Tyre Sizes and hyd brakes - Std 33 wheels

panhead_pete

panhead_pete

Senior Member
Hi guys

Just need to start putting together some parts to get ready to have my car shipped to Australia. The old girl (33 in my signature) needs some tyres and I'd like some input on what brand and size you guys are running. One of the few mods I will be making is lowering it a little through reversed eyes on the springs so would also prefer a tyre that may not have a really tall side wall.

I think I may have also read that when fitting hydraulic brakes that I need a spacer of some sort to run the original wheels in a safe manner. Is that correct?

Thanks
Pete
 
5.25/5.50 x 17 Firestone bias plys would be original replacements, either BW or WW or double WW? depending on your taste. These and some larger sizes are available through Coker Tire in Chattanooga TN. They also have another warehouse in Fresno CA. (I am a Coker dealer and can assist you with this so you get the right stuff...)

Yes, you will need Wire Wheel Support Rings. The original drums and wheels
have uneven mounting surfaces, while the later drums that are required for
hydraulic brakes (typically called 40-48 drums) have a FLAT mounting surface. When mounting the wires on the later drums, there is no support on the INSIDE of the bolt circle, which prevents proper torqing of the lug nuts. The result would be that either the wheels will become stressed from the futile attempt to tighten the nuts which will lead to cracks, or they will come loose during driving, which will lead to the lug holes in the wheels becoming elongated and ruined. The solution is the WWSR which provides a solid surface for the wheel center to tighten against. These are available in two styles; glue-on rings for original Ford drums (in which case the wheel is not spaced outward and therefore no lug threads are sacrificed) or bolt-on, which are required and appropriate for the new USA drums; this style serves two functions: one, it provides the required support, and two, it spaces the wheel outward about 1/8" so that the wheel center will clear the outer edge of the (thicker) drum center. In this case, some stud threads ARE sacrificed, but longer studs are used for the new drums, so there are adequate threads. These SHOULD NOT be used on original drums, as lug threads are lost, creating a safety issue. (Both of these WWSR styles are included on the hydraulic brake system info that is coming to you...)
 
Have you been paying attention to the recent dramas importing modified cars into Aussie?

I hope you are planning to do the hyrdaulic brake swap once you get it there and not before.

It's a nice looking car - would hate for you to have any dramas getting it off the wharf!
 
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