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MG MG Y Type - Radial Tyres for Y-Types Down Under

I purchased a YT 2 days before a long interstate trip and wanted to replace the un-round (but new cross-ply) tyres.

I lucked upon Hankook 175/75R16 radials for only $89AUD each fitted and balanced. This size is being discontinued in Australia, so if anyone is thinking about driving tyres for their Y - get in quick.

I fitted them on the standard rims and have covered around 2,000km in a week with no problems (even up to 110km/h !). I have found that 28psi is best on the highway, and 24psi around town (cold pressures).
Tony Slattery

Some while ago I was interested in fitting radials but was advised that the narrow rims on the Ys are unsuitable for tyres wider than about 6 inches in old money. Your Hankooks are about 7 inches.

Radials have a smaller rollling radius than comparable cross plies, so the car will be even lower geared than normal unless a much larger radial is used. The 175 radial should have about the same rolling radius as the original 5.25 x 16.

Can you comment on the suitability of the rims, the clearances within the wheel arches, and the actual rolling radius of the tyres.

If anyone is interested I have a table of data that I collected on various tyres, showing the radius and the effect on the gearing.
j m nicholson

Like Tony I have fitted Radial tyres to standard rims. The tyres I fitted are 175/80x16 they are imported used Japanese tyres fitted and Balanced $60.
condition of tyres can best be described as new. The rolling radius is the same as a 525x16 cross ply tyre. The radial fitted to an original rim is 11mm wider than the cross ply tyre and does not look out of place. There is no problem with clearances under the wings. Although the radials are tubeless, Tubes MUST be fitted as the rims are not designed for tubeless tyres. I have now done in excess of 4000 miles on these tyres and have been very happy with the result.
Only one down side to the radials, your spare wheel will not fitt in the spare wheel compartment so you will have to carry a cross ply for a spare.

Terry
Terry Ciantar

"you will have to carry a cross ply for a spare."

Fitting different style tyres on the same "axle" is illegal here in UK. Is it not the same in Aus?


ian thomson

Ian, you are right; it is illegal in Holland, too. But here you also have to have the same size on the axle, so all the modern narrow spares would be illegal to fit? Maybe the tyreseller has "spare only" sticker for the crossply spare.
Willem van der Veer

What about a radial on the spare, and store it uninflated. Will it fit? I guess so.
j m nicholson

An update on this issue of radials on standard rims.

I contacted my vehicle insurer who said that while they had no issue with radials being fitted to the standard rims, if an accident could be attributed to a tyre/rim failure they would not honour the insurance. They stated that they would prefer that the rims were at least 5" wide for 175/75 tyres and had "radial safety beading".

So I have tonight managed to track down another 8 Lada Niva rims to make two more sets of wide wheels. One set for my Tourer and a set for another tourer. It costs around AUD$120 to have the Y wheel centres machined and welded to the Lada rims.

I will be keeping one set of standard rims with Bias Ply tyres for Concours and that "original look", and use the wide wheels and radials when I want to drive my Y's "Safety Fast".

I also found a website that answers almost every question you might have regarding tyres (bias & radial) & wheels:- (www.carbibles.com)
Tony Slattery

This thread was discussed between 19/04/2007 and 24/05/2007

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