Changing from Crossply to Radial Tyres
When I bought my Mk VI it was fitted with crossply tyres.
I know that this is original and correct for the vintage,
but as I drive the vehicle frequently, and don't take the
annual club concours meeting too seriously, I decided
to go with safety and comfort by replacing the
crossplies with more modern radial tyres.
The original tyres are 650 X 16" crossplies. Mine were
almost new, but I didn't like the hard ride, tramlining
effect and poor roadholding in wet weather.
Crossply tyres in this size are generally sold for commercial
vehicles, so they have hard sidewalls to carry weight. In
other words, they are bakkie (pick-up) tyres. This results
in a hard ride, which is not very dignified for a
Rolls-Royce or Bentley motorcar.
So, off they came...
Finding the correct size radial tyres was not easy. The original
tyres are 740mm high. I did not want to change the appearance
of the vehicle by fitting smaller tyres. The nearest size in radial
tyres is 205 / 80 / R16. They measure 734.4mm.
Most tyres in that size are for 4 X 4 vehicles, and have
aggressive tread patterns. I finally settled for Michelin
Synchrone's, the range of tyre fitted to Land Rover
Freelanders. They have a road biased tread pattern,
and are soft enough for use on passenger cars.
It is important not to go for wider tyres, as they will rub
when the steering is on full lock. The 205's don't rub.
The new radials on the rear.
The new tyres even look right.
The difference in ride is astonishing. The car feels a lot more
sure footed, especially around corners, and now just glides
over uneven surfaces. It is a lot smoother than it used to be,
and I'm not worried about wet weather any more. The car
now drives a lot more like a modern car.
I am very pleased with the results, and would advise owners
of Dawns, Mk VI's, Clouds and S Bentley's to consider this
modification. I'm sure that this is how Rolls-Royce intended
it to be, they just did not have the technology at the time!
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