Re: [Chrysler300] Original 14" MOPAR Wheels & Radial Tires

[John Kuegel <jwkco@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

-I just wanted to chime in on the F tire/ rim discussion...I bought 5- 15" 1985 Dodge Diplomat
rims(like those used on many Police cars), and added an extra outer
ring to each from some 14" miscellaneous Ford donor rims that I
cut...this was to still be able to mount the beautiful F hub caps on the Dodge
rims...the Dodge rims are 8.75 inches wide and built to take radial
tires...I installed BG Goodrich wide whites that were bought from Coker
(I forget the size at the moment, but it was on recommendation from my
friend John Hertog...I will go check)...anyway, the result is very
acceptable from a performance standpoint...night and day difference in
handling and cornering...just driving straight is so much different-
holds the road straight like it is glued...this may put extra stress
on the rims and lug mounting area, etc., I don't know...it does make the driving a good
deal more dependable, especially when one gets the urge to do what the
F is famous for!!...now I must make the "stop" as nice as the "go"...I
am working on an easy disc conversion using all off-the-shelf
parts...no heating,or welding involved...did the research with another
member and found steering linkage parts(tie rod components) that have
current part numbers and are plentiful and inexpensive...just need the
time!!...of course I have saved and stored all the original rims- they
will go to the next curator...

John Kuegel, F coupe; Long Island, NY




--- On Wed, 8/12/09, c300c@xxxxxxx <c300c@xxxxxxx> wrote:

From: c300c@xxxxxxx <c300c@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300]  Original 14" MOPAR Wheels & Radial Tires
To: chesnutt@xxxxxxxxxxxx, Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 2:14 PM






 




    
                  Hi John,

 

Like you, I had problems with radials when they first hit the market. Belt  

slippage seemed to be the norm for some years. Bias-ply tires were stiff, 

slid  through corners and lasted about 6-8000 miles. No problems with Mopar 

wheels,  but no doubt a new stress-relieved set would be safer.

 

I have been using the Coker 235/75 R 14s for about 5 years now on my 300-C  

conv. Only one of the five had balance problems. The others seem to be 

holding  up well. Of course, I only had them to 100 mph. once. I'm getting too 

old for  the high-speed thrills of yesteryear.

 

300'ly, Gary Hagy

 

 

In a message dated 8/12/2009 11:32:43 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  

chesnutt@pacifier. com writes:



Hi Gary  Hagy and 300 Club,



I have had two 14" wheel failures on our 1957 300C  with bias ply tires in

1971. We were near the end of a 4,500 mile trip from  Portland, Oregon to

eastern South Dakota. We travelled on rough back roads.  On our way out of

Yellowstone Park, we were losing air in one tire. We  stopped several times

to have the tire checked for leaks. Two tire shops  put the tire in a water

tank. Finally in Jerome, Idaho, a tire shop put 60  pounds of air in the 

tire

and noticed air bubbles coming from the wheel,  the metal had split at the

bead. Later, we had a similar problem and  replaced another wheel. We had 

our

family of five in the 300C at the  time.



After that trip, I told my wife that I will never drive on bias  ply tires 

on

a long trip as they are too stiff. Since then, our seven old  cars have

radials which improved the ride, handling and are much  safer.



In the early years we experienced cord slippage with radials on  all four

tires(Good Year JR14-75R) on our 1957 300C, 1971 Chrysler New  Yorker and a

1964 Chrysler New Yorker. The slippage always occurred at  highway speeds in

hot weather on long trips on curving roads.  



Radials have improved since the 1980's when we experienced cord  slippage.



John Chesnutt, Portland, OR



-----Original  Message-----

From: Chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com  [mailto:Chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com] On

Behalf Of c300c@xxxxxxx

Sent:  Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:14 PM

To: ryan_hillc300@ hotmail.com;  Chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com

Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 300F Tire questions  - again!



I have also used old Mopar wheels since 1957 without a  wheel  failure, 

using both bias ply and radial tires. They have all  been driven  HARD. If 

we

are 

so afraid of old metal in our 300s,  

we should  replace all of it or, I suggest buying new cars and  selling  

the 

old ones we are so afraid of. 



My nickels  worth,

Gary Hagy 



In a message dated 8/11/2009 10:45:30 P.M.  Mountain Daylight Time,  

ryan_hillc300@ hotmail.com  writes:



I  personally have never experienced a wheel failure  and have run all 

different  types of tires, radials and bias plys, on  original mopar steel

wheels 

for many  years. I would have thought  twice about running my muscle cars 

as 

fast and as  hard as I have if  I'd heard some of these stories 15 or 20 

years ago!   



I have to believe that if several members have  experienced  failures that 

they indeed can occur and I point to what  I would suspect as the  cause. 

Metal fatigue occurs in all sorts of  areas on an automobile, wheels are  

no 

different. Ever had a hubcap  fly off as you round a corner? The wheel is of



course flexing, I just  never realized a steel wheel would weaken to the

point  

of failure  without severe corrosion or an impact. 



Has anyone  ever  magnafluxed an old wheel to look for fractures? Are new 

wheels any   better? I know the chrome on my 'new' magnum 500's is of poor 

quality,  I  wonder if the wheel itself is any stronger....



Ryan  Hill   



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