooky but it's manageable (I have a car set up like this right now). Radials in the front and rags in the rear will cause the rear to self steer which can make a car flat-out terrifying to drive in some situations (I know this from experience on several cars).
If you simply must run rags on the rear then do yourself a favor and get rags for the front too. It also looks a ton better with a 5.60-15, 5.90-15, or 5.00-15 to match those square-shoulder tires in the rear. They're not as good as a radial tire but there's really nothing wrong with a rag tire if inflated to the proper pressure (the pressure car manufacturerspecifies--the sidewall pressure is simply the maximum pressure the tire requires to bear its maximum weight) on a properly aligned car. We have four cars on rag tires and we've put at least 10,000 miles a year on one of them for the past decade.
As for the heavy vibration when cold, that should be just tramping. It's most common with tires that have some polyester or nylon cords inside. The materials take a set as they cool which makes the tires 'square' until they warm up. After they warm up they should smooth right out. The old-style tires like full numerics (5.60- 6.40, 6.70, 7.00, etc) usually have cotton cords and in those cases won't tramp when cold.
Mertman:
Here's all you need to know about wide ovals. I had a set of 14" versions on my first beetle back in 2002/3. It was a stock 1300 twinport and I was able to oversteer around most corners until one day I got caught out racing my mates mini down a country lane:
This is my first post by the way! Hi!! ;D
RIP356:
Bringing this back again
I have just managed to get a pair of wide ovals
What are people using on the front?
Thanks
RIP356:
Nearly a year later and I have had them fitted.
tpb_karl:
Well its been a few years! Im bringing this thead back to life since there now exists a radial version of the wide oval. Has anyone had any experience with them?
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