RE: [Chrysler300] Original 14" MOPAR Wheels & Radial Tires

["John L. Chesnutt" <chesnutt@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary Hagy and 300 Club,

I have had two 14" wheel failures on our 1957 300C with bias ply tires in
1971. We were near the end of a 4,500 mile trip from Portland, Oregon to
eastern South Dakota. We travelled on rough back roads. On our way out of
Yellowstone Park, we were losing air in one tire. We stopped several times
to have the tire checked for leaks. Two tire shops put the tire in a water
tank. Finally in Jerome, Idaho, a tire shop put 60 pounds of air in the tire
and noticed air bubbles coming from the wheel, the metal had split at the
bead. Later, we had a similar problem and replaced another wheel. We had our
family of five in the 300C at the time.

After that trip, I told my wife that I will never drive on bias ply tires on
a long trip as they are too stiff. Since then, our seven old cars have
radials which improved the ride, handling and are much safer.

In the early years we experienced cord slippage with radials on all four
tires(Good Year JR14-75R) on our 1957 300C, 1971 Chrysler New Yorker and a
1964 Chrysler New Yorker. The slippage always occurred at highway speeds in
hot weather on long trips on curving roads. 

Radials have improved since the 1980's when we experienced cord slippage.

John Chesnutt, Portland, OR


-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of c300c@xxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:14 PM
To: ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 300F Tire questions - again!

I have also used old Mopar wheels since 1957 without a wheel  failure, 
using both bias ply and radial tires. They have all been driven  HARD. If we
are 
so afraid of old metal in our 300s, 
we should  replace all of it or, I suggest buying new cars and selling  the 
old ones we are so afraid of. 
 
My nickels worth,
Gary Hagy 
 
 
In a message dated 8/11/2009 10:45:30 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:


I  personally have never experienced a wheel failure and have run all 
different  types of tires, radials and bias plys, on original mopar steel
wheels 
for many  years. I would have thought twice about running my muscle cars as 
fast and as  hard as I have if I'd heard some of these stories 15 or 20 
years ago!  



I have to believe that if several members have experienced  failures that 
they indeed can occur and I point to what I would suspect as the  cause. 
Metal fatigue occurs in all sorts of areas on an automobile, wheels are  no 
different. Ever had a hubcap fly off as you round a corner? The wheel is of

course flexing, I just never realized a steel wheel would weaken to the
point  
of failure without severe corrosion or an impact. 



Has anyone  ever magnafluxed an old wheel to look for fractures? Are new 
wheels any  better? I know the chrome on my 'new' magnum 500's is of poor 
quality, I  wonder if the wheel itself is any stronger....



Ryan Hill  







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