My tires surprised me.

[TWChamp]

John is right about those H/F tires. I had one tear open before I even installed it. Those things are very thin and cheaply made.

[whitehawk759]

I just put new tires on the Hawk. It pained me to see the narrow white wall tires with 90% of the tread left go into the trash but they had eighteen years on them and the rubber was becoming hard. I wanted American made tires but the total cost came to way over my CASO budget. I finally settled on a set of tires from South Korea that had a narrow white wall. Ride improved immediately.

[Mrs K Corbin]

Plus 1 on thunderations...

[rkapteyn]

I also alway buy Coopers!
They really wear well and reduce our trade deficit with China.

[bensherb]

I've had new 5 year old tires crumble and have the tread fall off that had never touched the ground and 20 to 70 year old tires that are perfect with no signs of degradation. Old bias tires do appear to survive much better than radials too. The problem with tires is that sometime around 2010 tires makers were required to change their rubber make up so that tire would bio degrade; they will usually fall apart, used or not within 10 years. Tires made prior to that would sit in land fills almost forever. I have no problem driving around on 20 year old tires and do it regularly, but, on tires made after 2010 I inspect them often and replace them at the FIRST sign of degradation; the second sign is usually total failure. It's extremely rare for me to actually wear out a tire these days, with many vehicles, they typically fail while appearing almost new.

[52-fan]

Several days ago I put the rear wheels back on the truck. Yesterday, as I was leaving in the Commander, I saw that I had a flat. I thought that I would have to air up the tire when I got back, but that won't work.

[StudebakerGene]

After being on this site for a few years now I have come to understand that there are a lot of, (how do I say this and not offend anyone) CASO's in the Studebaker flock. I know that money situations are different but, I don't buy cheap tires, American made, Chinese made, German made, it just isn't worth it. When My wife and I first got married, I had a 60 Champ pick up and was always more broke than a "dog dick" and regularly searched for used tires. It was at this time that I realized that buying used Michelin's and other pricey used tires, they normally outlasted the new cheap ones that I could sometimes afford. So I started to save for better tires and have always done so since. Never had one blow out, tread separate on one or any of the horror stories I hear about. Most times you get what you pay for---- just saying

[PackardV8]

bensherb -The problem with tires is that sometime around 2010 tires makers were required to change their rubber make up so that tire would bio degrade; they will usually fall apart, used or not within 10 years. Tires made prior to that would sit in land fills almost forever.

Interesting and news to me. I did a search and can't find that info. Can you post a link detailing the biodegradable requirement?

jack vines

[creegster]

Interesting and news to me. I did a search and can't find that info. Can you post a link detailing the biodegradable requirement?

jack vines

Agreed: I dont think that is a thing.

[TWChamp]

When I was a poor teenager, many people could drive on bias 4 ply tires until 3 of the plies wore through. A good Michelin radial goes tens of thousands of miles with no problems, but several other makes seem to have sidewall blowouts and ply separation, and Goodyear Regatta is the worst for that. Two weeks ago I drove 130 miles to help a guy start his 1950 Land Cruiser that hasn't been started for 35 years. On the way home my right rear Kumo radial picked up a screw in the road and went flat very quickly. Before I could pull to the shoulder, the radial was in shreds.

[52-fan]

I always run good tires on my vehicles. I was only using the ones that came on the truck until I could get it running. I just thought this was a funny situation.
I have some better tires I saved from another vehicle I will use until I get it ready. My dollars only go so far each month, but I don't buy used tires. Right now I am rewiring the truck and rebuilding the gauge assembly.