Tires

This a rambling topic with lots of opinions. I tried to group topics but you should read all and make your on opinion.

I am have a hard time trying to find tires for my Crosley, could any of you tell me what type of tires you use on your Crosley or where I could get a set.

You can use radial ply, Sears handles them.

Trailer Tires

If you would be satisfied with a 4.80X12 tire size, Northern Tool outlets stock them for trailers. It's a high speed tire with a standard highway tread. Looks right and they're very reasonable.

I tried to purchase 4.50x12" tires for my 51 SS. The tire company would not sell them to me for use on a motorized vehicle. They said the sidewalls are not designed to support the necessary flex that is required for turning movements. I decided to call my insurance agent to see if they had a problem with the use of trailer tires on my car. I was told that they would cancel my policy if I decided to go through with the purchase and they find out about it. I could have snuck it past them, I think, but I like to drive my car so I decided to play it safe. I purchased a set of P 145-80 R Steel radials. They work very well but they are slightly taller and wider.

Be careful, there is something in my memory that I was told about radials and Crosleys. Something to do with shearing off bolts in the rear. I think it had to do with the fact that there was not enough slip occurring with radial tires and it made the rear too tight. Maybe someone else out there will have a better memory than me.

Radial tires get a lot more traction than do bias, and the Crosley ring gear bolts are prone to breaking with even bias tires. On the other hand, radials give a much better ride and handling. So no side stepping the clutch, or flat shifts with the radials.

I have taken many a cross-country trip at highway speeds pulling a boat in my Super Sport with the radials and never a problem. Except for a little rubbing on the frame.

The only problems I had when I ran radials on my Super Sports was I had to run them with a little more air in them to get rid of a squirmy feel and they aggravated marginal king pins. I think you will be OK as long as the suspension is in good shape and alignment is correct. Barry is right, the ring gear bolts do give problems. I find that they tend to loosen and also the heads can fatigue off if you over torque old bolts.

12" Portawalls wanted

Universal Tire made some nice 12" portawalls in the late '80s. Also, Coker Tire sold portawalls, but these were somewhat narrower and had the "Atlas" name on them. Does anyone have any leftover 12" portawalls for sale?

Tire sizes, Availability of Radials, Tubeless Discussion

My wife just purchased a '48 wagon and it needs new tires. I know that the car originally came with 450x12's. I've found 480x12's, 145x12's and 155x12's. Which of the larger sizes will fit on the wheels and not cause problems in the wheel wells? Are there some 'good' sources of such tires? As new Crosley 'parents' we need all the guidance we can get! Many thanks!

My 48 PU (I think same fender wells) has Radial P145/80R12 Goodyear Invicta on it. No problems. Know not correct but like better than 50 HS with 5:30-12 Tubeless with tubes. Guy bought 4 radials at WalMart this summer. He mounted himself.

I use the 480x12 and have no problems, also they are affordable.

I had 155X12 radials on my 50 wagon for 20 some years. They worked fine but are a little wide and did tip the front fender edges on the right twist. I think the 145X12 would work the best.

I'm using 4:80X12 Carlisle tires with tubes on my FarmOroad. They look fairly good and are almost exactly the same size as the original 4:50X12. I used 145X12 radials on a Super Sports I use to have and I had to pump them up a little harder than spec to keep the squirm down to a reasonable amount but they worked well otherwise. You have to have good kingpins and general better alignment with radials since the car was not setup for them originally. If you go radials and use tubes (Crosley rims were not speced for tubeless) be sure to use tubes made for radial tires. All the flex in radial tires will rub holes in regular tubes.

A friend told me this a few years ago--If your wheels are in good shape--forget the tubes,convert to tubeless.Well I trusted him--YES it works--no leaks--I'm passing this on to you,as I have used them this way for a few years.

I agree. The problem with Crosley wheels comes from where the center is riveted to the rim. If the rivet is tight with no signs of rust, you should be able to go tubeless.

As to tires, I'd consider bias-ply 5:30x12s first for any CC or CD-model Crosley, and 4:80x12s for any Models A, B, CB-41 or CB-42 2-cylinder Crosleys from '39 through '42 (5:30s will rub on these). They're widely available from any stores selling trailer tires. These are inexpensive, usually tubeless, look fairly original, and handle best. If you like wide whitewalls (and I do) get some Lucas 12" portawalls (800-735-0166) and install them at the same time. (Make sure the portawall bead is tightly tucked in.) Not having experience with the '49-'52 VCs, I can't speak with authority on tires for these.

Ridge in rim is helpful in keeping tire on when flat..don't think it does much when inflated.. Seb.

I second this. Never, never, never, use a tire tubeless on a non-tubeless rim. You are sitting on a disaster waiting to happen. I have a buddy that restored a BMW 600. He runs all over the country with it. Yes it is 600cc! Anyway, he is tooling along on one of his trips and a kid came up from behind, on straight interstate road, and hit him in the rear. The impact was so great that he was thrown sideways, went through the median into oncoming traffic. He never hit anything himself, but the car did slide sideways on dry pavement. IF he had not put tubes in those tires, he and I both are convinced the outcome would have been much worse.

Just an opinion, but on tube type wheels the inside of the wheel lip is smooth. On tubeless type wheels there is a ridge designed into the inside lip of the wheel to lock in the tire. While I know tubeless tires will mount and hold air, I am somewhat troubled by the lack of this ridge in the event of a hard cornering movement, believing that it is possible for the tire to pull free from the rim, with obvious dire consequences. Any other opinions? antiqbob

Carlisle Tires

I took a look at the Carlisle 12" tires at Menard's. I like the traditional smooth 1940s-1950s sidewall design (not too many 12" tires made today have kept that style), and the tread design is pleasing, too. Ask Carlisle Tire http://www.carlisletire.com/ for a brochure and check out their 12" line. This tire would be a great candidate for a wide whitewall.

Carlisle USA Trail 4:80X12 Tires

Here is a picture of the tires I bought many years ago for my FOR. I run them with tubes. They don't look like the originals for critical judging but I don't think they look to bad. The are 4 ply nylon construction.

4.80X12 Tires - Size Variation

I found some 4.80 x 12 tires at a trailer place today, called "tow-Master". I mounted them, and they are about 3/4" to 1" shorter than the old 4.50 x 12 tires that were on it, and they sure look narrower too. They don't appear as round as the old ones (sidewall). Are these tires going to be a mistake? They are 4-ply, 780 pound rating per tire. The guy at the shop also had 6-ply, but said they would be rock hard riding. Thoughts? On the first rim, I managed to bend the hub cap clips (bent when rim turned on changer) and when I tried to straighten them....snap. Does anyone offer clips I can rivet on?

If your tires are that much shorter than stock tires you will probably not be happy, unless you mostly drive around town. You will have slightly better pickup but a lower cruise speed. Tire diameter seems to vary a lot. I have seen the same think you are talking about. I have a set of 4:00X12 tires that are almost exactly the same diameter as the 4:50X12 and some 5.00X12s that are shorter and narrower. These happen to be tractor tread that I picked up for my duals on the FarmOroad but I had the same thing happen on trailer tires. I posted a picture of the Carlisle 4:80X12 above. I have these on the FOR and they are almost exactly the same diameter as the 4:50X12. I think they look good but not vintage.

My car had the original tires on it when I bought it. It also came with a set of tow master tires mounted on wheels. The towmaster tires ride better but the other tires were 55 years old that I compared the ride to. Also I took a razor blade and cut off the China or Taiwan name and smoothed out the rubber with a flat blade on my soldering gun. John

My tow master tires are4.80x12 same as yours,strangely enough 2 were made in Taiwan and 2 in China,but identical in every way. The raised letters from China Or Taiwan are easily cut off with a razor blade. These tires are good enough for me on such a limited use 47 pickup. I don't go fast or far enough to warrant using ugly balance weights,it will never handle or ride like my new car anyway-But more fun to drive.

Wheel Clips

On the first rim, I managed to bend the hub cap clips (bent when rim turned on changer) and when I tried to straighten them....snap. Does anyone offer clips I can rivet on?

Service Motors have the wheel clips.

Tire Changing

I went to the tire shop to have my tires changed and the machine was too big for the 12 inch tires. He changed one tire using 2 large screwdrivers, and showed me how to take the tire off the backside of the rim without damaging the hubcap clips or the paint job. But be CAREFUL not to pinch the tube. I have since changed 7 tires myself and it really is easy.

There is a lawnmower shop behind my house. They have a baby tire changer for mower and lawn tractor wheels. It is manual, is bolted to the floor, and is easy to use (just keep the clip side up!). It looks like an inexpensive rig. If they weren't so close to me, I would buy one if I fooled around with small wheels often!