Tyres for 504 wagon

[4cvgordini]

I am aware of the "won't fit spare wheel space" point. It's a consideration but, I suggest, is unwisely given overwhelming priority.

For the vast majority of the time the spare space will be occupied by the 175/80 spare (any old tyre will do so long as it is not unsound & in-date). On the rare occasion that you have a flat & have to accommodate temporarily a tyre that won't fit the spare space, put it in the plastic garbage bag that you could carry for that purpose & shove it somewhere else.

I mention this as the available choice of 175/80 tyres seems dire. Equal in circumference (thus gearing) & suitable for a 5" rim is 185/75. That size contains one readily available tyre, Hankook's Kinergy Eco 2, which, though scarcely wonderful (I have them as fronts on my two RER toys) would be a decided step up from the 175/80 choices on any performance parameter you care to name. Bob Jane lists them for $141 but they are frequently offered on "4 for price of 3" deals.

In your situation they are what I'd choose.

(Alternatively, you could, I suppose spend quite a lot of money on classic tyres in 175/80. See:

175/80 R14 Classic Tyre Selection & Innertubes

175 R14 the perfect tyres for the Triumph Stag. Get the best classic tyres from Longstone Tyres. Call +44 (0) 1302711123 for more information.

www.longstonetyres.co.uk

I can't see why you'd bother though.)

cheers! Peter

 

[Fearless Leader]

Thanks again to all.
It is very helpful.

 

[GRAHAM WALLIS]

Tyroola list 3 different 175/80R14 tyres as available, all have a passenger car 88 load rating.
Ovation $47 each.
Ilink $79 each.
Nangkang $99 each.
The Nangkangs are also listed on other websites.

View attachment 240993

Ovation very cheap, I have a set that came on my C4 VTS, they seem to work very well, no complaints, 205 50 17.

 

[Greenpeace]

Ovation very cheap, I have a set that came on my C4 VTS, they seem to work very well, no complaints, 205 50 17.

Yes, I've had a lot of different "no name" tyres.
Never had a failure and they have all been fit for purpose for every day driving.
The present, in date, 90% tread Bridgestones on my Austin would be the worst radial tyres I've ever had in the wet.

You can't believe any of those online reviews, there are people that make a living out of bagging out the cheap tyres.
The number of times I've read the same UK based BMW estate driver state he "spun out on a roundabout on the M1, at low speed in the rain";
then say "he went back to brand X because they are so awesome", that many times it isn't really funny.

We put a set of Mitas tyres on my wife's Nissan Juke, that (according to Mr BMW) apparently are "frightening in the rain".
Guess what, sure footed as a mountain goat under all conditions, go figure.
She had around 40K on them when she sold it and they still had heaps of tread left on them.

 

[Russell Hall]

The Deutz came with Mitas tyres. Radial ply I think. They look expensive to spike. Made in the Czech Republic. Ag tyres always came in all shapes and sizes and because we don't even make a wheelbarrow tyre in Australia anymore they are often hard to find. Olympic used to make lots of our ag tyres. It was very hard to find 23.1/34's for the big Zetor. Cost $2500 each, made with the old Olympic moulds in India.

 

[Pug72]

you can easily modify the spare wheel holder to suit a wider tyre. I did that on my 504 sedan

 

[Pug72]

Not sure if the holder is different on the wagon compared to the sedan. On the sedan i cut and welded in an 8mm solid bar to allow the holder to hang down a little lower at the rear of the carrier.

Under the boot floor, there are two thin metal spacers that can be made smaller thus allowing a bigger tyre to fit in.

ps I am running the series 1 505 alloy wheels which are 6" wide, still 14" in diameter and the tyres are currently a Toyo 195/R14 LT, but will be going to a Michelin Agilis in the same size as I like the taller tyre.

 

[Gti006]

Tyroola list 3 different 175/80R14 tyres as available, all have a passenger car 88 load rating.
Ovation $47 each.
Ilink $79 each.
Nangkang $99 each.
The Nangkangs are also listed on other websites.

View attachment 240993

The ovation vi682 did well in the choice tyre test a few years ago. I’ve got them on my Ute and they’re much better than what was on it.

 

[Greg Luke]

Quality is remembered when price is forgotten!

 

[4cvgordini]

I am always wary of owner reviews (including those by fellow froggers) as it is usually obscure just what criteria of appraisal are being employed & what the tyres have been asked to do.
A better guide is formal testing.
There are lots of resources out there but I'll limit myself here to two:

On the Ovation:

2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview - Tyre reviews and ratings

One again Auto Bild prove that they're one of the best in the game, this year testing 55 different summer tyres in a wet and dry braking test to find the best twenty summer tyres to take through to ...

www.tyrereviews.com

And:

Are Budget Tyres Finally Good Enough? 8 Cheap Tyres VS 1 Premium Tyre - Tyre reviews and ratings

Times are hard, and now more so than ever people are asking me what the best budget tyre they can buy is. As these have never been tested against each other properly, I usually don't have an answer, ...

www.tyrereviews.com