What tires on 14" rims?

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ken olsen

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I'm finding it difficult to source good tires for my 7"x14" BBS basketweave rims that have a similar overall diameter to the original 195/70 which was 628mm. 225/60 and 215/65 offer only one choice at tire rack. What are you guys running for tires on 14" rims? and where are you getting them?

KO 1973 3.0cs
 
ken olsen said:
I'm finding it difficult to source good tires for my 7"x14" BBS basketweave rims that have a similar overall diameter to the original 195/70 which was 628mm. 225/60 and 215/65 offer only one choice at tire rack. What are you guys running for tires on 14" rims? and where are you getting them?

KO 1973 3.0cs
Click to expand...

Hello Ken,
Try Vredestein, same 195/70/14. V Rated
Google it, there are a few dealers, not inexpensive, but a lot less
than Michelin XWX.

Michelin XWX, these you can see at "Longstone tyres" in the UK.
Free shipping to the USA. No tax.

Regards, Alberto
 
I have vredestein sprint classics on my TR. Good replacement for the original Michelin X. Similar in tread pattern and profile. Handles well.

When I purchased my coupe it had Yokahama tires that were bald and close to 15 years old. As I needed to drive 450 miles home I decided to replace them before the trip. Immediacy dictated a trip to Americas Tire and on went a set of Falken Sincera SN-828s.

Stop gap and a set of XWXs will be next. But a bit suprised...not a high performance tire but not horrible if you are on a tight budget.
 
I'm running Michelin "Destiny" tires in 195/70X14. And, based on their recent performance, I might meet my destiny too soon! :shock:

I was traveling down the freeway at a "spirited" pace the other day, heading for my off ramp. Just as I was transiting from the #3 to the #4 lane (exit) a large flat object appeared from underneath the car in the #4 lane. I did the left/right flick of the steering wheel to avoid it. The car remainded flat but I had a real slewing issue, back and forth a couple of times, almost swapping ends. I've got the La Jolla suspension which kept the car flat but I can only blame the slewing to the tires. Don't know. They remind me of the tires on my Tacoma.

I'd recommend going with 15" or 16" wheels to get a better tire selection
 
Gotta say XWXs at $600 a corner is steep but in the day it was THE tire. Porsche, BMW, Ferrari all ran them. They were predictable and well suited to the car...and Coker has modified the compound to modern standards. So the option is new rims (overhead cost...pick the price point) and tires (price point again) and if low profile....suspension geometry modification to take advantage (camber plates, sway bars etc.) and compare.

if you are stacking on significantly more miles than Hagerty will tolerate or doing track days (oh....perhaps this means a spare set of rims and tires again!) i get it. No doubt there are handling advantages, but to be candid the E9 is good in any case and if i really want carve corners i can think of alternate rides...it is a
machine which compromises in good ways.

If you amortize over say 5 to 7 years (tire life irrespective of miles) perhaps XWXs aren't such a bad deal.
 
I have 215/60R14 BFGoodrich Comp T/A tires on my CS now. I just bought a set of 215/60R14 BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires from Tirerack because availability of 14" tires is getting very limited.
 
The BFG Radial T/A tires are SR rated tires which concerns me for use on the Coupe and the way I drive. I went with Falken tires the last time I got a set because they were at least HR rated tires. While they are not extreme perfomance tires, I can say they are a very decent handling tire. My size is 215/60-14.
 
Wow...this topic has become very interesting. The dearth of quality high performance 14" tires is alarming and disconcerting. Seems to be that most guys with 14" rims are settling for the inferior off brand H, R, and S rated tires and essentially, whatever is left in the worldwide 14" tire inventory. What's next...Costco brand tires for the coupes? Spending $2400 for a set of the Michelin XWX repros seems a little extreme to me and probably, most coupe owners.
 
While Falken sounds like an off brand tire, it is a fairly high rated tire and is partnered with Dunlop. I know HR tires are not VR tires but even if my Coupe could hit 130 mph, I don't think it would ever happen. I don't think a HR tire is a downgrade for our Coupes. I just hope Falken continues to produce the 14" tires.

I just took a quick look on-line and it seems my size is not available in Falken tires anymore. I may have to settle for a true off-brand tire the next time. Hopefully it will still be HR if available at all.
 
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gwittman said:
While Falken sounds like an off brand tire, it is a fairly high rated tire and is partnered with Dunlop. I know HR tires are not VR tires but even if my Coupe could hit 130 mph, I don't think it would ever happen. I don't think a HR tire is a downgrade for our Coupes. I just hope Falken continues to produce the 14" tires.

I just took a quick look on-line and it seems my size is not available in Falken tires anymore. I may have to settle for a true off-brand tire the next time. Hopefully it will still be HR if available at all.
Click to expand...

Go to Americas Tire web site. Falken Sincera SN-828 195 /70 - 14. They got 'em as of 2 days ago.
 
OK. Let's get a pool together and purchase one Michelin XWX. Send it to Korea...Nanking or whomever. Have 'em take a mold, pick some trick
formulation, wrap it around a magic carcass and pour 200 of 'em at $125 each.

Call it a Nichelim XMX. No such thing as copywrite laws in Korea...Right???
 
Lotuss7 said:
Go to Americas Tire web site. Falken Sincera SN-828 195 /70 - 14. They got 'em as of 2 days ago.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reference but the size I use is 215/60-14. Americas tire is one of the sites I went to when I checked availability. I did buy my last set from them and fortunately I don't need tires right now and should not for a long time.
 
Mirada tires

gwittman said:
Thanks for the reference but the size I use is 215/60-14. Americas tire is one of the sites I went to when I checked availability. I did buy my last set from them and fortunately I don't need tires right now and should not for a long time.
Click to expand...

Just bought a set of Mirada 215/60-14, H-rated. Made by Yokohama. Mounted on factory 5-spokes. I autocruise, not autocross, my coupe and these are doing fine so far.
 
Finding tires in 205/70-14 could be a bit tricky now a days.
Unless you will pay a lot of E9-dollares :)
 
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