Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,

Another Newbie question here for you. Having just acquired my little beauty (the moggy of course) I want to get 4 x new tyres on her.
I am led to believe that the old 145 R 14 76 series are suitable (please bear with me as I am learning)

I am trying to get hold of 4 new tyres at a reasonable price. Everywhere is claiming that they are almost £300 for these. I appreciate that they are odd size in respect of todays monster sizes but surely not that odd. I am only able to get hold of Bridgestones.
Surely someone out there knows someone who sells these - both budget runners and at a budget cost.

Anyone?????? I am in Birmingham and will consider Mail order ( I have called David Manners in Oldbury - they too quoted daft prices)

Cheers all x

bull motif or esm at stonegate

A tyre dealer local to me was able to get me nankang 155 x 14 within a few days and they were around £40 fitted.

Yes - but 155 are TOO WIDE for standard rims....... The car feels much more nibble/less 'jelly wobble' on the correct 145 tyres. Bull Motif appear to have 'limited quantity' of Bridgestones at £55 each. Tom Roy has them at £57:50. But a 20 second ebay search finds 4 Bridgestone tyres for £188 !!! And FREE delivery.... Ok they are so called 'winter' tyres - but they will be fine on a Minor. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-WINTER-TYR ... 232e5ffd35

Yes techically 155s are too wide, but we are only talking about a 10mm width difference. All the Minor suppliers supply both sizes and its generally accepted that both are suitable. Yes you do get a slightly more tighter responsive steering feel with 145s but if were being pedantic the rolling radius is really too small and it lowers the gearing. A 155 with an 80% profile visually fills the wheelarch better, more like an original spec crossply albeit with wider tread. They are also more readily available and cheaper which makes a big difference these days. It would be interesting to set up a poll to see which are the preferred tyre sizes in common use tbh. I've seen two cars on standard profile 165s (which really were wobbly and squishy to steer - Very not reccomended) and another two using 165/70s which don't look or feel as bad but not an ideal size at all. One set was fitted by a well known Minor restorer which was a bit naughty. I suspect there is as much difference in feel between different makes of tyre of the same size than between 145s and 155s. I've just changed to 155s on my convertible, essentially because I had a set and it fills the early wheelarches better and I haven't really noticed it being wobbly (well not more than usual) and it does get driven hard at times. It was a change from Michelin ZXs to Uniroyals - both obselete sizes so not a valid view on todays market, but I've just had a drive in a 155 Nankang equipped saloon which handled a treat. These tyre discussions on here can rumble on for ages but increasingly we're limited to whats available. Funny that no one has mentioned the new Dunlop crossplys that are available and look exactly right as its original equipment. Anyone who's about to say how horrible crossplies are has probably only experienced ancient ones dating back to the 70s and earlier... The new ones aren't bad at all - still a crossply so you get the slight steering wander on uneven road surfaces but you soon get used to it but the steering feels very light, as it should and the overall gearing isn't compromised. They are around £100 each so probably only for the show goers rather than the daily drivers but the choice is yours and everyone has a view.

In answerignt he original question I've recently heard of someone being charged £60 for a 145 Bridgestone fitted. If you were buying a set you may get a discount on that. The regular Minor specialists will be cheaper but you'll still have to get them fitted and balanced so factor that in. I'm not sure what other makes of 145s are still available - Camac I think? No doubt someone will steam in and disagree with me

one thing to bear in mind if you do go with the winter tyres as suggested by roy is that, according to the AA website, you can not mix winter and summer tyres on a car so you will need to keep fitting winter tyres or replace all 4 tyres to "summer tyres". they also suggest that you talk to your insurance company as they have been made aware of some insurance companies refusing insurance
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/sa ... he-uk.html

Winter tyres must be fitted in sets of four. Fitting only one pair will affect the balance and stability of the car.

I'm sure they would say the same about fitting different makes of tyre too.

Winter tyres tend to be a much softer compound with more flexible side walls as far as I know hence the fitting in sets recomendation as they do feel different. I have a pair which I use on the back in winter and it does give a squidgier feel to the handling, but this very slight sacrifice in feel is more than outweighed when it snows as they are are awesome. Must get some for the wife's car this winter. this winter I had them on till end of May (you never know!) and only got around to changing them when I adjusted the brakes. Never occured to me about informing my insurance - I would have thought it was a much less risk of sliding into a wall....

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this... it has created quite a debate I see.

I tend to stick to the same tyre all round my cars so would be wanting 4 of the same. I think - from what I have been advised the 145 size is most advisable. 155 can be used but it is a slightly bigger tyre however I would like to stick to 145.

I think carrying out a poll would be useful - certainly would help me with these kind of things. You guys are really helpful. Thank you xx Sarah

Seriously - 155 section = 6.1 inches wide which is not correct on a 3.5" wide rim! Yes - plenty are doing it, because they don't know any better. The car is much nicer on 145/80 tyres - I know - i've had both in the past. I now have my 155 tyres on the van 4.5" rims and it's SO much better than either sets on 3.5" rims....... The £188 for 4 Bridgestones delivered is unbeatable. I bet the Bridgestones being sold by the Minor suppliers are all these 'winter' tyres - which wouldn't worry me in the least. I don't see any other 145/80 tyres available..

It's not because we don't know any better in all cases.It's because a Bridgestone 145 (the only make available unless you want to waste your money on a Camac for nearly as much) is £70+ fitted. How would you feel about paying £280 or more for a set of tyres? People have been using 155s for years, and while slightly too wide, they clearly aren't a safety issue. I agree the steering is sharper on 145s, but 155s are fine too. Much ado about nothing!

You get 4 Bridgestones delivered for £188 - an hour with the levers and they are on! I hope that wasn't a hint of a criticism of the lovely Camacs......

I can get 4 155 nankangs fitted at my local tyre place for £210.00

I see you're in Brum - so am I and I'll be buying a set of five tyres for my project this month.

I've always bought from Selly Oak tyres on a backstreet in, er, Selly Oak as they're usually cheaper than the national chains, you deal with the gaffer and they don't try to sell you things you don't want. About a year ago they quoted me £40 or £45 each for Nankang 155 x 14s when I was buying rubber for another car. I didn't go ahead then but will ring them tomorrow. Although the Traveller isn't yet road legal, I need to drive it out of the garage in order to bring a wheelbarrow through whilst building a garden shed base (put the bikes and gardening tackle where they belong, to allow full use of the garage for its proper purpose!).

I can't recall whether the Nankangs were 70% or 80% profile.

I used Lawden tyres small heath ,in the railway arches ,opposite ,this is hard to say ..................the blues ground

give them a bell ,only took I days notice to get my radials in

5 The Arches Birmingham, West Midlands B10 0AB
0121 772 5960

I paid £200 FOR FIVE no problem for two years

lockupchap wrote:I see you're in Brum - so am I and I'll be buying a set of five tyres for my project this month.

I've always bought from Selly Oak tyres on a backstreet in, er, Selly Oak as they're usually cheaper than the national chains, you deal with the gaffer and they don't try to sell you things you don't want. About a year ago they quoted me £40 or £45 each for Nankang 155 x 14s when I was buying rubber for another car. I didn't go ahead then but will ring them tomorrow. Although the Traveller isn't yet road legal, I need to drive it out of the garage in order to bring a wheelbarrow through whilst building a garden shed base (put the bikes and gardening tackle where they belong, to allow full use of the garage for its proper purpose!).

I can't recall whether the Nankangs were 70% or 80% profile.

Hey mate, thanks for this update, anychance you have a number for these as I am not far from Selly Oak, may be worth calling and asking. Thanks again

Sarah

lambrettalad wrote:I used Lawden tyres small heath ,in the railway arches ,opposite ,this is hard to say ..................the blues ground

give them a bell ,only took I days notice to get my radials in

5 The Arches Birmingham, West Midlands B10 0AB
0121 772 5960

I paid £200 FOR FIVE no problem for two years

Hiya matey,

I have just called this place and he is now on the search for me so will call me back later to let me know if he can get them or not. Cheers bab

Sarah

Just ordered 5 x Nankang 155 x 80 x 14s, @ £48 fitted with valves, balancing etc from Selly Oak tyres.

I did consider 70 section Continentals @ £45 or Hankkooks @ £54, but decided to stick to 80 section on the grounds of ride, looks and due to aforementioned problems on this thread about the narrowness of the rims.

lockupchap wrote:Just ordered 5 x Nankang 155 x 80 x 14s, @ £48 fitted with valves, balancing etc from Selly Oak tyres.

I did consider 70 section Continentals @ £45 or Hankkooks @ £54, but decided to stick to 80 section on the grounds of ride, looks and due to aforementioned problems on this thread about the narrowness of the rims.

Can you give me the number mate for thje place in Selly oak please? Cheers

Right guys.... having spoken to the Moggy experts at David Manners Moggy centre in Oldbury - I've decided to go for the 155's. These are more readily available and I have now ordered myself 4 from a place in Selly Oak having searched Google and found a number. Thank you all so much. You lot are my little helpers