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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MG Y Type - Tyres

just been looking for tyres for my YA, would like radials but don't want to pay for the 550/16 avons.

On investigation I have found Michelin Tex 125/85R16 99M tyres at a reasonable price . These are space saver tyres with a M rated speed rating (81mph). These seem to be an ideal fit for the Y rims: ie narrower than the Avons and over £100 cheaper per tyre.

What do you reckon any advice welcome

Chris
C A Pick

Chris, although I admire your ingenuity I would advise against using these spare tyres.

Apart from possible legal and or/ MOT issues, the thread on these spares is much less than normal tyres?

The standard size for the YA/T is 5.00/5.25x16. The 5.50x16 is too wide for the rim, with shoulderflexing as a result.

Do yourself a favour and go for the Dunlop 5.00/5.25x16. They give excellent handling for a price that is bearable.
Willem vd Veer

Chris,

Suggest that you are wary before you fit radials.

I understand that the 3.5 inch rims on the Y are too small for the size of radial needed.

Sometime back this topic came up and I'm sure that I posted a comment from Longstone Tyres, I think, a very well respected supplier for tyres on old cars, who said they would not reccomend. A customer had reparted troubles, unspecified, with them.

Doyou really need radials? I decided that for the miles I drove, the slow speeds and the originality of the cross plies, if for nothing else, I would not change

If you log on to the BBS site as a member, you can search the archives for many years back and will find a heap of items relating to thas subject.

Michael
Michael Nicholson

William, Michael,

The michelin tyres I quoted are 5" tyres so will fit the rim perfectly, as they are 81 mph speed rating I cannot see why there should be any legal or MOT problems. The small amount of miles I will do each summer negates the issue of reduced thread depth.

All in all I though I had found a cost effect method of having the safety of radial tyres, which actually fitted the rims. These tyres cost £67 each, a significant saving

I have radials fitted to my TD and the road handling has much improved so I would like to go down the same route with the YA, if it were a YB there would be no problem.

Cheers Chris
C A Pick

Chris,

As I'm a bit of a tyrefreak, I am thoroughly intriged by these spare tyres. Because of that I did some Googling and discovered that they are the spare for the MK3 Mondeo. Tonight I'm going to have a look what is the boot of my MK3 Mondeo....

Maybe you can visit a breaker and have a look at the tyre (and maybe buy them even cheaper!). Most of these spare tyres have texts on them like 'for spare or temporarily use only', which may be awkward? Please keep us informed.

The 125mm wide Michelin will fit the YA rim perfectly, indeed. I do fear that they will be too 'low'.

Knowing Michael, he was refering to the 165/80R16 radial Taxi tyres that are fitted to Y's occasionally. They are too wide.

I was refering to the 5.50 Avon being to wide. I bought two of them to fit on the rear wheels; their bigger radius would lower the enginerevs at a given speed. I was appalled by their bad grip, probably caused by the flexing walls and/or bad rubber compound. They car oversteered so badly that I fitted the 5.50 Avons on the front and the older 5.00/5.25 Dunlops on the rear. Now the car understeers but that is easier to handle that violent oversteer....
Willem vd Veer

William,

I like you, have looked on e bay and found they are fitted to Mondeos, ,X type Jags, and Vauxhall astras as spares. I would be grateful if you could measure the dia of your Mondeo spare. The dia of a YA with a brand new Excelsior tyre is 660mm (26"). Do they also have the spare printed on both sides of the tyre?

I was considering getting one from a scrapper and fitting it on a Y wheel for comparison before I make any decisions. I am still 6 months away from completion of my YA restoration and do have a set of brand new Excelsior tyres which came with the car so I am in no hurry.

I have read all the info in the archives regarding tyres and I just though I might have found a solution for those owners who would prefer radials.

Cheers Chris


C A Pick

'Unfortunately' the spare in my Mondeo is a full size normal wheel, so I can't measure now. Maybe this weekend I'll pop into the Ford specialist in my village.
Willem vd Veer

This thread was discussed between 22/10/2012 and 23/10/2012

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