Subject: Re: [Healeys] Tires Again

From: Charlie Frazer <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 21:00:04 -0700

Is it the consensus of the list that Vreds are not good in the rain?
I had the distinct impression I was hydoplaning on a trip through the  
Olympic Peninsula returning from a meet in Vancouver BC last summer.
This was at speeds of 50-60 mph on 3 year-old Vred 165s during heavy  
rain in the rainforest.  Others in the group didn't seem to have the  
problem.
Thanks for comments and observations,
Charlie

On Apr 28, 2012, at 6:48 PM, Bob Spidell wrote:

Any ideas for 185/70-R15 or 185R tires?  Anything besides Vredestein  
(they're good tires, just wondering if there's anything else available)?

Good sources?

TIA,
Bob

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From: Rick Swain <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 12:16:28 +0000

I seem to drive in the rain a fair bit (I live in the Maritimes in Canada) and
haven't noticed any problems with the current Vred Sprint Classics on my BN4,
or the older pattern Vreds that I had before these.
Rick Swainwww.classicmotorart.cafull-colour drawings of your car

[email-masked]

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From: Randy Hicks <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 08:51:17 -0400

I agree with Rick. We have driven across the USA 3 times in the last 5 years,
in all kinds of weather. The Vredesteins have done an excellent job.

Especially in the wet. We run the 185/70's on the 100's & 185R (/80) on the
BJ8. 165 seems to small for me.

Randy

On May 2, 2012, at 8:16 AM, Rick Swain <[email-masked]> wrote:

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From: Bob Spidell <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 02 May 2012 06:16:02 -0700

I think they are competent in the rain.  Modern high performance and 'rain' tires have at least one--usually two or 
more--deep, straight grooves to channel water away from some generally 'slick' tread, with more typical tread patterns 
on the edges.  Also, I imagine the compounding is different; i.e. softer for rain or HP tires.    Although I don't think 
the Sprint Classic is an 'all season' tire--the Sprint+ claims to be--it has that kind of tread pattern and no deep 
channels for moving water out of the way.

My Mustang came with decent BF Goodrich 'all season' tires.  They were a disaster in the rain--hydroplaned like 
crazy--and not very good in the dry.  I bought Continental HP tires--with several deep channels--and the difference is 
night and day in wet and dry.  Unfortunately, it looks like I'll only get 15-20K miles on them, but it's worth it.

Bob

[email-masked]

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From: "Earl Kagna" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 07:23:45 -0700

Charlie:

I run Vred 185/70 15's, and one of the things that I like best about them is 
the rain performance, in my opinion, especially compared to the Mich ZX's 
that I replaced.  Bear in mind that I live very close to the 'rainforest' - 
within sight of the Olympic Peninsula (but not the real rainy parts).  I 
think most people run too high a pressure in their Healeys - I run 
relatively low pressure - don't want to start another 'big thing' on the 
list.  I think pressure probably has a lot to do with how the tires feel in 
the wet.

The only tires that came close to them in the wet are the old Michelin 
XAS's, which haven't been available for a long, long time, probably 25 years 
or so.

Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

-----Original Message----- 
From: Charlie Frazer
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 9:00 PM
To: Bob Spidell
Cc: healeylist
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Tires Again

Good sources?

TIA,
Bob

[email-masked]

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From: HealeyRick <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 08:07:19 -0700 (PDT)

Earl,

XASs are still available from Coker Tire here:
http://www.cokertire.com/165hr15-michelin-xas.html  but at $295 each are too
rich for my blood.  They're a great tire with good grip and very predictable. 
I just had to replace a set on my bugeye that were too old to by trusted and
shed a tear when they went to the discard pile.

Rick

Follow My Nasty Boy Build:  http://tinyurl.com/yj52fwo

--- On Wed, 5/2/12, Earl Kagna <[email-masked]> wrote:

From: Earl Kagna <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Tires Again
To: "Charlie Frazer" <[email-masked]>, "Bob Spidell"
<[email-masked]>
Cc: "healeylist" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 10:23 AM

Charlie:

I run Vred 185/70 15's, and one of the things that I like best about them is
the rain performance, in my opinion, especially compared to the Mich ZX's that
I replaced.  Bear in mind that I live very close to the 'rainforest' - within
sight of the Olympic Peninsula (but not the real rainy parts).  I think most
people run too high a pressure in their Healeys - I run relatively low
pressure - don't want to start another 'big thing' on the list.  I think
pressure probably has a lot to do with how the tires feel in the wet.

The only tires that came close to them in the wet are the old Michelin XAS's,
which haven't been available for a long, long time, probably 25 years or so.

Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

[email-masked]

---

From: "Earl Kagna" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 08:33:56 -0700

Yeah Rick, but not in the 175 size, which was / is much better on a Healey b
also, way too expensive for a normal road car, at least for me.  Thatbs why
I came to the conclusion b at least for me b the Vredbs are the best
compromise Meaning theybre great, except for the bvintageb look b big
thing for me is that the diameter is right.

Earl

From: HealeyRick
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 8:07 AM
To: Charlie Frazer ; Bob Spidell ; Earl Kagna
Cc: healeylist
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Tires Again

      Earl,

      Rick

        Charlie:

        I run Vred 185/70 15's, and one of the things that I like best about
them is the rain performance, in my opinion, especially compared to the Mich
ZX's that I replaced.  Bear in mind that I live very close to the 'rainforest'
- within sight of the Olympic Peninsula (but not the real rainy parts).  I
think most people run too high a pressure in their Healeys - I run relatively
low pressure - don't want to start another 'big thing' on the list.  I think
pressure probably has a lot to do with how the tires feel in the wet.

        Earl Kagna
        Victoria, B.C.
        BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

[email-masked]

---

From: Richard Kahn <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 May 2012 12:04:10 -0700

Well, I disagree with that. I Live in Lake Tahoe and we get our share of rain
and snow. I've had no problems in the rare occasion I get caught coming home
in the poor weather. I never go out of my way to put the Healey in wet wather
due ton rust. They actually do well in snow not being a mud/snow tire.
Rich Kahn

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> Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 21:00:04 -0700
> CC: [email-masked]
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---

From: Bob Spidell <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 04 May 2012 20:20:32 -0700

Best price I found on Vredestein 185/70-15s was from Euro Tire in NJ (www.eurotire.com), thanks to a tip from a 
Lister.   They were $119ea and even with a little over $30ea shipping to CA they beat the package from Summit advertised 
on eBay--with 'free' shipping--by over $85 total.  They were supposedly manufactured this year.

I mentioned to the guy at Euro that Vreds are, realistically, the only choice in this and other sizes (Avons, Dunlops 
and Michelin are very expensive if they can be found at all).   I mentioned that we'll basically be screwed for tires if 
Vredestein ever quits the business; the guy at Euro said the managing director at Vredestein is a 'Healey Guy.'  That 
probably explains the red BJ8 on their brochures.

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

Bob

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