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| 6 cyl Bristol cars Type 400 to 406 - restoration, repair, maintenance etc |
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25-09-23, 07:41 AM
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16" tyres
Hi
Just to let you know; We have these on the shelf https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyr...rato-ca67.html they are the best tyres for the majority of 6 cylinder Bristol cars. (we also have the 550HR16 Michelin X as well) There is more fitment detail on here https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/cla...s/bristol.html 
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25-09-23, 07:57 AM
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16 inch tyres.
I have run my Bristol for a few years now on Michelin X’s which transformed the comfort on my 407 and grip, but made parking an horrendous job with no Power Steering. The Avon Turbo speeds were fine but tramlined and a bit hard.
I fitted electric power steering, reversible of course, and now have a lovely long distance tourer. X’s were available in 1962 but not offered as an alternative by Bristol Cars.
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25-09-23, 11:35 AM
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Dougal,
Looking through your website and recommendations for various Bristol cars I offer the following comments. Do you know that the Bristol 400 has 16 inch rims that are only 3.5 inch wide. I'm not a tyre expert but would have thought that the best tyre in your range for a 400 would be an Avon 165/80x 16 https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/tyr...urbosteel.html The 401 - 406 have 16 x 4.5 rims and I assume a 550 x 16 Michelin or 175/80x 16 would be best suited to those rims . Most 185/80x 16 certainly look too big on the 4.5 inch rim, but probably work OK The 407, 408 & 409 all have 16x 5inch rims and the 185/80 x 16 could be suitable for them. You comments would be appreciated. Geoff
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26-09-23, 07:19 PM
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cross ply versus radial
Hi guys this maybe an comment been talked about before
iu have a 406 which currently has 16" taxi tyres which gives a very hard ride so what's the best route cross ply or radial if radial which sizes fit Mike Last edited by Mike406; 27-09-23 at 07:10 AM.
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26-09-23, 09:30 PM
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Mike ,
What brand Taxi tyres are currently fitted ? What shock absorbers are currently fitted ? What tyre pressure do you use? Over many years I have used the following tyres on my 400 fitted with 4.5 inch wide 401 wheels (the same width as standard 406 wheels) Pirelli 185/80 x 16 (really too wide for a 4.5 inch rim) Michelin 175/80 x 16 XC (commercial probably 8 ply) Bridgestone 175/80x 16 Falken 175x 80 x 16 ( probably 4 ply , very soft and needed high air pressure) Austone 175/80 x 16 Taxi 6 ply I have not noticed any difference in the ride/harshness when I changed tyres. My pick of the above list is the current Austone Taxi , the cheapest , they handle well , quiet , I assume will wear slowly and the 6 ply makes the car stable in strong cross winds. I would not choose a cross ply tyre for one of my cars ,unless it was destined to sit in a Museum . My GUESS is that your problems with 406 harsh ride is not the tyres unless they are very old and hard . If so they will need replacement . I suggest you check the shock absorbers . Geoff
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27-09-23, 12:52 PM
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hi Geoff
the current tyres are Joyroad 185/175R16C steel belted radials tyre pressures are 28 lbs/SQ " tyres a probably 7-8 years old with very little usage the rear shocks are new Koni and maybe I have them set too hard the front were on the car when I bought it, so the may be 20-30 years old or in fact original from 1959 so if I go for new tyres radial should they be 175 0r 185
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29-09-23, 02:45 AM
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Mike ,
A test you can easily do to check the shockers (but not an accurate test , only an indication). Bounce the car by pressing down in the bumper bars at each corner of the car . If the body goes down a few inches and comes up quickly and bounces uncontrollably the shock absorbers probably need replacing . The rear shocks being Koni should be adjustable . I you press down on the LH & RH side of the rear bumper bar you should not get much more movement than about an inch . Anything between 1/2 an inch to none , points to the Koni are set too hard. I have Koni on one of my 400 and they are set quite soft . The front shockers need to be set quite soft as the leaf spring is quite hard. The rears should be set a little harder as the torsion bars are quite soft . My GUESS is that the rear Koni could be adjusted way too hard. I don't know the Joyroad tyres that are fitted but you should check and adjust the shock absorbers before you consider buying tyres. I don't think your tyres are the cause of hard riding especially at 28psi I inflate my 175/80 Austone Taxi tyres to about 35psi and the 400s ride smoothly. Check with a tyre retailer for a recommendation of tyre size for the 406 with 4.5 wide rim. As I mentioned in my earlier post the 175 is the ideal size and 185 will work OK but they are a little to wide . Geoff
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21-05-24, 03:24 PM
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Having driven my 403 on Vredstein Sport Classics for a bit I was happy enough to order a set for the 406 from Black circles to be fitted at a local garage.
It was only when I got there that I remembered that the Bristol wheels need a larger than standard valve if using tubeless tyres. One of the places I asked called them the "Land Rover ones". Another called them 415s. It seems these are not something most tyre fitters keep in stock so worth ordering ahead of time. A lad from the garage made an anxious call to tell me that the tyres I ordered were a completely different size from those on the car. I don't think he had heard of crossplies.
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22-05-24, 07:44 AM
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tyres
Hi
thanks unfortunately the car has not been used since last year and now just started to get things moving again so car is with engine tuning company, hopefully get it back next week and start using it again one of the guys in the club has agreed to meet up one we're on the road again to compare his 06 with mine then I can make a decision about the ride and handling once again thanks Mike Quote:
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22-05-24, 08:04 AM
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My 406 is now pretty much ready for regular use bar fitting the seat belts.
When I first drove it the handling was horrible. Hitting potholes or bumps would throw the car sideways. This was caused by a mixture of dampers that hadn't been used for over a decade, over inflated superannuated crossplies, play in track rod ends and sticking kingpin due to blocked Enots chassis lubrication. I strongly suggest you take the track rod ends apart, temporarily remove the spring and put back together with additional shims until you have got rid of the last thou of play. Then put back together with the spring. On my 406 one side needed about 4 thou and the other side about 20 thou. Undo Enots hoses from top of king pins and make sure oil comes out. Use oil can to force oil into hub where hose just came out and see if oil comes out in a dribble or a flood. My car's kingpin had been ground and re-bushed very shortly before being laid up but the Enots pipe was still blocked as was the oilway in the kingpin. Last edited by David C; 22-05-24 at 09:06 AM.
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22-05-24, 12:39 PM
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tyres
thanks
we'll see how things are once car is back and we can get a few miles done so that all the joints have had time to be "flexed" thanks for your help Mike Quote:
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22-05-24, 04:38 PM
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I just read back over your previous posts about harshness of ride. I just changed from old and split Turbospeed crossplies to new Vredstein radials and the main differences I noticed were better directional stability and lighter low speed steering with the radials. Not much difference in harshness. The ride on my 406 is a bit harsh but I think that is probably due to the shock absorbers having done very little in twenty years. I am going to drive it for a while and see if it improves.
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