Tyre Life

[David Stepney]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your useful comments. My present car is the first Seven I have had that runs on 19 inch rims. My previous RP ran on Ruby 17 inch rims - it came with them fitted- as, in the late 60's/early 70's 4.50 x 17 tyres could easily be picked up from the scrapyard. My special ran on 17 inch rims too. I don't remember how many miles I got from the tyres. It wasn't that important those days.

[John Cornforth]

According to my trusty copy of Nicholson, motorists should budget three tenths of a penny per mile for tyres, which should last for 10,000 miles (using the spare as well).  That works out as £2 10s per tyre, which is about £180 in today's money allowing for inflation (sorry) since the 1930's.

With no MOT testing, I guess a tyre would be only be considered worn out when the canvas started showing through, as evidenced by plenty of period photos !

[Steve kay]

This subject has been discussed before, as ever the inescapable conclusion is that certain tyres may be twice the price, but give four to five times the mileage. The pictures I showed then indicated that tread wear is only part of the situation, Waymasters with lots of tread had the insides of sidewalls breaking down and destroying inner tubes.

The Avon Sidecar tyres and more recently the Longstone now available for 17" wheels for Rubies etc have a good reputation not just for  road use but for silly weekend activities. Both cope with periods of serious use at 12 psi, good lord scrutes never any less, or when dodging at speed round cones, or indeed knocking cones over at speed, going up to what certain drivers recommend at 32psi.

[David Stepney]

I managed to buy 4 Avons online for a tad under £250.00 including carriage. They arrived yesterday afternoon, so I have spent the last 4 hours or so fitting them. Its a very long time since I fitted tyres on the floor with tyre levers. I have noted the mileage at which they were fitted. Indeed, everything I do to any of the cars is recorded with the mileage and date, so we shall see how they fare.

[andrew34ruby]

I found the best way to fit tyres is on the floor without any tyre levers. Levers are for taking tyres off.