Tyre Life

[David Stepney]

Here is yet another silly question:-

What sort of tyre life should I expect? When I bought my car, it was fitted with a set of Avon Triple Duty sidecar tyres, which, because they were well worn, I replaced them just on a year ago at 96730 miles with a set of Mitas HN02s (because they were about half the price of replacement Avons.

Since then I have covered 5158 miles. The rear tyres are almost bald and the front ones are not far behind. I must admit that i was hoping for more miles than this, but, given that the Mitas tyres appear to be quite 'soft' rubber, I suppose that they wear quite quickly

I am replacing them with a set of Avon Triple Duties which appear to be a harder rubber and will match the existing spare.

What are other peoples' experiences of tyre life?

[Chris KC]

I've been driving on Triple Duties since about 1979 and doubt if I have bought more than 2 sets.

[David Stepney]

Thanks for your comment Chris. Any idea of how that translates into mileage? As you can see, I am doing about 5000 miles a year (I just can't stay out of it!)

[Tony Griffiths]

Thanks for your comment Chris. Any idea of how that translates into mileage? As you can see, I am doing about 5000 miles a year (I just can't stay out of it!)

When you're up to 20,000 a year (as many of us were in the 1960s and early 1970s) you should find the Avon tyres most satisfactory (assuming that they've not increased the "hysteresis" to some new super-grip level).

[Tony Press]

Here is yet another silly question:-
What sort of tyre life should I expect? When I bought my car, it was fitted with a set of Avon Triple Duty sidecar tyres, which, because they were well worn, I replaced them just on a year ago at 96730 miles with a set of Mitas HN02s (because they were about half the price of replacement Avons.
Since then I have covered 5158 miles. The rear tyres are almost bald and the front ones are not far behind. I must admit that i was hoping for more miles than this, but, given that the Mitas tyres appear to be quite 'soft' rubber, I suppose that they wear quite quickly
I am replacing them with a set of Avon Triple Duties which appear to be a harder rubber and will match the existing spare.
What are other peoples' experiences of tyre life?

I would think you have discovered why the Mitas were half the price 

[Mike Costigan]

I think both Tonys have identified the problem; most of today's tyres are made of a rubber compound far removed from that used even thirty years ago, and the modern tyre just doesn't offer the sort of mileage long-term owners are used to. About twenty years ago I bought a 1922 car - not an Austin - that was running on Dunlop beaded-edge tyres that were then probably thirty years old. Over the next few years I covered around six thousand miles without any significant tread wear, but the side-walls were cracking, so I treated the car to a new set of apparently identical Dunlops. My driving style did not change, but those new Dunlops were worn right out within a further five thousand miles.

These days I think we need to thing in terms of years of tyre life rather than mileage!

[Ivor Hawkins]

I have used the Avons for years and when I was using my car for daily commuting and business too, I was doing about 16,000 miles a year and after two years, they were still serviceable...and legal!

I’m now trying Blockleys on the Box and shall report back in a years time.

[Tony Betts]

as tony says, you may have found out why midas tyres are cheap.

ive always used avons in the past, mainly because i got a good trade discount. and they are excellent tyres

ive just bought two new sets of longstones for the super sports and the ulster.

i like the look of the there tyre pattern on an old car.
and it supports others in the old car world same as ourselves.

when they let us out of the house, ill get to see how good they are.

although if its what usually happens, when they let us out. it will start raining, after all this sun.

tony.

[Martin Prior]

I've run on Avons since the mid-'seventies and reckon on getting 30,000 miles-plus out of a set.

[John Mason]

I bought some Waymaster tyres about ten years ago and although I don’t do the mileage some folks do they still have plenty of tread. I have a Ruby and have found that Avon tyres on the spare make it difficult to fit the cover because of there width. My tyre problem is the rubber perishing with age although I keep them in the dark as much as possible.

John MASON