1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

The tire Holy Grail

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by farfle, Jun 21, 2007.

  1. Jun 21, 2007
    farfle

    farfle old dog

    Mariposa, CA
    Joined:
    May 14, 2007
    Messages:
    430
    I'm looking for some period correct bias ply skinny (700-15) agressive tread off road tires for the irritant. The whole point of the Jeep, for me, is to keep it as close to stock as sanely possible. In that vein, I'm keeping the side mounted spare. Keeping this little detail causes problem after problem. We finally got it reinforced enough to take a lickin off road, but now it's time for some more serious tires, and the clearance issue requires that I stick with a tire no wider than 8", or its gonna be rubbin. I want a taller tire than what 225/75/R15 is. (seems to be about 27.5")

    My friend is running 700-15 /cooper/mastercraft Courser LT's on his Willys, and they're working well for him. They're bias ply, tough sidewalls (important with all the sharp granite we wheel through) and are about 30" tall. I do not want radials, I'm tired of replacing tires for sidewall gashes. The problem I'm running into is I can't find bias ply off road tires around here in 700-15. Super Swamper makes some, I found using this site's search, but they're mucho $$ and special order only. I hade a dealer tell me today that my buddy got the last ones available on earth. I call BS.

    There have got to be a few folks on the forum who insist on keeping their side hangers, what have you found for solutions? Again, I am not interested in changing my spare location....
     
  2. Jun 22, 2007
    grannyscj

    grannyscj Headed to the Yukon

    Anchorage, AK
    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,758
    Do you have a spare tightener (prob not what it's called)? It is a ~1/2" Bolt w/ a ~2" mushroom head. It's used to tighten the spare by pushing out against the rubber keeping it from wobbling all the time. It goes in the hole where the body panel has that little dip behind where the tire mounts. As far as tires go, there are some NDT suppliers and someone will know (I don't) but another source is a Farm supply store. They usually carry mud tread bias plys for farm trucks.:v6:
     
  3. Jun 22, 2007
    grannyscj

    grannyscj Headed to the Yukon

    Anchorage, AK
    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,758
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2007
  4. Jun 22, 2007
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    1,516
    super swamper TLS 29x8.50-15 are close to what you're looking for.

    buckshot mudders are also available in 235-75-15's, but i think they might be radials.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2007
  5. Jun 22, 2007
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Just a comment - the 7.00-15 bias ply truck tires ride really rough. If it were mine, I'd look for a narrow radial tire that has about the same profile as the originals, but has a flexible sidewall. Tires and tire pressure will make a surprisingly large difference in ride quality on these rigs.
     
  6. Jun 22, 2007
    Kodiak12060

    Kodiak12060 Sponsor

    Beacon NY
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2002
    Messages:
    465
    On my 62 it's just a peice of wood. That is how it came from the factory
     
  7. Jun 22, 2007
    farfle

    farfle old dog

    Mariposa, CA
    Joined:
    May 14, 2007
    Messages:
    430
    Yes, I have the bolt like tightener. In addition, the sidespare mount itself has been renforced with some 3/16" aluminum plates behind the body. The current 225/75/R15 spare is rock solid, off or on road. I just really need a taller tire with pretty aggresive tread (think AT) at the minimum for the trails we run.

    Tim, I know you've got a good point, the gassman's jeep rides really rough esp on the road. I wonder if I could find a 30" AT radial no wider than 8.5" section width, and maybe space out the side spare a smidge. I just haven't seen any that skinny.
     
  8. Jun 22, 2007
    Sloth

    Sloth New Member

    Bloomington, IL
    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2003
    Messages:
    34
    As far as I know cooper tire still makes the courser traction LT tire.

    Courser Traction LT

    I think power king still makes an old school bias ply also.

    Power King

    I am currently running Hercules on my jeep that I got from a farm supply store.

    Hercules HDT Bias Lug

    I am in the market for a new set of tires and have been considering getting the Cooper Courser traction.
     
  9. Jun 22, 2007
    pathkiller

    pathkiller Member

    Lorton, VA
    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    878
    Don't suppose you want to switch to 16" rims? A 235x85-16 is a nice narrow but tall tire and a ton of companies make aggressive radials in that size.
     
  10. Jun 22, 2007
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Messages:
    1,745
    [​IMG]7.50-16 Coppers on my ex 2A. They one of the few bias ply left that on the market that I could find at the time. Even still they were almost as expensive as radial tires. But sometimes newer technology just won't do what you want it to do. That was the case for me and this 2A, they're still working fine btw.
     
  11. Jun 22, 2007
    farfle

    farfle old dog

    Mariposa, CA
    Joined:
    May 14, 2007
    Messages:
    430
    Just got the word that a local repair shop has found a set of 5 of the Coopers. Turns out as jd7 said, they're almost as much $$ as the BF Goodrich 31x10.50's AT radials I run on the Pathfinder. He was the only guy I contacted within 100 miles of here who could find any. I guess they really are like teeth on a chicken, rare.

    I pulled the trigger and ordered 'em. The ride? probably not so important. I've got the Pathfinder for luxo wheelin'...it's amazingly capable, especially in winter snow. The jeeps my summer/fall wheeler, and I figure protection from the sharp granite and manzinita stubs is of prime importance that time of year here. I've already sliced two sidewalls on radials in the summer...they just don't have the protection to give peace of mind.

    So if it all works out as the guy says, this time next week the irritant should be ridin' on some mean old school 30" rubber! Better ground clearance, and more peace of mind.

    Thenks for your imput everybody...
     
  12. Jun 22, 2007
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Messages:
    1,745
    gonna need to see some pics you know...when you get 'em on...
     
  13. Jun 22, 2007
    farfle

    farfle old dog

    Mariposa, CA
    Joined:
    May 14, 2007
    Messages:
    430
    Will do...
     
New Posts