Finally after a year in the backyard Sif is back on the road, I missed driving my 164. Inflated the tires, put a bit of gas in her and a new battery and she started right up. Can't beat that.

It's getting to be winter here in Colorado and time to get some new winter tires.

I've got several sets of the original rims for the 164 and was looking at winter tires. Unfortunately the original 165R15 size limits the choices. Has anyone tried other sizes on the original rims? Any advice on what size will still leave lots of clearance? I spend all day in the car so I want good tires, plus I get to write them off at tax time, so I'm aiming for the best. The local Discount Tire can special order me some 165R15s, but I only get a choice between two. Once I can narrow down what sizes will work on the original rims I can start working on studded/non-studded and which brand, etc. In general I lean towards studded, it's tried, true and works and I have no experience with non-studed tires. I was thinking of something in the 175 range, but I've never been able to figure out the aspect ration for the 165R15s

For non-winter driving I run 240 Turbo rims and Michelin MX4s... but they sit at the bottom of the hill... with the car for winter. Great on wet and dry roads, but crappy on snow and ice.


Thanks in advance for the advice.

Connor

Here's the lonk to the tire size calculator. Hope this helps .

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

-----Robert

Great link, Thanks Robert

Connor, the Vredestein line of winter/snow/ice tires got very good press on the Swedish Bricks discussion about 1 or 2 winters ago. I checked, and COULD find them in our Metropolis, and they DID come in narrow widths... 165 and higher, and maybe a 155 hiding in there. (I have not yet needed them, so haven't tried them.)

Try the old Google search thing, if you like.
I was quite impressed, and think it would be worth pursuing.
Forgot! They were priced well, too... so you got performance, selection, and price. Now all you need is service.

Report back, eh?
--
Gregg in MN

I'll have to look those up :)

I'll report back. I spent years breaking myself of the "eh" habit when I moved to Florida, eh. ;)

http://www.tireaccidents.com/tire_company_web_sites.htm

There is the link where you can find a link to those Vredestein tires

(an just about any other tire made)

Also, the Tire Tech section at www.tirerack.com has a size conversion chart which I find very handy. Worth a look.
--
1989 740Ti 1986 240DL 1984 244GL

Thanks for the Tire Rack link.

I run 195-75/15s or 205-75/15s on my 164 (there are differences in size
between brands - I use the smaller ones) and also on my 122 wagon, and they
work fine if you aren't too picky about speed and distance indications.
I did have to do a few seconds work on the front bottom inner lip of the
rear fenders, but it was quick and easy.
If you have the smaller hubcaps mounted with a big phillips screw in the
center, there are 5.5" wide rims available. I'm using the narrow rims with
no problem. Mine is a 1969 164.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

George,

I've got the 5.5 wide rims, about a dozen of em. The 195/75/15's a bit larger than the stock 165r(80)15's. I think a 70 aspect would work better for me... chain room. I don't go into the mountains much, but with my work I never know where I'm going to be.

Hey Connor,
Tall and skinny will give you your best performance in snow, so if you can find a good tread studable in the original size at a reasonable price, go for it. The 165/15 would have an 80 aspect ratio. I agree with you on studs. These fancy compound "ice" tires are great indeed...for the first 1/4 of their life. Not the best for serious snow stuff though.

But indeed, there ain't much out there for the stock skinny 15" rims.If you could find a 175/75, that would be great, but...good luck. Nobody makes a 185/70 anymore. Not at a reasonable price anyhow... and a 185/65 will be costing you in clearance. Anything wider than 185 is pushing it for the stock rims... ANd...depending on where you are, you also want to be sure you have enough clearance for chains.

I'm running stock 14" 240 wheels on my 164 with studded 185/75-14s all around. They work well, are about the right diameter, fit fine with chains, and there are about a zillion tire options in that size range.

What part of Colorado are you in anyhow?

-Matt
Fort Collins, CO

I'm in Aurora. Work takes me anywhere from Colorado Springs to Cheyenne, from the other side of the Eisenhower tunnel into Nebraska. For most of it I'm in the Denver metro area though. My girlfriend just bought a 78 Bronco 4x4, so if the weather get's really bad I'd be using it.

With something like 10 or 12 of the original 5.5x15 rims begging me to use some of them, I figure on getting 5 snow tires. The 15 inch 240 turbo rims I'm running are probably a bit smaller than the stock tires, I forget the aspect on them.

185/65's are about a 1/2 inch lower. Seems to be a more common size. I may have to think about 14 inch 240 rims for winter, but right now it's not on the top of my list :)

Vredestein makes a 185/65/15, so does just about everyone it seems, including some I've never heard of.

Well, now that I have sizes to play with it's time to seem what kind of discount my girlfriend gets at Discount Tire. She manages a Burger King, and bribes the guys at Discount with food. If I can find something they normally stock I'll get a great deal apparently.

Just passed emissions today. Still running rich, so time to either play the the Zeniths myself or pay someone to do it for me. If I remember correctly MGs used the Zeniths, and I saw a MG shop in my travels. I've rebuilt them once, not bad, but I hated tuning them. Nick's Volvo Shop is okay, but I don't know that they have anything to measure the exhaust. Someone here once mentioned Tom's or something like that. I need to find a good Zenith shop or bite the bullet and relpace the carbs with a Holley or Edelbrock and get some custom work done to use a downdraft. Decisions, decisions. Probably go for the cheaper option.

I replaced the rear-right brak hose yesterday, seems to me the caliper connector on my 72 parts car was a hair larger than the one on my 71. Nothing a quick trip to the autoparts store and a flare tool and pipe cutter didn't fix. Let the guys at Just Brakes flush and bleed the system... one of the nipples was stripped. Hehe, the brake light sensor threw them for a loop. At least I have their warranty that the brakes are in good shape, should be after a new line and caliper on the rear-right and new pads all around... and master cylinder with around 5000 miles on it.

Connor

Well...if you've got piles of 5.5 wheels, I'd be going with 195/65 to keep clearance...and, with all that hwy driving, any little bit to keep revs down helps... Again though...might want to check fender lip clearances for chains.. As George said though...sizes ain't consistant, so if you find a narrow set of the 195/65s, you should be all set.

I very much dislike the strombergs as well... were I you, I'd ditch 'em and get some good SUs.

Drop me a line if you ever need anything and are in the area. Must say though...I don't have a whole lot of junk for 164s anymore. DO have some though if you get in a pinch. matt@metricsucks.com

-matt