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stepdown tire sizes
  • dougsondougson
    Posts: 599Platinum Member
    (Just moved this from General Discussion where I put it accidentally.) Did some research today and realized the tires on my '54 are too small. The factory size for a '54 Hornet was 7.10 15, which corresponds to a 235 75 15 or a 245 70 15 radial. Has anyone used these sizes? Will they (especailly the 245) clear the rear fenders?
  • harry54harry54
    Posts: 1,237Platinum Member
    the 235's are to big.. not enough clearance.....i prefer the 225 75r 15's
  • TwinHTwinH
    Posts: 537Platinum Member
    I have 235's on my 49 but they are tight.This is with a custom made wheel (15 x 6 hoop on a Hudson center)and I have to pull the bottom of the shocks off to get the axle to drop enough to get them in
    and out of the rear wheelwell.
  • Park_WPark_W
    Posts: 2,053Platinum Member
    Have the 225/75s on my '51, on original wheels. I can get a rear wheel/tire out, barely ... wouldn't want anything bigger.
  • hoggyrubberhoggyrubber
    Posts: 478Gold Member
    i may be totally wrong here, but i thought i had read in several places 215/75/15 was close to the 7.10 and 225/7515 was closest to larger optional tire of 7.60 or whatever it was. was 215's what you were running and why were they too small?
  • Lee ODellLee ODell
    Posts: 1,841Platinum Member
    Park W wrote:
    Have the 225/75s on my '51, on original wheels. I can get a rear wheel/tire out, barely ... wouldn't want anything bigger.

    Same here with my 52 Hornet. Lee O'Dell
  • walts garage-53
    Posts: 1,470Platinum Member
    On the Hudson 5 inch rims you best use the 215x75R 15. 51/2" rims also. 225 and 235 are trouble, get a right rear flat and when you jack up the car the rear swings right. and try to install the big size. Try it in the rain as you have to remove the shock at the bottom to let the rear drop 2 inches more and it's still a job. Walt.
  • hudsontechhudsontech
    Posts: 4,046Platinum Member
    walts garage-53 wrote:
    On the Hudson 5 inch rims you best use the 215x75R 15. 51/2" rims also. 225 and 235 are trouble, get a right rear flat and when you jack up the car the rear swings right. and try to install the big size. Try it in the rain as you have to remove the shock at the bottom to let the rear drop 2 inches more and it's still a job. Walt.

    And we all know the only time you get a flat is in the middle of a hurricane - even in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

    Hudsonly,
    Alex Burr
    Memphis, TN
    http://www.hetclub.org/
    http://hetclub.org/burr/lithomepage.htm
  • Ken U-Tx
    Posts: 1,106Platinum Member
    walts garage-53 wrote:
    225 and 235 are trouble, get a right rear flat and when you jack up the car the rear swings right.

    Yep, the Panhard rod, or rear stabilizer bar is what makes it shift to the right about 3/4" - 1". Function of the radius of the rod. If the rubber bushings are shot, it isn't so bad, but with new tight bushings, the axle shifts to right as the Panhard rod swings on the downward arc. That's also why it's such a pain in the @$$ to install the new bushings if the car is jacked up high with the axle drooping down on springs. Put jack under axle and with car still on stands, raise the axle till you can force the upper bushing bolt through the bracket.
  • dougsondougson
    Posts: 599Platinum Member
    The research I did shows that the 7.10 15 tire is about 28.5 inches in diameter. A 235 75 15 is about 28.8 inches in diameter. I have 205 75's on 5.5" rims on the front and 215 70's on 6.5" rims on the rear (the rims are Dodge). The diameter of these tires is about 26". I will try 225 75 all around.
  • HudzillaHudzilla
    Posts: 1,285Platinum Member
    Does anybody know what the specific width across the height of the rims should be exactly? I have a few Hudson rims and some non Hudson rims and I would like to know what I have. Rim lip to rim lip is measuring from 5 7/8" to 6 1/2". All are 15" rims
  • walts garage-53
    Posts: 1,470Platinum Member
    Starting in 1936 Hudson came out with 5 inch rims and stayed that way till 1954. On convertibles, they came with 5 1/2 inch rims. These are the only 2 sizes Hudsons used. Walt.
  • SuperDaveSuperDave
    Posts: 2,377Platinum Member
    walts garage-53 wrote:
    Starting in 1936 Hudson came out with 5 inch rims and stayed that way till 1954. On convertibles, they came with 5 1/2 inch rims. These are the only 2 sizes Hudsons used. Walt.

    What about Jets? I have 15" rim that seems to have more back set than all my others and is a little more narrow.Perhaps 4 1/2". The tire would end up a little closer to the inside frame and the hub cap would be further out towards the curb. I thought it might be a Jet.It was in the trunk of my 49 as a spare when I got it. It fits a Stepdown, but looks a little strange. I don't think it's a Mopar either.
  • SuperDaveSuperDave
    Posts: 2,377Platinum Member
    Thought I would bring this thread back to life. What BRAND of tire was original equipment in 49? Most manufacturers stuck with what ever company would supply the lowest $$ procuct. I remember my fathers new 56 buick came wirh US Royal. They were not on there very long until he replaced them with Firestones. From the published advertisements, the white walls were very wide.. but how wide? I bet Walt can fill in the blanks.
  • 53jetman53jetman
    Posts: 873Platinum Member
    SuperDave - Hudson always used Goodyear as original equipment tires. Yes the '49's whitewall was super wide!
    Jerry
    email: HudsonJetman@mail.com
    2nd Generation Hud-Nut
    HET Tech Adviser on Hudson Jets 1953 & 1954
    HET Registrar of all Hudson Jets
  • Pacemaker500Pacemaker500
    Posts: 1,004Platinum Member
    I have brand new, Goodyear reproductions of the OEM 7.1 tire that came with the car. The once I took off were the 2nd set put on by the first owner.
  • stepdownstepdown
    Posts: 46Hitchhiker
    On my 54 Hornet I have 700 x 15 ... the biggest white walls I've ever seen .
  • walts garage-53
    Posts: 1,470Platinum Member
    All Hudsons came with Goodyears from day one. The 30's and 40's had the diamond thread. When they started white walls around 1946 they were 3 inch and starting in 1948 the white was 4 inch. Rub a curb and it took a month of sundays to clean them up. They also sold white wall flaps to put on the tire under the bead and when they flew apart, what a shimmy developed. Good only to 40 MPH. AH, those were the days. Walt.
  • 1049superg1049superg
    Posts: 405Gold Member
    I've been using for about 10 years P205/70R15's on my Pacemaker with no problems (admittedly, the rear tires are a slight tight fit when raising and lowering them, but this could be due to some body filler work done on the rear quarter panels).
  • IvarSweden
    Posts: 3Hitchhiker
    image

    image

    This is what I put on my 48 C6, Goodyear Super Cushion 7.10 x 15. The closest to stock you can get today!
  • stepdownstepdown
    Posts: 46Hitchhiker
    So the big different between a 700 vs 710 is the height of the side wall of the tire ...Is that true ..700 are taller ?
  • ArkieJazzArkieJazz
    Posts: 310Gold Member
    I'm running 7:60X15 Goodyears from Kelsey. Fit just fine. Handle just fine. Look correct.
    Arkie
  • Nevada HudsonNevada Hudson
    Posts: 944Platinum Member
    Have L78 X15 on mine, and they work fine.
  • EssexAdvEssexAdv
    Posts: 515Moderator
    check out http://www.cokertire.com/tire-sizes/710-15-bf-goodrich-2-1-2-whitewall-tire.html

    They list all the diminsions for the tires they sell.

    The one I linked you to is a 710*15 You can search for any size tire and find the deminsions.
  • onerare39onerare39
    Posts: 528Hitchhiker
    On my 54 four door sedan I have BF Goodrich Silvertown 7.60 X 15 that I got from Coker. Great tires but found one drawback. I can't get the spare tire into the spare tire well in the trunk, it's too tall! No big deal for me, I have a continental kit, it may be a concern for others though.

    John Forkner
  • 1951hornethardtop
    Posts: 270Expert Adviser
    7.60 -15 BF Goodrich from Coker for decades. No trouble with spare because mines a 51. lol :-))
  • Geoff C., N.Z.Geoff C., N.Z.
    Posts: 2,270Platinum Member
    Oddly, I have a pair of 700.15 W.W.W.''s, and they are bigger in height and width than the 760.15's on the car. Almost impossible to get into the trunk well on my '53 Hornet. They sure mess around with tyre size designations, I have just bought a set of 775.15's and they are only half an inch bigger than than the 640.15's on my Jet. Has anyone experimented with nitrogen instead of air? Supposed to be a lot better.
    If you're stuck in a hole, stop digging.
  • SuperDaveSuperDave
    Posts: 2,377Platinum Member
    From what i can find on the internet.. If I want to stick to Goodyear 710X15 with the 4 1/4" white wall as original.. I have to deal with Kelsy Tire. They seem to have a lock on them.
  • walts garage-53
    Posts: 1,470Platinum Member
    48 to 54 all had 5 inch rims with 7:10x15 in black wall or white wall. The convertibles had 5-1/2 rims with 7:60x15, also the hardtops. Again black or white walls. Radials size for the replacements are 215-75Rx15 for both rims. Bigger size tires are trouble, that is why some have split rim problems. Don't mention Coker to me or Press Kale. Walt.
  • Pacemaker500Pacemaker500
    Posts: 1,004Platinum Member
    SuperDave, Your local Goodyear can get them at "dealer" cost and sell them a the Kelsy Retail price. My local dealer included mounting and balancing.

    At least in April 2007 they could.
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