Performance 165/80R13 tyres?

Author
Discussion

ELAN+2

Original Poster:

2,232 posts

239 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
In the good old days, there was a wide selection but now? Dunlop SP sports are still available at bizzare amounts (about £70 each mail order plus fitting etc) I tried Fire stone "skid hawks" on my last plus 2 and found them too hard, are there any sticky/soft 165 tyres available now?

Mark

AJAX50

418 posts

247 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
Avon do some fabulous soft compound 70% profile ZZ's, I've got 185X15 on my Healey, not sure if they do 13". Worth checking their web site.

dave_newcastle

192 posts

225 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
I had difficulties last year looking for same size tyres for a plus 2 - 165/80 R13

1) the only H rated ones available from anywhere (and I did some searching) at that time were Michelin (XAS FF I think) at £125 each plus fitting Vat etc. - though there is a small limited choice of other tyres rated at T - take a look at the tyre finder here.

2) consider also - the other problem was my car was on the original GKN lotus alloys which were designed for a tubed tyre, they do not have the lip inside the wheel for the tyre to seal against - tyre fitters at two different centres said that would not fit tubes to the new tyres because they said they were unsafe in modern radials - I must say that I have had three experiences of tube failures over the last few years - the ribs in the tyre rub on the tube till a hole results.

My solution (though not a cheap one!) was to use it as an opportunity and fit new 14" wheels (minilite) and 175/70 R14 tyres so that the rolling radius remained virtually identical.

Let us all know what you decide upon at 165/80R13 and how they suit the car

Dave


Edited by dave_newcastle on Wednesday 2nd May 13:40



Edited by dave_newcastle on Wednesday 2nd May 13:44

ELAN+2

Original Poster:

2,232 posts

239 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
Dave, a friend has got 185/60? 13 yoko a021 on his plus 2, still using the GKN alloys, I felt that it was over tyred and had too much grip in the dry, he wont drive it in the wet!! the Michelins are from memory a fuel economy tyre and are very hard, I had firestone fire hawks on my last plus 2 and had very little grip in the dry, they were truly evil in the wet!!I may end up going for the Dunlops, I'll keep you posted

Mark

velocemitch

3,850 posts

227 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
quotequote all
It's not a moobile phone, but have you tried Nokian Tyres, I have a set of them on my Alfa GTV, 185/70-14 Nokian NSR2's. They are pretty grippy in all conditions.

They don't seem to do the NSR2 in that size but they have these

www.nokiantyres.com/passengercars_product_en?product=609314&name=NOKIAN+NRe

Might be worth investigating