Topic: R15 size tires being discontinued?

[Utwrangler25]

     I have heard from several friends of mine that work in tire shops.  That tire companies are looking to due away with the R15 size tires.  I'm curious if anyone else has heard this or knows if there if there is any truth to it.

[sharpxmen]

well, you can't find (or hard to find) 37'' R15 tires so i guess it started already...

[Jeffy]

     I have heard from several friends of mine that work in tire shops.  That tire companies are looking to due away with the R15 size tires.  I'm curious if anyone else has heard this or knows if there if there is any truth to it.

This has been happening for years if not a decade.  In the late 90's there was a shift towards 16" to allow for larger brakes and a bit stiffer sidewall with larger tires.  Most cars and trucks run 16" as a minimum now and 18" as an option.  There are still a few that have 15" though.  I don't see tire companies dropping all 15" tires ay time soon.  If you want to see what will likely happen look at the 14" tires and their history. 

[4BangerTJ]

I manage a Firestone and I can yell you that r15 tires as a whole will never go away. Now there is truth to the fact that larger tires on 15 in wheels will be harder to find as most tire manufacters are going farther away from aftermarket sizes andmorr or cause there is more money in those because they can mass produce them. But they will still make some of the aftermatket sizes they will just be a bit harder to get and propounded a bit more. That is what I have been told

[JohnnyO]

If you want to see what will likely happen look at the 14" tires and their history. 

I'm the Wheels & Tires Forum Moderator on a Ranger board.  When dudes with older Rangers say they can't find 14" tires I always tell them to just bag it and get some used 15" wheels.  Makes life a lot easier.

[Jeffy]

I'm the Wheels & Tires Forum Moderator on a Ranger board.  When dudes with older Rangers say they can't find 14" tires I always tell them to just bag it and get some used 15" wheels.  Makes life a lot easier.

On a regular car it's OK to switch but what about a Classic?  Can't really do that.  There are some companies who still make 14's and even 13's as well as some of the other oddball skinny tires for even older cars.

[JohnnyO]

It depends.  On a lot of classic cars, 15" wheels were an option or came with a trailer towing package.  Cuts down the selection of wheel covers if that's your bag though.
On older Chevys, 14" and 15" Rally wheels are indistinguishable without a tape measure.  Most everyone had Magnum 500 wheels as an option and again, you can't tell the 14" and 15" apart.