Buy American: Looking for a Small Tire Source

Coker Tire has a lot of the "old school" tire sizes. Here are a couple of 145-R13s, but the aspect ratios are not listed. Pictures look about right. I haven't done biz with Coker, no financial interest either.

http://store.coker.com/145r13-firestone-f560.html

http://store.coker.com/145r13-vredestein-sprint.html

If that doesn't work, go over to Yahoo Groups and sign into the Spridget or Bugeye group and ask the question. They're all 13" guys over there. Tirewise.

jhammond

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Try these guys:

http://www.minicityltd.com/

They should be able to tell you where if they don't have the tires themselves.

Ok, I'm going to ask a stupid question so please bear with me. My dad was a fleet mechanic and I grew up under the hood of a car. One of my first toys was a set of wrenches so I am not exactly stupid when it comes to cars. I know what the 145 means, (o.d.) and I know what the 70 means (aspect ratio), and the R means radial (B would mean bias ply) and the 13 is the diameter of the rim. What on God's Green Earth does the 71 mean?

Hello Rorschach,

It's a service code. Check out this site. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=46

thanks Wingnut, you learn something new every day.

71 is the load rating, 761 pounds

Joe

From the chart that Wingnut linked to, it would appear that 71 is about the lowest rating there is, so for all intents and purposes it is irrelevant in this case because nothing you will find will be rated lower than that right? If the tire is rated higher than that it is just gravy.

yeah they go lower, but probably not legal for street use, i have a chart that goes all the way down to 60 and that = a little over 500 pounds.

So far tho still striking out except for the one lead. and that's not good, the firestone cost is more than double than the contential from france shipping included. there has to be someone over here selling tires.

Joe

Might I ask what this beastie is intended for? and would a slightly larger tire not serve?

At any rate, I found a place in the UK that sells a Toyo in that size and rating.

http://www.tyresite.com/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=1&P_ID=10&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=18

http://www.toyo.co.uk/productdetail.php?identity=products&product_id=5

That same place carries a Uniroyal version as well.

http://www.tyresite.com/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=1&P_ID=419&strPageHistory=cat&strKeywords=&strSearchCriteria=&PT_ID=19

Pirelli and Dunlop apparently make them in that size as well.

http://www.autorelax.com/pages/serie_hivers/s70.htm

All of the hits seem to be coming from Europe however. What is this? a Citroen you are trying to fit?

This link on Toyo's UK website gives a breakdown on the size compatability between different sizes.

http://www.toyo.co.uk/tyre_converter_results.php?rim=13&series=70

It looks like a 155/70R13 would be a fairly close match, probably close enough you would not notice the difference. a 145/70R13 is 535mm O.D. whereas a 155/70R13 is 550mm O.D. so we are really only talking about a total of 15mm difference in O.D. which works out to be 102% of the circumference. Well within acceptable limits i'd think.

here are a couple more possible size combinations that are probably acceptable:

155/65R13 Diameter 531mm
65 Series

165/65R13 Diameter 544mm
65 Series

135/80R13 Diameter 548mm
80 Series
145/80R13 Diameter 565mm
80 Series

175/60R13 Diameter 540mm

60 Series

185/60R13 Diameter 552mm

60 Series

185/55R13 Diameter 534mm

55 Series

That last one by the way is within one millimeter of being the same OD as a 145/70R13 and is probably about as close as you'll get. BF Goodrich makes a Comp T/A in that size it looks like but it might be difficult to find.

Here is what tirerack.com has in 13" tires.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/sizes/results.jsp?diameter=13

and this one seems closer than the 155/70/R13 you found.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?width=165/&ratio=65&diameter=13&startIndex=0&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&RunFlat=All

there is always ebay too....

http://shop.ebay.com/items/__155-tire_W0QQ_kwZ155QQ_kwZtireQQ_ckwZ70QQ_fromfsbZ?_trksid=p3286.c0.m104

You all have been a great help.

Keep making suggestions. This has been a HUGE help.

This is for a small truck that is made in france, (hence the odd sized tire)

You all have been huge help.

Keep making suggestions. this place is the most awesome group I have ever known.

Joe

I am confused. You are looking to buy American but then put it on a truck from France?