Morris Minor Owners Club

I'm now the proud owner of a set of Van rims.
I am interested to know what size tyre fits best on the front to avoids fouling the top trunnion / kingpin.

The previous owner of the wheels had fitted 14 165/60's as he said it improved clearance.
I'm wondering what to replace them as one is scrubbed.

165x14's give about 1/4 inch or 6 mm clearance between tyre and top trunnion. a bit close some might say, I've fitted 155x14's on the rims you mention.

the 1098cc vans had the same size wheels as the cars. These used
5-20X14" tyres. When the wider wheels were introduced(8cwt vans)
they only increased the tyre size to 5-60X14" so they didn't exactly
go mad

Having just aquired a set of four wide van wheels...Yipee!!...I have
made two interesting discoveries. The thinnest radials that any of
us would fit to a Minor are 145X14"...these are WIDER than the widest
(5-60"X14") tyres ever fitted to the wide wheels by the factory!!so I
have fitted my existing stock of 145 Firestone radials to these wide
rims. The result is greatly improved cornering stiffness since the
side walls are now more or less flat,i.e. there is no longer any sort
of bulge out from the rim. The other surprise is that I have been
using Michelin MX 145's for years but when I substituted the Firestones,
at the same pressure(24 fronts) the steering was much much lighter.
The tyre fitter said that Michelins always have more 'drag'
Oh, and the car looks much better too.

Willie - this is an an interesting insight into the effect of tyres. Presumably the lighter steering effect is due to either:

1) the Firestone rubber being a harder compound and /or having a different tread pattern (offering less rolling / turning resistance).

2) The Mitchelin radials don't work well at relatively low tyre pressures.

Chris.... re the Michelins, the point is that 24 lbs is much higher
than Michelin themselves ever recommended for the Minor.
If you could see an old garage list of tyres pressures they said
QUOTE "fronts 20 rears 20 (fully loaded 22)" These are the makers
figures not mine! Must have developed some amazing biceps at
20 lbs!! Since the Firestone radials are nearly half the price of
the Michelins I wouldn't even think about them again.

I've been using Firestones exclusively since I had Phyllis. I've been running them (155s) at around 25psi.

My handbook (AKD 680H) states 22 front, 22/24, rear but that's for 5.20-14 crossplies.

Incidentally, I asked my local tyre place for a price for some 155 Fireston F560s. The answer? £40.

From Bull Motif? £20.95

Yes, they were on special, but he buys them in from France dans un grand camion, n'est pas? so can sell them on cheaper.

They look great, but I had wondered about the bulge from the rim - seems the wider wheels would sort that problem, although I think the narrower rims look better.

Anyway, I fear that I'm rambling, but what sort of pressures do you think we should have out mogs at? The tyres are safe up to 36, but that wouldn't do much for roadholding, now, would it?

The usual practice when radials first came in was to up the usual
cross-ply pressures by 2 lbs,this ties in with the recommended
factory radial pressures of 24 front and 26 rear. It comes down
to personal preference and keeping an eye on the treads. Under
inflation for your own particular vehicle will result in the outer edges
wearing away first, over inflation wears the centre of the tread first.
Trouble is, radials wear so slowly that it will be a while before you
can see this wear pattern.

On my first Minor I ran the tyres at 26 to 28, but the rear tyres wore out in the middle.
Since then I've aimed at 24, but it's been hard to assess 'even wear' as I've changed cars a lot, plus having bought second hand wheels+tyres from Grumpys when I was a low budget student, coupled with having tyres break up and the occasional tracking error I really can't tell if 24 gives even wear.

Regardless, at the Bull Motif Price replacement isn't that painful.
I still don't like 155's on standard rims though, but each to his own.

Hi Pete
Bull Motif can be contacted on 01386 831755 they also have an email address bull.motif@virgin.net they do not have a website , they are doing the tyres you want for £20.00 each plus vat at the moment

Thanks, Kevin. I'd got the number somewhere, but just wasn't quick enough!

I just aquired another six LP 917s (4½Js) (wide LCV rims). Some have crossplys and some radials. There is a 165 which seems common on these rims and one also has a 185!

The 185 doesn't look balloony although it is not on a vehicle and I'm doubting it will fit on the front of one with the clearance.

I also have a van with two LP 917s and the tyres on there look rather silly. I think the profile is too high and am unsure of the width.