VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1961-1964 radial tires

Any one have experience with running radials on stock 1963 rims? I hear about wheel flex and cracking on older rims. And if the 63 is strong enough,I have a real nice set of 63 wire covers that I want to use and I would hate to see one rolling down the road beside me.This is not to be a show car just a nice driver.

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I've been using radials on the '40 pickup for 42,000 miles , and the '56 Belair for 11,000 miles and the '73 Monte Carlo , none of which are , of course , '63 models , BUT they are all good GM stock and NO troubles have ever shown up .
In all cases , changing to radials radically transformed the road manners of each vehicle to the better .
All the radials went onto good condition original rims (no rusty ones).

I put radials on a 1975 1 ton, all was good except I couldn't keep the full hub caps tight, real noisy, after a couple of years I took them off and painted the wheels!

I have radials on my 1963 Corvair and have the factory wire covers on it- same as your real car....no problems.I have seen others with wheel covers that "rotated" or flew off.Heard of the posiblity of rims spliting but never have actually seen it.Would suggest not using too wide of a radial.On a '63 a 215 would be the Max tire width for the rim width.

I never heard of anyone having a problem with the rims when using radial tires, I have heard of it with Chrysler products, not GM. The wire wheel covers do have a tendency to take flight once in a while regarless of the tire. I would advise using plastic valve extensions and not the long rubber valve stems, if they do walk which the will they could irritate the stem. I had a 63 15 years ago that had radials and the wires and I never had a problem, just make sure that the teeth on the cover are in good shape and bite into the rim.
Good luck
John

I'm running steel belted radials on my 1940 stock 16 inch rims. They don't leak, hub caps and rims stay on, and what a wonderful ride. :)

Thanks guys I will give it a try.Was thinking about 215/70R14,same as my 80 Monte carlo.

I probably shouldn't enter into this discussion because it is filled with emotion for some reason within the ranks of the VCCA members. For me, it's personal and could have been disastrous.

I've given this speach before in this forum. But since, in my view, the use of radial tires on pre 1970 Chevrolet passenger vehicles using their original wheels "could be" a recipe for injury, I'll give it one more time.

In 1967 Chevrolet Division started to test Radial Tires on a Durability fleet of 1968 Caprice/Impala vehicles at the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan (there were probably other testing of radials on other car lines going on at the same time, but I'm only speaking to what I know on the subject). We were using the Radials in conjunction with production wheels in use at that time. At the time there were 8 or 9 Impala/Caprice vehicles on durability test and 4 of the vehicles were equipped with Radial tires. Within 5 to 7 days of installing the radial tires, every vehicle incorporating Radials Tires was found to have wheel cracking to some degree. Thank God for a group of knowledgeable "Ride Evaluators and Inspectors" who noticed something had changed and took the initiative to find out "what" before someone was injured. What they noted was a "wheel one per rev" squeak at various corners of the vehicle(s) at low vehicle speeds. The Inspectors found cracks in the wheel bolt circle areas on several wheels based upon the "Ride Guys" input. One find led to the inspection of the entire fleet and the immediate stoppage of Radial tire usage for the short term. The solution to the wheel cracking was a material thickness increase to the wheel center section. It would be difficult to explain just how bad the first wheel was cracked when it was found or how close we were to disaster. Lets just say that the wheel bolt circle section had multiple cracks of sizable length extending out from each wheel stud hole. We were very lucky.

Now I'm not suggesting that you not use Radial tires on you antique iron, I currently have them on my 1968 1/2 ton pickup. I am suggesting that the potential for problems is there. Certainly, we don't subject our vehicles, on a routine basis, to the kind of things that the GM test vehicles were subjected too on a daily basis at that point in time. If you install Radials on you vehicle and all of a sudden your wheel covers are rotating or falling off where you once didn't have that problem, ask yourself, why? My bet is that the increased lateral loading into the wheels that radials tires have is causing your wheels to flex somewhat allowing the covers to rotate or fall off. What you have here is a rotating, flexing wave washer of a wheel that the solid plane of the wheel cover can no longer get a grip on.

And the wheels used on a 1968 weighed at least 10 pounds more than a 1955....and the rim flexing is the cause of wheel cover problems.Really amazing that rim spliting hasn't been more common on the older models.

I have heard about wheel flex and was concerned about that. Would the stock wheels from my 80 Monte Carlo work? It was changed to rally wheels many years ago,They came with radials and look about the same.I want to be safe and still use modern tires.

Depends on the offset of the wheels-the center of the wheel in relation to the mounting hub in the center.If too much of the rim is to the center of the wheel the wider radials will rub on the frame when the wheels are turned sharp.

I have a set of 1950 wheels with 205-75 15 radials mounted.I run them on both my 1950 and 1957 for long trips.When wheels are turned fully they really rub on the frame and limit the amoumt that they can turn (on the '57)Not real serious but with the wide 1980 wheels could be a problem.You could mount a radial on one and try it.

Thanks Gene,will give it a try.

I was checking a couple of 15 inch wheels that came on our 51 Belair, both have the hubcap clips and the original 51 pinstriping, they measure 6" from outside rim to outside rim. I have been calling them 5" rims and was surprised that they measure 6 inches, what is the 5 inch description relateing to?

Inside to inside, it's the really tire bead width.

George

Multiple "answers" RE wheel width: Wheel width is measured 'inside to inside.' RE radials on 'old' (original) wheels. I was one of the fist guys (1994/maybe early '95) to buy Coker wide whites here in the Portland area. I'd basically given up on 'herding' my 54 Bel Air Sport Coupe with bias poly tires!! It was just awful! Particularly on the 'freeway.' Some folks, especially one of my best buddies who I really trust about car matters, 'warned' me about the 'wheel flexing' and hubcap 'situation.' Well, I did it anyway. NEVER have had a problem in ten years and around 3000 miles. It's a really nice 54 and I'd hate to lose one of the wheelcovers. But not as much as I'd hate to have a wheel 'problem.' The wheels are stock 5' wheels. Tire size is P205 75R 15. A "reasonable" size. And the size Corky told me to use. It's also the closest 'match' to the correct/original 6.70 x 15. I read the lengthy post by 'Oldie' with great interest. NO DOUBT he speaks true BUT, I 'suspect' the GM 'testing' was at much higher speeds over a much longer period of time than most of us drive. Further, I also ran radials on a 68 Impala convertible for the 13 or so years (7500 miles or so). I owned it from 90 to '03. I changed the stock 14' wheels to 15 x 7 rallye wheels from the 68 era and ran P235 75R 15's. That was definitely my 'freeway' car. Drove it all over the West/from Portland to Reno and also to the All Cal in Auburn/Sacramento (and Pleasonton, CA) several times. Also to Seattle, British Columbia, etc. NEVER a problem. Of course the hubcaps were small - the 'stock' type rallye wheel derby caps or the 'flatter' police cars. I've 'heard' of problems that you wonder about. BUT I've never had a problem and I've never known anyone who did. Hope this (probably too) long post didn't upset anybody. I'm just trying to help. Bill.

The only wheels I have had radial tire flex with were the original issue pre 54 with the clips 55 up seem to do ok with modern radials. I also had the car fairly well loaded, four adults and luggage and a tool box and some spare parts, fuel pump, carb,hub and drum.

I have a 63 Chevy II SS with four lug 14" rims. It is a driver so I was going to use radial tires. Now I am concerned. I am absolutely not an expert in tires, rims, metallurgy etc. so I have no idea what is OK. Now I am more confused than before I read this thread.

Roadster32,

Many people have used Radial tires on their pre 1972 Chevrolet vehicles without incident. If you are not an aggressive driver, don't corner hard, or operate over rough roads, chances are you'll never experience any wheel problems by using Radial tires. 42bill is correct when he stated that most people don't drive their vehicles like those operating on testing programs.

If you note, I said earlier that I'm currently using radials on my 1968 pickup. Having been exposed to the early testing of radials using production wheels of that period in time I felt compelled to say that the use of radials on early vintage wheels isn't risk free. If your experiencing wheel cover rotation or falling off while using radials where you hadn't experienced these things before the use of radials, then you need to keep a close eye on the structural integrity of those wheels. Wheel flexing can lead to metal fatigue, cracking, and failure.

We have radial tires on our '69 Impala Sport Coupe. The car has gone 400,000 miles and over 325,000 miles of that has been with radial tires installed. And, on occasion, the car gets up to 100 MPH, and for the past 25 years of driving on radial tires, our "cruising" has been trouble free.

Hey JYD , That 69 Impala is a "Modern" car and what else would you put on a "Modern" car? After we put the post 1954 stock wheels (5") that I got at a salvage yard , on the 53 also a Modern" car, We haven't had any problems either running radials, except for a couple of slow leaks, which were fixed with new valve cores, but I only get it up to 80 mph ocassionally! Haven't You heard "Speed kills!" (Armadillos, snakes,) whatever you run over).

I haven't bought anything but radials, except for the 28, since 1965 (Michelins) and enjoy the good ride and the excellent wear they have provided, I even have them on my trailers. I buy regular car tires one size bigger than the original trailer tires for the trailers. I have hauled one ton pickups on the open car hauler with Michelin X tires and never had a problem with radials until I had a couple that were 10 years old and one threw a tread going on a tour. the only wheels that gave me problems were those old Chevrolet wheels with the hubcap clips and one on the rear of a 1976 **** company car that developed a split rim when I was running oversized Michelin studded snow tires.

The only split rims that I have had were on a '69 Caprice wagon. Found a narrow passenger rim not the special wide wagon rim on the ones that split. There was a Service Bulletin from Chevy on that one. Other wise radials have not been a problem in several hundred thousand miles with 50s - early 70s vehicles. That is until the belts slip and then try to shake out your uppers. And they are still all mine. A word of caution if you get a vibration or lumpy ride that progressively gets a bit worse then stop and inspect the tires for a bulge. Change the tire immediately. When the tread peeeeels off it likes to take the lower quarter panel with it. Gets a bit expensive to repair.

Hey Mackus Wackus! The '69 came new with bias tires, so it ain't all that modern as compared to a 1980 Chevy (now in the club) which came with radials.

Hum......wasn't it you that said a 1980 Chevy was a "vintage" car? If so, what happened......did you change your mind, or did you have a relapse with your mercury problem again?? :confused: :confused:

JYD, I may have a tetch of CRS ever now and then but I only blame myself, and for having to put up with some of the folks that frequent places like this forum, pore old Mercury didn't do it.!


I think I said (from the club's view) a 80 was a Vintage car Did you note the quote marks?. To me anything with a steel body, push button radio or a automatic transmission is a "Modern Car" Besides,I don't intend to worry about what someone says about my 53 having radials, since I don't intend to run it onto a judging field. Maybe one of these days we can have some nostalgia drag races at the VCCA meets, Wouldn't that flop your mop?...I will challange your stock 69 Impala to a grudge race against our stock 68 Impala. loser buys the first round of beer!

My most modern pleasure is using a propane grill to cook my dead cow meat instead of the traditional dry cow chips, and an electric Fridigaire to keep my watermelons and beverages of choice frosty cold!