Could it be the tires?

Skeezixx

Skeezixx

Senior Member
I found a 30 Tudor which had been sitting for at least seven years. I got it started and it runs fine but when I put it on the road it had a front end wobble which was very pronounced.

The tie rod ends and kingpins seemed fine.

I spoke with a tire dealer who said the nylon tires had "set" and that if I drove it a bit they would smooth out.

The car is only about three miles from my house and I'd really like to drive it home.

Has anyone else experienced this and what was the outcome?
 
Were the tires sitting flat at anytime? Sometimes when they are re-inflated they don't come back up on the rim completely. It is also correct that if they are Nylon tires they will take a set. Go slow and warm them up and they should true up. I had a truck at one time that would set a flat spot every night. I'd have to drive it several miles to round them out. Good luck and let us know what you find.
 
TK in LA said:
Were the tires sitting flat at anytime? Sometimes when they are re-inflated they don't come back up on the rim completely. It is also correct that if they are Nylon tires they will take a set. Go slow and warm them up and they should true up. I had a truck at one time that would set a flat spot every night. I'd have to drive it several miles to round them out. Good luck and let us know what you find.
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No, I don't believe they were ever allowed to go flat completely. They were fluffed up when I discovered the car.

When I drove the car about two blocks I felt like I was piloting the tooneyville trolly! It was quite severe to me but a companion sitting in the back seat claims he didn't feel a thing.

So maybe I'll swap the backs for the fronts before I take to the road. Perhaps there was less weight on the back tires and they are less "set."
 
Personally, I'd go ahead and toss the tires out with the trash. Put some new tires on and then address your issues. I would never trust tires that had been sitting for seven years. If you're planning on using the car at all, you're going to want new tires
anyway, so why prolong it? JMHO
 
Jack '29 Sport Coupe said:
Personally, I'd go ahead and toss the tires out with the trash. Put some new tires on and then address your issues. I would never trust tires that had been sitting for seven years. If you're planning on using the car at all, you're going to want new tires
anyway, so why prolong it? JMHO
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Oh I intend to get a new set of tires but none are available locally. I would have to order them and I want to get the car home soon.

The badly bent rim is a good suggestion. If that's the case I can just use the spare to get it home.
 
My 2 door had new tires when I bought it, but it had been sitting for a couple years. It shook so bad that the dome light came on. I tried over-inflating, under-inflating, driving long and hard, hard turns, and in the end they became garage rollers.
 
My father's car has an old set of nylon cord Sears tires, and it takes about 5 miles for the tires to get round again. Until then, the tires seem square.
 
I have the same thing,Sears tires from the late 60's,about 5 miles to round them out,just a couple miles on a hot day.I have some Wards Riversides,same vintage,they were the same way,but this summer they are seeming to stay square.They may be nearing their lifes end.Those are my favorite tires too.
 
I guess no one here is old enough to remember, or weren't involved with tires back at the time nylon was first introduced.

Our family was in the tire business. When nylon cord was first introduced it was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread.

We sold a lot of nylon tires. However, nylon "set" was a major issue. Got so you hated to see a customer show up that had a new set of nylon tires. It didn't take us long to explain to a customer that the tires would take a nylon "set" overnight.

Obviously, the colder the weather the more "set" and it would take several miles for the nylon tires to get round again.

On the Model A in question, if the tires are not weather checked I'd inflate the tires to 35 pounds and drive it home. After a few miles the nylon "set" will go away and the tires will be just fine.

I have a set of almost new 19" nylon tires on my 31 SW sedan. In the winter, when first starting out you'd think the tires were square. After a few miles they are just fine. In this summer heat I don't really notice any nylon "set."

I sure would not "trash" a set of nylon tires if they were not weather checked or showing any signs of cracking.

JD
 
I'd like to add that you might want to check the tubes, even if your tires look OK. If you have the rubber stems, bend them slightly and look for rot. My RPU sat for about 7 years in a garage. The tires actually didn't look too bad, (replaced them anyway) but had I not done so, I'd never have seen that my tubes were rotten. They were pretty bad around the stems, and a few places inside. This could make for an 'unfun' trip home. If they are a little come-apart-y at the stems, still enjoy driving it home, just be very careful and know the possibility of a flat exists. Tom
 
JD

The car was stored in a climate controlled garage since about 1977. It has been ignored for the last seven or so years. There is absolutely no sign of dry rot. They look fine.

When I first drove it after getting it running a few days ago, I was terrified at the amount of "wobble" in the front end. I never got past 2nd gear. It's enough to loosen a guys fillings in his teeth.

I only have to drive it about three miles to get it home but I am not sure I can do that without the front fenders finding a tree or an oncoming vehicle the way it is.

On the plus side the temperature has been in the 90s here lately.

If it had dual sidemounts I'd try putting the spares on the front but it's a humble tudor with only one rearmounted spare.
 
Skeezixx, I have found that the biggest cause of shimmy is the Tow in is incorrect. If they shimmy they will usually be towed out. I set mine at 1/16 plus or minus 1/32 . I doubt that the tires have anything to do with it. Shimmy and the bump bump of nylon tires is a completely different thing.
 
I bought a Model A that had almost new tires on it but it had been sitting for several years. I would get sea sick every time I drove it. I finally put on NEW TIRES and it was just like a "NEW" Car, well almost.

If your tires are not badly cracked, run them for a while and see if they will get round, if not, NEW TIRES!

Chris
 
Skeezixx said:
The car is only about three miles from my house and I'd really like to drive it home.
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ONLY THREE MILES?

Be sure they have some air in them and drive it home. By the time you get it home, it will either start to be getting better or not.

You may have too take it SLOW, but it should make it that far with no problem. :)

My Opinion

Chris.
 
I have to agree with CWPASADENA, this isn't rocket science. Push it, pull it, tow it flatbed it. 3 miles is nothing. JMO
Paul in CT
Where are you located??
 
Well, I decided to err on the side of caution and trailered it home yesterday.

When I got it home I drove around the block a few times and the shimmy is starting to abate (It only shimmies at 20mph now).

The tires being "set" seems to be the only explanation because everything in the steering is very nice.

I'll drive it around a bit more but a new set of tires is in order anyway.

Thanks guys for all the help.

P.S.

I am having too much fun already! Before I offloaded it from the trailer I had three cars stop and ask if it was for sale. I admit I am having a little sport with the inquiries. A stranger asked "How much did you pay for it" to which I replied, with my best poker face " A little old lady hired me to clean out her garage and I found this under a mound of empty boxes". "When I asked her about it she told me "that goes too" and gave it to me."
Another one was "$150.....I work for the scrap yard and am just picking it up for salvage."

I never got a straight answer to how long it had been sitting but as I loaded it on the trailer a man stopped and said "I have lived in this neighborhood for over thirty years, I always knew that car was in that garage but this is the first time I ever saw it."

Upon my arrival in my own neighborhood it caused quite a stir. A little girl about 8 years old, whom I had never seen before, walked up to me holding a camera and shyly asked if she could take a picture of it.I replied "How bout I take a picture of you driving it?" So I hoisted her up behind the wheel and snapped a shot of the biggest grin I ever saw on a kid's face.

What a hoot!

I haven't had this much fun in a score of years! Now, if only I could get my aoogah horn working (it goes aooooo but no gah [I adjusted the screw in the back and all I can get is a sorrowful moaning sound....AAOOOoo])
 
Check all the front suspension nuts & bolts: steering arm to spindle, wishbone to axle, wishbone to bell housing, etc.

Also, make sure all the lug-nuts are drawn-up tight....
 
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