Tires

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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David R.
Posts: 260
Joined: August 17th, 2019, 1:52 pm
Body Type: Chassis
Model Year: 1930
Location: WV

Tires

Post by David R. »

Where do you buy AA tires?
flatford39
Posts: 474
Joined: September 24th, 2009, 3:06 pm
Body Type: Express
Model Year: 1928
Location: NE Illinois

Re: Tires

Post by flatford39 »

I bought mine at Universal Tire but all the Model A vendors can probably get them.
vonheine
Posts: 77
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 8:02 pm
Body Type: none
Model Year: 1930
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Tires

Post by vonheine »

Which tire is considered the “gold standard “ for a AA truck? Also, did Ford use 600x20 on all four or all six, or did Ford use 6.50x20 on rear axles as I see some people do?
Hayslip
Posts: 235
Joined: February 26th, 2007, 6:20 am
Model Year: 1930

Re: Tires

Post by Hayslip »

On trucks with dual rear wheels all 6 plus the spare should be 6:00 x 20. On trucks with single wheels the front should be 6:00 x 20 and 6:50 x 20 on the rear. The spare would be another 6:50. The idea is that with a flat on the rear with a loaded truck would need a 6:50; a flat on the front could get by with miss matched tires.
Hayslip
MoparDude318
Posts: 1
Joined: October 15th, 2019, 9:39 am
Body Type: FlatBed
Model Year: 1930

Re: Tires

Post by MoparDude318 »

I actually got my 6.50-20 tires at summit racing. Free shipping...
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Neil Wilson
Posts: 3062
Joined: February 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm
Body Type: 82-A/89-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Boulder, CO
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Re: Tires

Post by Neil Wilson »

Hayslip wrote:
October 12th, 2019, 7:10 am
On trucks with dual rear wheels all 6 plus the spare should be 6:00 x 20. On trucks with single wheels the front should be 6:00 x 20 and 6:50 x 20 on the rear. The spare would be another 6:50. The idea is that with a flat on the rear with a loaded truck would need a 6:50; a flat on the front could get by with miss matched tires.
FYI - The RGJS information regarding tire sizes is shown below. The 6:00x20 tires were indicated as "balloon". The rear single wheel AA's came with 32x6 tires which were indicated as "high-pressure". I have yet to find definitions for "balloon" and "high-pressure". My understanding is that 32x6 defines a tire 6" in height and 32" in diameter. So, 6" + 6" = 12" and 32" - 12" = 20" (the wheel size). Tire manufactures have/will mark tires which will "work" as replacements to original but are not the same as original. Note that Ford did not provide a spare tire (only a spare wheel).
RGJS - "Initially AA trucks used high-pressure type tires with 30x5 on the front and 32x6 on the rear. Balloon 6:00x20 tires became standard on the front in July 1929. In January 1930, 6:00x20 balloon tires were used on the rear axle in dual wheel applications only. Trucks with single rear wheels continued to use the 32x6 high-pressure rear tires. Beginning in July 1931, with the release of factory optional special equipment 18" rear wheels, 32x7 tires were used."
Regards, Neil Wilson
______________________________________
aafords.com@gmail.com - use this email for contact
https://aafords.com/
vonheine
Posts: 77
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 8:02 pm
Body Type: none
Model Year: 1930
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Tires

Post by vonheine »

Hello Neil, Thank You for your input. However, I am slightly confused. So, I have a grand total of six good wheels. I was planning on running on four tires using 600x20s I was also planning on mounting 600x20s on the other two wheels so that I could cradle one as a spare or bolt on all six and have rear duals. (So unless I have two wheels with 6.50x 20s it’s not period correct?)
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Neil Wilson
Posts: 3062
Joined: February 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm
Body Type: 82-A/89-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Boulder, CO
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Re: Tires

Post by Neil Wilson »

vonheine wrote:
October 19th, 2019, 4:18 pm
Hello Neil, Thank You for your input. However, I am slightly confused. So, I have a grand total of six good wheels. I was planning on running on four tires using 600x20s I was also planning on mounting 600x20s on the other two wheels so that I could cradle one as a spare or bolt on all six and have rear duals. (So unless I have two wheels with 6.50x 20s it’s not period correct?)
Someday, a accurate definition will be found for the 32x6 rear tires as used for single wheel AA's. The definition would need to be dated for 1928 through 1931. Until that definition is found, there will be a difference of opinions. Some will say a 32x6 = 6:00x20 and some will say a 32x6 = 6:50x20. My personal opinion is that a 32x6 is a 6:00x20. I don't know the meaning of 32x6 high-pressure tire or a 6:00x20 balloon tire. Documented facts are facts. Opinions are just opinions which are not necessary based on facts.

Not much help I know.
Regards, Neil Wilson
______________________________________
aafords.com@gmail.com - use this email for contact
https://aafords.com/
vonheine
Posts: 77
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 8:02 pm
Body Type: none
Model Year: 1930
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Tires

Post by vonheine »

Neil, as always thank you for your help. So, what is considered the most authentic 600x20 and 6.50 x20 tire that is sold today? I like the tread pattern on the BF Goodrich 600x20 tires because to me it looks like the tires in the period marketing photographs. However, they are rated slightly less than 1400 pounds as mentioned in the AA truck book by AG McMillan. These tires are currently sold by Universal. The Firestone’s have a tread pattern that look like they belong on a 1979 Chevy Blazer. They don’t look right to me for a AA. Any thoughts on the most authentic looking tires currently available?
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Neil Wilson
Posts: 3062
Joined: February 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm
Body Type: 82-A/89-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Boulder, CO
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Re: Tires

Post by Neil Wilson »

vonheine wrote:
October 19th, 2019, 7:54 pm
Neil, as always thank you for your help. So, what is considered the most authentic 600x20 and 6.50 x20 tire that is sold today? I like the tread pattern on the BF Goodrich 600x20 tires because to me it looks like the tires in the period marketing photographs. However, they are rated slightly less than 1400 pounds as mentioned in the AA truck book by AG McMillan. These tires are currently sold by Universal. The Firestone’s have a tread pattern that look like they belong on a 1979 Chevy Blazer. They don’t look right to me for a AA. Any thoughts on the most authentic looking tires currently available?
I have not looked at/for tires for many years. So, I am not familiar with what is on the current market. There are photo galleries on the AAFords.com site. Many are Ford archive photos. The tread can be seen in some of these photos. Gallery links are:

https://aafords.com/open-bodies/platfor ... m-gallery/
https://aafords.com/open-bodies/express ... s-gallery/
https://aafords.com/closed-bodies/#cbg

The attached show 6.00x20 Firestone tire tread on a 1930 platform AA.
Attachments
30 Platform 8214 crop 1a.jpg
30 Platform 8214 crop 1a.jpg (251.24 KiB) Viewed 8693 times
Regards, Neil Wilson
______________________________________
aafords.com@gmail.com - use this email for contact
https://aafords.com/
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tiredtruckrestorer
Posts: 338
Joined: April 20th, 2003, 7:09 pm
Model Year: 1931
Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Re: Tires

Post by tiredtruckrestorer »

Hello Neil & Others,
I have a 1931 Budd Wheel Catalog that has load and inflation pressures for various tire sizes. Commercial vehicles during this period began using "high pressure tires" which rode better than the previous solid rubber ones. As tire construction advanced, ballon tires slowly replaced the high pressure style.

A 30X5 high pressure tire inflated to 65 lbs had a weight capacity of 1325 lbs. A 6.00X20 balloon tire inflated to 40 lbs was rated at 1300 lbs
70 lbs 1450 lbs 45 lbs 1400 lbs
75 lbs 1575 lbs
80 lbs 1700 lbs
A 32X6 high pressure tire inflated to 70 lbs 1700 lbs A 6.50X20 balloon tire inflated to 45 lbs was rated at 1525 lbs
75 lbs 1825 lbs 50 lbs 1650 lbs
80 lbs 1950 lbs
85 lbs 2075 lbs
90 lbs 2200 lbs

If you compare a 30X5 inflated to 70 psi and a 6.00X20 inflated to 45 lbs there is only 50 lbs greater capacity for the high pressure size. When Ford changed to the balloon size tires on the AA's front axle the shocks were then removed because the trucks probably rode better then. (Probably saved them some money too). They continued to use the high pressure size on the rear because they could achieve higher weight capacities just by adding more air to the hgih pressure 32X6 tires. With the introduction of the bevel gear rear and the availability of dual rear wheels, balloon tires could be furnished that woulld increase the weight capacity over what a single high pressure tire could carry and would ride better than them. Keith
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tiredtruckrestorer
Posts: 338
Joined: April 20th, 2003, 7:09 pm
Model Year: 1931
Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Re: Tires

Post by tiredtruckrestorer »

Sorry, something happened to the charts I posted, and it probably doesn't make any sense now. Keiith
1wonton
Posts: 157
Joined: August 31st, 2013, 4:37 pm
Body Type: Express
Model Year: 1929
Location: Vallejo, Ca

Re: Tires

Post by 1wonton »

High-pressure tires are compared to "low" pressure tires by doubling the last number and subtracting this from the first number; viz: 32x6 would be a six-inch would tire on a 20" RIM.
vonheine
Posts: 77
Joined: September 30th, 2009, 8:02 pm
Body Type: none
Model Year: 1930
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Tires

Post by vonheine »

Thank you for the great information. It would be great to see photographs of Key pages in the 1931 Bud Wheel catalogue. Very interesting stuff
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