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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 6:13 pm Post subject: 245/50/14 |
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No, this is not a mis-print.
This is a challenge for the die hard tire guy, to find me a pair of 245/50/14 tires for the front of my car.
The back tires, 295/50/15, I can find at several places. |
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ps2375 Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2014 Posts: 2471 Location: Meridian,ID
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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Is the green sticker when you bought them, if so that was ages ago and any selection in 15" let alone 14" will be few and far between. My two choices show nothing available in 14" of that size. GL |
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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 6:44 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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Yes, I bought them in 2005, but that was only 11 years ago.
My car was made just 47 years ago in 1969.
You remember, the Moon landing, Woodstock, Nixon, seems like just yesterday... |
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ps2375 Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2014 Posts: 2471 Location: Meridian,ID
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 6:56 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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Ravinsomniac wrote: |
You remember, the Moon landing, Woodstock, Nixon, seems like just yesterday... |
2 out of 3 good? 15's are the new 13's, and you're wanting a 14" tire...I think if you find them, they'll be NOS and if they are more than 10yrs old, you won't find a tire shop that'll touch them, except to dismount them. I tried to get one to balance a pair of 10 yr old tires and it was hard to convince them to do it. |
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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 7:28 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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In 2005, I took off the original 245/50/14 tires that I bought in 1980. They had plenty of tread and didn't leak air, but they were as hard as rock. I took them to our store and set them next to the dumpster. Within 20 minutes, someone took them. I thought, good luck getting 25 year old tires mounted... |
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VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer
Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11053 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 9:12 am Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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Man.. I feel ya pain on this subject..
BFG has been discontinuing White letter TA tires left and right the past few years...
I was told by BFG directly last year when I called about 195/60/15 TA's... If its not a popular and fast selling product .. they are being cut out.
I was told.. to order and let them back order.. and if enough interests they may batch them..
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629318
Bottom line.. I gave up waiting.. decided to go with 205's.... and .. guess what... they are "supposedly" on the list of cuts too..
I purchased the last 2 in our area I could find..
Those big 14's are not even on the list anymore
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/hot-rod-tires/radial-t-a/tire-details
Swap meets and old stock will be your best shot..
If radial tires are properly stored they are generally fine..
There is company that will put any white letter on any tire you want as well.
Not cheap.. but if its what ya want.. and can find the size tire you want.. then its an option.
https://www.tirestickers.com/
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. _________________ aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited |
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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 12:27 am Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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I sent an e-mail to BF Goodrich and they wrote back saying that tire size had been discontinued. Next, I sent an e-mail to Coker Tire, and they wrote back that they purchased the molds from Goodrich and are licensed to continue making them. They're not cheap at $271 per tire plus shipping, but at least I found a source. Anyone having a hard time finding a rare, certain size tire may want to try them. When buying tires on line, always ask to get the date codes from the tires first, to make sure that they are relatively new and have not been sitting on a tire rack for many years. |
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VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer
Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11053 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 5:09 am Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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^ Yeah.. I hear ya. I called Coker too in hopes of old stock as they are a new BFG supplier as well.
Last year, they claimed they are in the process of buying the old BFG molds to be able to reproduce the discontinued sizes, they couldn't give me a production date.
I've had some prior dealings with Coker and their products while not the greatest, can be a source but at their pace, material and terms .
Just because they have the mold.. for a BFG doesn't mean .. they are BFG comparable quality.
Did Coker give you a date or just "They now have the molds"
. _________________ aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited |
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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 12:21 am Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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The Sales Associate who e-mailed me stated that they have several in stock that are between 6 and 12 months old, and that they would give me the tire code printed on the tire before I purchased them. I think BF Goodrich makes fantastic tires that hold up well without sidewall dry rot cracking like many other tires do. I have large Avon tires on my motorcycle, and they start cracking only after 4 years. |
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VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer
Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11053 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 5:45 am Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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^ Agreed.... the BFG's do hold up well.. .. Lots of tires do.. lots of tires dont..
We'll see what happens when the Coker influence and materials are implemented into the reproduction BFG's..
. _________________ aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited |
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TMI Products Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2014 Posts: 744 Location: Corona, Ca
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 4:04 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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there a few on Ebay from Performance PLus in Long Beach, Ca but they are not cheap _________________ Mario De Leon
1965 Turbo Mustang Fastback
1966 Type 3 Fastback
VW Division Sales Manager
[email protected]
TMI Products
1493 Bentley Dr.
Corona Ca, 92879
1-800-624-7960
951-272-1584 FAX |
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Ravinsomniac Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2009 Posts: 300 Location: Palm Beach Gardens
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: 245/50/14 |
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TMI Products wrote: |
there a few on Ebay from Performance PLus in Long Beach, Ca but they are not cheap |
Date Codes are the most important thing about old tires. My first set of 245/50/14 tires had a code of letters then a 0, something like BRSX0. Car tires were not meant to last more than 10 years. My tires were made in 1980 and installed in 1981. (I have the receipt) With the 0 code back then, it could mean '60, '70, '80 or '90. After 2000, Codes ended with 0-, such as 09 for 2009, etc. My one front tire ends with '02, and the other '05, meaning they are 14 and 11 years old. This is no big deal on our cars that never go above 60 MPH around town to local car shows. However, on long trips, the tires heat up, then the older rubber plies start to come apart, and you may have a blowout on the Interstate. This also applies to the older bias ply tires that were made 50 plus years ago, so be careful. Coker makes reproduction bias tires for 100 year old cars for high end elite car shows, BUT 'everything' has a shelf life.... |
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