'63 bug - stock tire question

Hi folks,

I know this has been discussed at length before, but I just want to be
sure before I put the tires on my '63, with the original wheels.

Is it best to go with:

1) Radials with tubes,
2) Radials without tubes,
3) Bias-belted without tubes.

What are the drawbacks of using tubes with radials? What are the
drawbacks (or positives) of using bias-belted tires? The 61-65 Bentley
basically discourages the use of radials entirely...

'63 wheels are suitable for tubeless bias tires, or radials with tubes,
but I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early '60s
cars. The 1961-65 Bentley Manual even says to use tubes with radials,
but I was wondering how many were out there like this?
Thanks,

Dane
'69 Bug
'63 Bug

On 13 Dec 2004 10:18:21 -0800, "Dane Tyler" > wrote:

>Hi folks,
>
>I know this has been discussed at length before, but I just want to be
>sure before I put the tires on my '63, with the original wheels.
>
>Is it best to go with:
>
>1) Radials with tubes,
>2) Radials without tubes,
>3) Bias-belted without tubes.
>
>What are the drawbacks of using tubes with radials? What are the
>drawbacks (or positives) of using bias-belted tires? The 61-65 Bentley
>basically discourages the use of radials entirely...
>
>'63 wheels are suitable for tubeless bias tires, or radials with tubes,
>but I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early '60s
>cars. The 1961-65 Bentley Manual even says to use tubes with radials,
>but I was wondering how many were out there like this?
>Thanks,


I have 165x15 radials on my '66 and I hate them. They look way to
fat, I just love the original narrow look of the original crossplies.
I keep promising that I will switch back to crossplies as soon as I
wear out these radials, but they are too damn hard wearing!! he he

Can't remember if they had tubes in them, but I don't think they did.

If you want radial tyres, then try and get 155x15 instead. If you
don't drive like a maniac, then you can't beat crossplies on a stock
car - they're not as nasty and dangerous as people make them out to
be.

In article .com>,
"Dane Tyler" > wrote:

> I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early '60s
> cars.

I have radials without tubes on my '61 and they work just fine.

--
___
|___| '61 - VW
(o\_|_/o) Bug! ALEA -- 35.9 BHP and not a bit more!
_U_____U_

I believe the swing axle cars all had 155-15. The Mexican Beetle I drove in 2003 in Mexico had 155-15 tires on it too.
"John Crichton" > wrote in message news:nDtvd.566410$D%.217563@attbi_s51...
> I think I used to know what the tire size that originally shipped on a
> '64/'65 Beetle but that info has apparently been erased. Can someone
> refresh my memory. If I recall the tire sizes back then weren't even
> expressed the way we do now (i.e. 155R15). I assume that they were bias
> ply polyester belted tires but again I could be mistaken.
>
> Dane Tyler wrote:
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > I know this has been discussed at length before, but I just want to be
> > sure before I put the tires on my '63, with the original wheels.
> >
> > Is it best to go with:
> >
> > 1) Radials with tubes,
> > 2) Radials without tubes,
> > 3) Bias-belted without tubes.
> >
> > What are the drawbacks of using tubes with radials? What are the
> > drawbacks (or positives) of using bias-belted tires? The 61-65 Bentley
> > basically discourages the use of radials entirely...
> >
> > '63 wheels are suitable for tubeless bias tires, or radials with tubes,
> > but I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early '60s
> > cars. The 1961-65 Bentley Manual even says to use tubes with radials,
> > but I was wondering how many were out there like this?
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Dane
> > '69 Bug
> > '63 Bug
> >

OEM bias size was 5.60 x 15, although 6.00 x 15 is common replacement.

For radials, 155R15 was the equivalent size and recommended
replacement, although 165R15 is used predominantly today.

I'm leaning towards getting the bias tires for my car ('63), but
something tells me that may not be totally pleased with them. There's a
reason that most every new car for the past 30 years has had radial
tires...

Oh well, we shall see.

Dane Tyler
'69 Bug
'63 sunroof Bug

John Crichton wrote:
> I think I used to know what the tire size that originally shipped on
a
> '64/'65 Beetle but that info has apparently been erased. Can someone

> refresh my memory. If I recall the tire sizes back then weren't even

> expressed the way we do now (i.e. 155R15). I assume that they were
bias
> ply polyester belted tires but again I could be mistaken.
>
> Dane Tyler wrote:
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > I know this has been discussed at length before, but I just want to
be
> > sure before I put the tires on my '63, with the original wheels.
> >
> > Is it best to go with:
> >
> > 1) Radials with tubes,
> > 2) Radials without tubes,
> > 3) Bias-belted without tubes.
> >
> > What are the drawbacks of using tubes with radials? What are the
> > drawbacks (or positives) of using bias-belted tires? The 61-65
Bentley
> > basically discourages the use of radials entirely...
> >
> > '63 wheels are suitable for tubeless bias tires, or radials with
tubes,
> > but I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early
'60s
> > cars. The 1961-65 Bentley Manual even says to use tubes with
radials,
> > but I was wondering how many were out there like this?
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Dane
> > '69 Bug
> > '63 Bug
> >

OEM bias size was 5.60 x 15, although 6.00 x 15 is common replacement.

For radials, 155R15 was the equivalent size and recommended
replacement, although 165R15 is used predominantly today.

I'm leaning towards getting the bias tires for my car ('63), but
something tells me that may not be totally pleased with them. There's a
reason that most every new car for the past 30 years has had radial
tires...

Oh well, we shall see.

Dane Tyler
'69 Bug
'63 sunroof Bug

John Crichton wrote:
> I think I used to know what the tire size that originally shipped on
a
> '64/'65 Beetle but that info has apparently been erased. Can someone

> refresh my memory. If I recall the tire sizes back then weren't even

> expressed the way we do now (i.e. 155R15). I assume that they were
bias
> ply polyester belted tires but again I could be mistaken.
>
> Dane Tyler wrote:
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > I know this has been discussed at length before, but I just want to
be
> > sure before I put the tires on my '63, with the original wheels.
> >
> > Is it best to go with:
> >
> > 1) Radials with tubes,
> > 2) Radials without tubes,
> > 3) Bias-belted without tubes.
> >
> > What are the drawbacks of using tubes with radials? What are the
> > drawbacks (or positives) of using bias-belted tires? The 61-65
Bentley
> > basically discourages the use of radials entirely...
> >
> > '63 wheels are suitable for tubeless bias tires, or radials with
tubes,
> > but I have seen many people use radials w/out tubes on their early
'60s
> > cars. The 1961-65 Bentley Manual even says to use tubes with
radials,
> > but I was wondering how many were out there like this?
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Dane
> > '69 Bug
> > '63 Bug
> >

In article . com>,
"Dane Tyler" > wrote:

> OEM bias size was 5.60 x 15, although 6.00 x 15 is common replacement.

That size sounds familiar! I have an old Firestone bias ply 5.60 x 15 as
the spare as anything bigger wouldn't fit in the OEM location.

--
___
|___| '61 - VW
(o\_|_/o) Bug! ALEA -- 35.9 BHP and not a bit more!
_U_____U_

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 04:04:35 GMT, John Crichton >
wrote:

>I think I used to know what the tire size that originally shipped on a
>'64/'65 Beetle but that info has apparently been erased.

5.60x15 crossply. Euro-spec cars had Michelin from 1965, but I
believe US-spec cars had different ones?

Unfortunately Michelin no longer make a 5.60x15 crossply tyre, but
Camacs look almost identical.

--
Howard Rose
1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe
1962 Austin Mini Deluxe
1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe
http://www.howard81.co.uk/ (cars on website)

On 14 Dec 2004 10:04:22 -0800, "Dane Tyler" > wrote:

>I'm leaning towards getting the bias tires for my car ('63), but
>something tells me that may not be totally pleased with them. There's a
>reason that most every new car for the past 30 years has had radial
>tires...

Modern cars are also more reliable, comfortable, faster, better MPG,
have working heaters... but I don't want one ;-)

--
Howard Rose
1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe
1962 Austin Mini Deluxe
1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe
http://www.howard81.co.uk/ (cars on website)

On 14 Dec 2004 23:28:22 GMT, EMOVE (Chris Perdue)
wrote:

>>From: Howard Rose
>
>>
>>5.60x15 crossply. Euro-spec cars had Michelin from 1965, but I
>>believe US-spec cars had different ones?
>>
>
>pretty sure, but not sure when/how, that Continental tire was the chosen tire
>supplier for US spec vw's....

That's the one! Just forgot the name. Thanks~

--
Howard Rose
1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe
1962 Austin Mini Deluxe
1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe
http://www.howard81.co.uk/ (cars on website)