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Where do you find 185/80R13 tires?


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I bought a set of Mastercraft 185/80R13 Glaciers a couple years ago. They are 24.7 diameter, biggest I could find in a 13 inch that would clear on my 1988 Subie wagon. Great tires, still got plenty of good miles left, but I need a couple good spares. I do a lot of off roading in this little beast, in some pretty desolate areas. A thirty mile walk out here can be fatal. Hell, most folks wouldn't make five miles out here. I do carry two smaller tires plus the mini under the hood, but I'd like to find some 24.7's if I can. This old girl is pretty much at her limits in most of this terrain. I've thought of trying trailer tires, they are about the only thing I can find. Just not sure how safe they would be on a car that sees 80 mph + on a regular basis. If anybody has any ideas or info I'm all ears. 'Preciatte it.

Edited by silverghost88
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Thanks for the replies. I did find a company from Australia that used to make 14" and 15" 4 x 140mm rims for the Subie Roos. Don't know if they still do, but gonna do some searching and see what I can find. I think I can go to at least a 25.5" tire w/o any serious rubbing. I have been known to catch a little air now and again so I gotta be careful on my clearances. Are those BOSS 2" lifts for the 80's models still available, anybody know?

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Thanks for the replies. I did find a company from Australia that used to make 14" and 15" 4 x 140mm rims for the Subie Roos. Don't know if they still do, but gonna do some searching and see what I can find. I think I can go to at least a 25.5" tire w/o any serious rubbing. I have been known to catch a little air now and again so I gotta be careful on my clearances. Are those BOSS 2" lifts for the 80's models still available, anybody know?

 

Don't know about boss but my brother and I make lifts.

 

HighGuysLifts.com or PM me on here.

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I had installed Hankook 185/80's about 4 years ago. Took the tire dealer about 3 months to find them. He told me I would be lucky to find anymore when I was due, which ended up being a couple of weeks ago. He couldn't find any. I had a set of Peugeot 14" steel wheels so I went with Uniroyal 185/75-14 tires.

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The ones from TireRack are for trailer use only. I spoke at great length about this with the guy who is in charge of rim purchases at the corporate level for a major tire company (who shall remain nameless on Internet posts, as per his request). According to him, you can use trailer rims on a car (they are just heavy), but should never use trailer tires on a car because they are not designed to corner under load. They are designed to just, well, trail along.

 

I'd go with pugs, adapters, the 6-lug conversion, or have someone like Stockton Wheel make some custom rims for you (I've never used them, but they say they can do it). Even if you do finally find this size tire, what happens when you have a blow-out or they all need to be replaced? It's a long-term headache.

Edited by bendecker
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A blow out is exactly what happened to me. Heard a light tapping sound up front, then nothing. A few hundred more yards down the road I lost the left front tire. Had about a third the tread left but if you can't find them what difference does it make. I saw the Maxxus street tires on Ebay but one tire was almost what I paid for this whole set four years ago, around $140.00 plus tax for all four. No way am I paying that for one, I could be riding on Michelins with money left over or a China tire that will not be available again in a few weeks. If you get any from Schwab they will be some of the last few Maxxus left or BF Goodrich Silvertown which run around $200.00 a piece and are made for collectors with the super wide whitewall.

 

My tire dealer is great. I have dealt with them for 33 years, first the father and now the sons. They are a Michelin, Bridgestone dealer but will gladly order anything you want from two different distributors. None of those two had any 185/80's and didn't know if they would be able to get any ever. They offered me these tires in 195/70-14, Michelin Defenders for $400.00, Cooper CS4 $356.00 and then Uniroyals in 185/75-14 $276.00. That was installed with tax. I took the Uniroyals because they had three there already and I got the feeling the son really wanted to get rid of them! They have been good to me so I kind of paid them back. I have to admit the Uniroyals ride outstand compared to the 185/80 Hankook tires I replaced.

Edited by bratman2
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