Re: [Chrysler300] Original 14" MOPAR Wheels & Radial Tires

[c300c@xxxxxxx]

Hi John,
 
Like you, I had problems with radials when they first hit the market. Belt  
slippage seemed to be the norm for some years. Bias-ply tires were stiff, 
slid  through corners and lasted about 6-8000 miles. No problems with Mopar 
wheels,  but no doubt a new stress-relieved set would be safer.
 
I have been using the Coker 235/75 R 14s for about 5 years now on my 300-C  
conv. Only one of the five had balance problems. The others seem to be 
holding  up well. Of course, I only had them to 100 mph. once. I'm getting too 
old for  the high-speed thrills of yesteryear.
 
300'ly, Gary Hagy
 
 
In a message dated 8/12/2009 11:32:43 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
chesnutt@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Hi Gary  Hagy and 300 Club,

I have had two 14" wheel failures on our 1957 300C  with bias ply tires in
1971. We were near the end of a 4,500 mile trip from  Portland, Oregon to
eastern South Dakota. We travelled on rough back roads.  On our way out of
Yellowstone Park, we were losing air in one tire. We  stopped several times
to have the tire checked for leaks. Two tire shops  put the tire in a water
tank. Finally in Jerome, Idaho, a tire shop put 60  pounds of air in the 
tire
and noticed air bubbles coming from the wheel,  the metal had split at the
bead. Later, we had a similar problem and  replaced another wheel. We had 
our
family of five in the 300C at the  time.

After that trip, I told my wife that I will never drive on bias  ply tires 
on
a long trip as they are too stiff. Since then, our seven old  cars have
radials which improved the ride, handling and are much  safer.

In the early years we experienced cord slippage with radials on  all four
tires(Good Year JR14-75R) on our 1957 300C, 1971 Chrysler New  Yorker and a
1964 Chrysler New Yorker. The slippage always occurred at  highway speeds in
hot weather on long trips on curving roads.  

Radials have improved since the 1980's when we experienced cord  slippage.

John Chesnutt, Portland, OR


-----Original  Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of c300c@xxxxxxx
Sent:  Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:14 PM
To: ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx;  Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 300F Tire questions  - again!

I have also used old Mopar wheels since 1957 without a  wheel  failure, 
using both bias ply and radial tires. They have all  been driven  HARD. If 
we
are 
so afraid of old metal in our 300s,  
we should  replace all of it or, I suggest buying new cars and  selling  
the 
old ones we are so afraid of. 

My nickels  worth,
Gary Hagy 


In a message dated 8/11/2009 10:45:30 P.M.  Mountain Daylight Time,  
ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx  writes:


I  personally have never experienced a wheel failure  and have run all 
different  types of tires, radials and bias plys, on  original mopar steel
wheels 
for many  years. I would have thought  twice about running my muscle cars 
as 
fast and as  hard as I have if  I'd heard some of these stories 15 or 20 
years ago!   



I have to believe that if several members have  experienced  failures that 
they indeed can occur and I point to what  I would suspect as the  cause. 
Metal fatigue occurs in all sorts of  areas on an automobile, wheels are  
no 
different. Ever had a hubcap  fly off as you round a corner? The wheel is of

course flexing, I just  never realized a steel wheel would weaken to the
point  
of failure  without severe corrosion or an impact. 



Has anyone  ever  magnafluxed an old wheel to look for fractures? Are new 
wheels any   better? I know the chrome on my 'new' magnum 500's is of poor 
quality,  I  wonder if the wheel itself is any stronger....



Ryan  Hill   







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