Tyres for Cromodora Wheels

[fay66]

I've just fitted a set of Dunlop SP Sport 01 to my car [which has 5.5 inch Cromodoras ]. They're very quiet on the road, seem to give ample grip but most of all they've lightened up the steering considerably - to the point where I no longer wince at the stresses being put through the steering box when parking the car.   This is a major bonus because I can now let my missus drive the car [under strict supervision of course] which means she can now be a designated driver, a duty she has sneakily avoided when we've used the Fulvia for the purposes of libation.

Rob,
 Surprised you found any SP Sport as I was looking for one but was told they were no longer made, neither could I find any on line, after talking to Chugga who recommends Dunlops on most Lancias, I bought a set of 165 x70 x14 Dunlop Street response which have the same rolling diameter (more or less) as the 155x80x14's  that should be fitted, great tyres, light steering, and about £56 a corner fitted.
As I'd been quoted £450 for a set of 4 of the correct original profile Michelin x's it was no contest.
Brian
8227

[RobD]

Hi Brian,
Before ordering the SPs online  I asked my local garage if they could get hold of some. They quoted £55 fitted and balanced and had the tyres in stock the next day.
Previously I had some higher aspect ratio tyres on the car . Interestingly the Fulvia seems much happier with the lower gearing provided by the 175/70s. I had the car out this morning and it flew up 5,500rpm in 4th, something it was reluctant to do with the larger diameter tyres.
When I first bought the car I had all sorts of mods planned for the suspension including lowering, neg camber and stiffening it up. I'm so delighted with the way the car now drives I'm going to leave it exactly as it is . I've come to really appreciate the compliance and refinement Lancia designed into the Fulvia and have decided against trying to make it handle like a 'modern'. When I fit my new engine over the winter I may revise that decision...

[dhla40]

I prefer 175/70 too, had 165/80 before which tended to squeal at tight junctions. The slightly lower gearing is better for acceleration with the limited torque of the 1.3.

Sean

[nthomas1]

Thanks for all of the useful information.

I think the Michelin XAS tyres that came with the car are older than I first thought.  Therefore, when I get my 14" by 5.5" Cromodoras refinished I'll put new tyres on them - and based on forum feedback I think I'll go with Dunlop SP Sport 01 tyres in 175/70 size.

Two final questions on this topic: is it recommended to install the tyres with or without inner tubes, and are there any special requirements with regard to valves?

Norm T

[Neil]

Inner tubes would be required, despite the tyres being tubeless, the wheels were made for tubes to hold the tyre bead in the correct location on the rim.

[lancialulu]

Inner tubes would be required, despite the tyres being tubeless, the wheels were made for tubes to hold the tyre bead in the correct location on the rim.

I have to say this is not true as i have used tubeless tyres on Cromodoras both 5.5 and 6J without tubes for years without any problems. Indeed I was only reading by coincidence earlier today an old post from Colin Marr who stated that tubes inside tubeless tyres on Cromodoras give him a number of mysterious punctures of the tubes, and when he removed them the tyres gave no problems at all. Tubeless tyre construction has ridges generally on the inner wall which rub on the tubes and the tubes split.

[ColinMarr]

I think Neil is technically correct – these early alloys were designed to take tubed tyres and that is why I first fitted tubes on my car to go inside tube-less tyres. As Tim mentions, all was well for a few years then a series of flats and slow punctures that I put down to the tubes being abraded by the rough inner surface of the flexing tyres. Abandoning the tubes solved the problem.

A related issue is to do with the valves for Cromodora wheels. I had heard tales of rubber valves blowing out of these wheels while being inflated, when a little sideways pressure from the air-line simply dislodged them. This was put down to either a mismatch with the diameter of the rubber plug, or the wall thickness of the alloy at that point. I didn’t like the sound of this and I fitted long-reach bolt-through valves. They didn’t cost much and looked very professional too.

[davidwheeler]

I also run tubeless and bolt through valves on my Cromodoras and have never had any problems.

[nthomas1]

David - can you recall where you bought your bolt-through valves from?
Cheers, Norm

[lancialulu]

They really shouldn't be necessary, I have not had any problems with the valves my tyre fitter has used on more than half a dozen occasions on cromodoras. They must be selected so they have a big base to pull against.....

[davidwheeler]

David - can you recall where you bought your bolt-through valves from?
Cheers, Norm

  No. but I suspect my local tyre man found them - or they were already there?

[DavidLaver]

http://www.mistertee.co.uk/10.html

I had problems with tyres going flat on a Strada Abarth (yes...a project car...but at least this one I didn't actually pay money for...)  Eventually a different fitter recommended some fatter pull through rubber ones which solved it...nearly...there's one that's still a slow leak.  In my pile of wheels several have bolt through and dumb as it sounds it didn't occur to me to go looking for the same to solve my problem.

Link to a supplier above.  I rather like the angled ones and think I might have just become a tyre valve geek and am looking forward to next time I'm looking round a race paddock.

Of course ebay as well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/bolt-in-tyre-valves

David

[davidwheeler]

Just what I need for the motorsickle.

[michaelkaye]

Are the Dunlop’s still available? Are they still the recommended tyre  for improving the heavy steering.

My recently purchased S2 Zagato has modern 165/80 tyres and the steering is incredibly heavy, so would be interesting to know about the Dunlops.

Thanks, m.

[lancialulu]

Dont think Dunlops are readily available in 165 80 . I and a few use the Barum Brilliantis tyre on fulvia sport and coupe. Cheap and good road holding. What tyres are on there and what pressures do you have?