Tire help

I very recently purchased this 1970 CJ6. The tires are horrible. They are cracked/rotting, undersized at (205/75/R15), and not safe in my opinion. I was told the steel wheels are original and they apear to be from other stock photos of similiar jeeps. This is somewhat an opinion and fact based question......

What are the original styled tires for this model staying with these wheels?

And would you run them today?

I really do like the Millitary Jeep Willy's styled tires but have NO experience with them what so ever. Ones I like are 29.5/7 or 7.5 R15. I see they are tubed and that is different to me. Are they safe for recreational putting around here and there on back roads under 55-60 max mph? Do they have decent life for my limited use? This is not a daily driver for me. I'd like to go this route if advised not too.

I need help on what I should do/get. I have no interest in hardcore off-road tires. Maybe an occasional cutting through a farmers field to go hunting here and there. Nothing heavy.

Here is a picture of the jeep so you can help guide me with your opinion(s).

 

I've been told the 205 75R 15's are equivalent to the originals. You got 7" right? I believe many came with a M/S tire from the factory...this is a few years after...

 

That is an awesome looking 6! If it was mine, I'd do whitewalls, they would fit the period but I don't know if they would be original or not.

 

Thanks all.

I put some photos in the introduction area of the 6.

I do want an original look or as close as I can get to it, but part of me wants a bit of the more trendy aggressive look. I had a CJ7 with 33's BFG's AT's. Now I don't want that for this beauty but perhaps a balance of original and aggressive for the time period would do. Thats what got me on the Willy's Military tire but I have no experience with them and that scares me off. I'll keep on shopping. The ones on there are a no-go.

I'll keep looking around but all opinions are welcomed.

Thanks again!

 

If you want a radial tire, there are lots of tires to choose from. Go to TireRack.com and enter 225-75R15, or 215 or 235. If you have factory rims, you have 6" wide rims. The specs for each tire will list the rim sizes that the manufacturer thinks are appropriate for each tire.

This is a nice tire - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...ESTMTOWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

As is this - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...KM2RWLV2&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Either would look great on your Jeep, and provide good traction.

Some prefer a bias ply tire, because the sidewalls are more durable and stand up to rock cuts better. But a bias ply tire will ride rougher, and won't give you the tire life of a radial.

 

Thanks guys.

Great help!

 

I just bought an original (92%) 1969 CJ5. I purchased Cragar black 10-hole 15X8's, 31X10.5X15 tires, and 1.25 spacers. I would say, given our jeeps have the same clearance, that this would be the largest "set-up" you can go with - and cost around $1050. I have no interest in heavy off-roading - I purchased this jeep to run around town in - but I did purchase the "mud tires" just for the look and sound (hum). The pure-ists would say I "gave up articulation" - but I doubt I will ever even get into a farmer's field.

 

If you are thinking of the NDT (non-directional tread) tires that the military uses, they are not so great for street use. Without siping, they aquaplane badly and are terrible in the rain. No personal experience, but I suspect they are noisy too.

Check out the "on/off road all terrain" category on the Tire Rack site if you want a less aggressive tread pattern. Both of the itres I linked above are "off road maximum traction" atyles.

 

http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/show...estone-Town-amp-Country-Tire-in-7-00-15/page2

Here was a link where they talked about this in the past, it might help ya out some

 

Just a comment - I expect the 1970 CJ would have received the same tires as a '72, which would have been a H78-15 Goodyear Polyglas Suburbanite tire, a tire with a 2-ply polyester bias-ply sidewall and 2 fiberglass belts under the tread.

The tires linked to above were offered as a substitute for a 700-15 bias ply tire, used on earlier models. This is both a narrower and stiffer tire, used on earlier models than 1970. Indeed, the HR78-15 radial equivalent to the Polyglas Suburbanite was offered by 1977, so the radial tires are not that far off from the originals.

 

The "Pure-ists" aren't
the true old jeeper (I am one, at 61, with my 4th Jeep, (and third Willys) doesn't ever talk about articulation. We don't drive like idiots, know our vehicles limitations and drive them accordingly.

 

That's the very same tire that is currently the spare (h78-15) bet it's been there since 1970 too!
Whent with a general grabber AT2 255/70/15.

 

The stock tires and rims are still on my CJ5 as the vehicle was hidden away at a hunting camp for decades. Noted that the set up is tubed tires. I am leaning to tubeless AT style but still desire to keep the narrow tall jeep tire look but have concerns about road performance on wet or icy roads with true off road tread designs