Original profile tyres for 504? Availability?

BarryC

Member
Fellow Frogger
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
266
Location
Melbourne
Hello

The 504 used 175/80 14 tyres. This profile has appeared to have completely disappeared (not a surprise, but simply an observation) over the last couple of years.

Does anyone know how to access this tyre size in Australia? I don't want to fit wider tyres, but use this profile as steering and ride comfort are compromised.
 
If you can find a supplier with the 80 series profile you will not get many tyres to choose from.

If you choose 175/70/R14 you will find that you have plenty of tyres to choose from.

Just my :2cents: worth.
 
Watch what you buy..Just did a quick search in 175/80 or 75 /R14 and ended up seeing a lot of van tyres with high load rating.

I remember once suggesting to a mate and fellow (ex)frogger that the very cheap light truck tyres fitted to his car might not be the best choice..Not long before the car ended up wedged between two trees on the side of the road.

I agree with Col, go for the ultra low profiles!!!:D

Jo
 
Watch what you buy..Just did a quick search in 175/80 or 75 /R14 and ended up seeing a lot of van tyres with high load rating.

I remember once suggesting to a mate and fellow (ex)frogger that the very cheap light truck tyres fitted to his car might not be the best choice..Not long before the car ended up wedged between two trees on the side of the road.

I agree with Col, go for the ultra low profiles!!!:D

Jo

I use 70 series tyres on my R12 and the handling and ride is perfectly OK.
 
I use 70 series tyres on my R12 and the handling and ride is perfectly OK.

I wasn't saying there is anything wrong with 70 profile, but light truck tyres are a liability if you need to turn a corner.

From a quick google search, it appears the 70 profile offers a wide range of budget and quality choices, and by modern car $tandard$, all rather cheap.
 
I wasn't saying there is anything wrong with 70 profile, but light truck tyres are a liability if you need to turn a corner.

From a quick google search, it appears the 70 profile offers a wide range of budget and quality choices, and by modern car $tandard$, all rather cheap.

I wouldn't be fitting light truck tyres to a car, that is a recipe for disaster as you have already pointed out Jo.
 
You need to fit 195 70 14s, the 175 70 is a very small tyre. For ride I think that 195 70 14 is about the optimum. I have Nexen tyres in this size on my 504 wagon and they work very well. Needs 5.5 inch wide rims at least though, 185 75 14 is the usual replacement for 175 80 on standard rims. Light Truck tyres are usually 185 80.
 
First, I also advise against truck/van tyres. My objection is poor wet grip in a tyre optimised for longevity. You might also object to the comfort degradation of the reinforced structure.

Second, one can get a "classic" tyre in 175/80-14 from Vredestein via Longstones in the UK. (See link.)

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic-car-tyres/peugeot/504.html

These are probably available from local "classic" tyre suppliers but I would be very very wary of stock age (Longstones' turnover would be higher). I don't like the tyres (sloppy response, mediocre wet grip & but semi-benign limit behaviour) but you might not prioritise such things. They're better than truck/van alternatives.

There is also a local alternative from Nankang. Again, I don't like it but . . . See:

CX-668 | Nankang Tyres

Third, both 185/75 & 195/70 are similar in gearing to 175/80, would not increase steering weight (a contact patch shape thing) & would have minimal effect on ride comfort (owing only to a slight increase in unsprung mass; the sidewall height is identical). They are fine on a 5" rim.

For tyre size comparisons, see:

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

There are no splendid tyres in either of these sizes but a tolerable medium list in 195/70 (I would not include Nexen on it) & one tyre from Hankook in 185/75.

185/75 probably best suits what you're after & the K715 is not rubbish. Although an old pattern, it has the wet grip merit of not being "eco" optimised for fuel efficiency..

See: https://www.hankooktire.com/au/passenger-cars/hankook-optimo-k715.html

In 195/70, the best of a mediocre bunch is probably Michelin's new XM2+ (I'd dodge its identical looking predecessor, the XM2, on wet grip grounds; the + seems better compounded).

The rest of my medium list would be:

Hankook's Kinergy Eco2 (a tad too Eco for wet grip)

Kumho's Ecowing ES01 (ditto)

BF Goodrich's Advantage T/A Drive (not Eco but more compounded for longevity than wet grip).

None of these are "Chinese Dreadful" lethal but none is better than mediocre. Certainly none is so splendidly better than the 185/75 K715 to warrant choice if that size suits you better.

Fourth, what is splendidly better than any of the above on any parameter apart from longevity & fuel efficiency is Continental's PremiumContact2. It is available in 175/70 & I would personally live with a bit of undergearing (5.6%) to gain access to a much better tyre. YMMV

cheers! Peter
 
Last edited:
Michelin makes a range of classic tires for the 504, the tires that were original equipment when the cars were new. I bought mine from Longstone Tyres in GB, who has free worldwide delivery. Highly recommended
 
Michelin makes a range of classic tires for the 504, the tires that were original equipment when the cars were new. I bought mine from Longstone Tyres in GB, who has free worldwide delivery. Highly recommended

Quite right but it's the Xas in 175/80-14 (I didn't read the fine print in the link I supplied). The Xas is a poor wet tyre in pattern sensitive conditions & a poor wet compound in non FF formulation - not recommended. It's also tube-type, a far inferior matter to tubeless.

I'd go for the 185/75 K715 instead,
 
Last edited:
Hi 4cvg!

While I agree that the XAS is a bad tyre, particularly when measured on wet grip, I believe it came in both tube-type and tubeless, with the 175/80-14 size for the 504 being tubeless.

Do you know if the Michelin classic range of tyres are being made with an updated compound? Something more similar to modern products to improve their grip?
 
Hi 4cvg!

While I agree that the XAS is a bad tyre, particularly when measured on wet grip, I believe it came in both tube-type and tubeless, with the 175/80-14 size for the 504 being tubeless.

Do you know if the Michelin classic range of tyres are being made with an updated compound? Something more similar to modern products to improve their grip?

It indeed seems to be tubeless only. See:

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/5426/category/6427

Again, I didn't read the fine print in the table & was misled by the listing of the tubes in the purchase area.

Yes the compounds are updated. The structure is also changed in various members of the range. For instance, the XZX now has the (Pirelli-invented) nylon overlay ply which stabilises the steel belts against centrifugal growth. I (don't know but) suspect that the odd differently angled circumferentially divided inner & outer belts of the Xas (unique to it) are abandoned.

But, although updated, the issue is: updated to what? Michelin has had a recent improvement to its compounding capacities &/or priorities in favour of wet grip (witness the PS4) but how far down the model range this goes, & to what extent, won't be clear until the Northern summer magazine tests. (The Primacy 4 is better than the 3 but test results are a mixed bag.) The lower end of the regular range is where the "classic" tyres' compounds are likely sourced if simply carried across.

At this stage, it's not a promising story. The only test of Michelin classic tyres I've seen (a recent one
by a very competent German magazine) was of the (once-flagship) XWX (in 195/70-14) & it did badly in the wet. The XWX is much better patterned than the Xas for "streaming" conditions & I can't imagine it being worse-compounded for the wet. So this is indirect evidence against the Xas.

Two other tyres in the test are worth mention for comparison - one modernish tyre, Maxxis's MAP1, & the "classic" Vredestein I've noted earlier. Both beat the XWX & each is a poor wet tyre.

If anyone is interested in a copy of that test, then PM me with a regular email address & I'll email you a copy.

cheers! Peter
 
Last edited:
bridgestone alternative

I have been running 195/14 Light truck tyres on 505, and 504 sedans and wagons, for many years. I have had tremendious sucsess with Bridgestone R623 tyres. They are 8 ply, slightly reduced pressures, help and doesn't seem to compromise ride quality or handling.
A few years Back I Did The Canning stock route in a std 505 Sedan, and used these tyres. Pressures were dropped to 10 psi for the Dunes. No punctures for the whole journey, and the tyres are still on a car and holding air today.
I have a similar CSR trip planned in April North bound this time in a 504 Sedan.I have just bought 6x Bridgestone R623 for the journey.
 
If you google antiquetyres.com.au they have a Michelin 185R14 listed, and there are other brands to choose from. They have agents in all states.
Good luck

As remarked earlier, a key consideration is stock age. I would be very wary & very explicit & emphatic about it (no money passed unless it's verified that tyres are under 18 months of age from the sidewall manufacturing date).

185/80-14 was not the original request but it does allow one to get the MXV which, although hardly wonderful, is a decided improvement on the Xas. Mind you, unless one were tribally committed to Michelin or refusing to consider other, perfectely satisfactory sizes - like 185/75, I can't imagine why one would bother paying a huge premium for an inferior tyre.
 
Last edited:
I have been running 195/14 Light truck tyres on 505, and 504 sedans and wagons, for many years. I have had tremendious sucsess with Bridgestone R623 tyres. They are 8 ply, slightly reduced pressures, help and doesn't seem to compromise ride quality or handling.
A few years Back I Did The Canning stock route in a std 505 Sedan, and used these tyres. Pressures were dropped to 10 psi for the Dunes. No punctures for the whole journey, and the tyres are still on a car and holding air today.
I have a similar CSR trip planned in April North bound this time in a 504 Sedan.I have just bought 6x Bridgestone R623 for the journey.

I used Michelin Agilis light truck tyres in 185 by 14 on my 403, which was used for a few outback trips. They gave the old style experience which Barry is after and are regular tyres so not expensive. However, they were poor in sand until they were let down to around 10 psi as Andy said. Possibly due to the stiffer sidewalls. In regard to previous comments I do think that 195 70 is the optimum size to give a good ride, Nexens may not have great wet road grip but feel great to drive on my 504 and give a very good smooth ride without any vibration. 175 70 is way too small, looks ridiculous and probably too low a load rating.
 
Top