Old Armstrong type tires - Still available?

[ks147j111928]

Goodyear has the Workhorse tires, usually heavier load ranges (C, D, E...) but you can get them in 30x9.5 on 15 inch rims, probably not what you're going for though. The 16 inchers are just bigger, like 245/75, 235/85, 265/75... They also have the MT/R series that are the big lug design and come in pretty much the same sizes as the Horses. The first half of the tread will wear away fast but when they get down to around 8-9/32nds they last for a long time. Just keep rotating them and you'll be fine. I am also looking for super tall/skinnies for my truck. Interco has those LTBs in a 34" tall size but I forget the width, maybe 9.5? I was checking them out, not too expensive for LTBs: about $125 per tire depending on where you get them from.

Yeah, that blue Power Wagon is so dang sweeeet.........

Back to work!

-Dan

[Richard]

Here is a couple of pics of my old truck in my teen years. 13/37/16.5 Armstrong Tru-Grips

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by 1969K10

I'd find someone that'll mount tires on split rims before I'd worry about finding tires for them. You'll probably be better off to do the 16" wheels & tires.

That was what I was thinking. I recycled a set of 16" split rims about 5 years ago because I couldn't find anyone that wanted to work on them. Keep in mind that those types of tires are pretty noisey. I put a set on my 59 9.50 x 16's back in the 80's and after a couple of years changed them out for some multi-season radials. Quieter and for how I used the truck never noticed any change in traction off road.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

vectorit, you're welcome. The guy at the tire shop told me about that company. I think he quoted the 12-16.5 STA Super Traxion at about $155-160 a tire.

roger0080, it looks like I'll have to wait to buy the tires. Storing 'em in the garage or the shed isn't a problem but money is!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Richard

Here is a couple of pics of my old truck in my teen years. 13/37/16.5 Armstrong Tru-Grips

That was a classy truck back then.It makes a good example of the era.

[earl87gta]

If your still looking I found 7 L78-15 Norseman tires for sale but for a 15 in rim http://www.earlycj5.com/classifieds/...ct/1388/cat/11

[dinotruck68]

hav u checked out Hercules trail diggers?? theyr sumwhat similar to what ur lookin for... 4x4 garage magazine gave em a really good review

[gezn2]

Originally Posted by vectorit

Hey all,
I am finishing up a restoration on a 1968 K20 4x4 Suburban, and back in the day my Dad ran nothing but the Armstrong off road tires on it. Also, from the dealer advertisments the truck was shown with these type of tires from the factory. (Skinny, tall, and aggressive tread).
I am not concerned about what is better, or bias ply compared to radial here I am just looking for originality...

I still have the original 16.5 split rims that came with the truck from the factory, so I am looking for something that fits this type of wheel as well.

If nothing like this is still being made, what brands should I be looking at that will come the closest to what I really want?

Thanks!

Armstrong used to one of the *great* US brands, up into the '60s Sears had a large stake in the company and they also made all of Sears house-brand tires.
As other posters have said, they were gobbled by Pirelli in '89, AFAIK the *last* Armstrong branded tires of any kind went out the door about ten years ago so anything you find now will have had many years to break down and turn hard as a rock
The link to STA is probably your best bet, that outfit also private labels some sizes of old-school truck tires for collector car tire specialists like Lester, Universal, or Denman, the classic Co-Op Grip Spurs are still available in a few sizes too if you can make connections in the southeast US

[67Cowboy]

Originally Posted by roger0080

Yukon Jack, you best savor them Generals while they hold up for you and no blow outs. Lucky dog!

The ebay numbers that Soutedisto posted:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=160131719784
Those are Multi-Mile brand, "Power King Traction Camper", part number YT-60 9.50-16.5LT. NO LONGER AVAILABLE. I just called them a month ago. Last time they sold them was Dec 2004. They checked nationwide of anybody that might have them on their shelves. No luck. Bummer. These are real close to the Goodyear Custom Xtra-Grip Hi-Miler versions.

The second one he gives:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=160131719817
Are the ones pointed to by Robert in his link, the Super Traxion, Figure A picture. Look close at the tire name and tread design on the ebay pic and the STA website.

I'm hoping the Super Traxion is still available. After that, I don't know of any "cooL" old style 16.5 lug tires out there.

Robert, don't wait to long to buy the Super Traxion if that is what you want. I waited and waited until I needed new tires. I WANTED the Multi-Mile Power Kings. Dreaming of the day I could have all Power Kings on the K20. Didn't want to buy and store them, but I waited too long and now they are no longer available. Learned my lesson. And buy about 6 because you need one for a spare, and the the 6th one for the final spare after you use the real spare!

Just my 2 cents.

P.S. Nobody mentioned the old Herculese brand tires. Long time name IIRC:
http://www.herculestire.com/
I think Cooper is one that makes the private label for them. The Super Traction bias looks real close to the Cooper version.

PPS:
Does anyone know of/about Dynatrac tires ? Here is one one Evil Bay that looks like the old lug style, and fairly new/crisp looking:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/16-In...spagenameZWDVW

Or see attached picture.

I googled my keyboard off but can't find any, real, info about that name or company. Anyone?

I have been looking everywhere for some of these tires can you tell me where you got the one in the photo ? And can you give me the DOT numbers off the sidewall ???!!!!!!!.....thanks!

[Dooley]

I have fond memories of Armstrong tires too! They were the first to make"off-road" tires for civilian vehicles. Before Rhinos and Norseman they made the TruTracs. I bought a set some 36 years ago. They also made the light truck tires back then for Sears under the name Sears Allstate tires. In the late 70/to mid 80's I run their Adventurer Traction model on several of my duallys, great tires. A bad pic of my 69 Longhorn with 12.00-16.5 TruTracs on the rear,(was running 7.50-16 split rim on front), and my 79 with the LT78-16 Adventurer Traction tires.

[68,69 K20]

I would love to have a decent set of these style tires as well. I've got some decent stock 16.5's I'd like to use.

Here is a pic of the Cooper Co-op's that were on my '69 when I bought it, love to use em, but they are pretty dry rotted...Bummer...

[67Cowboy]

Well the fact is somebody some where owns the molds for these old tires and if I could find where they are I could possibly lease them and have a run of them made. The gal at the RMA is no help.
I even believe with the right compound that they couldn't be beat for rockcrawler or mud racers and swamp buggies. We even ran them on our Chenworth rail dunebuggies back in the eightys and they were the best hill climb tires you could find anywhere.
Corky Coker the President of S.E.M.A. has brought back all kinds of street tires but nothing wide or with a mud tread like my old 12.50 x 16.5's. Interco's Ground hawgs are nice tires, but they are directional and for a guy who needs high floatation traction that can back up and get another run without digging a ditch in his hay meadow, the ground hawgs just don't cut it.
I did finally find a photo of some that are real close to my old Power King Super Tractions , Goodyear also made some real close to the ones in the photo, but their center tread was different and wouldn't clean out like the Armstrongs and Power Kings.

[Dooley]

Pirelli sold off the Armstrong Agriculture tire business in 1994 to concentrate on it's car/truck business. In November 1997 they dropped Armstong from Pirelli Armstrong Tire and became the Pirelli Tire Company. Pirelli might very well still have all the old Armstrong molds. I haven't found anything that says they were sold. As the original post mentioned, he would like something as near original as he might find. This is a very tough task. I did find that Denman Tire still makes light truck tires in a 7.50-16 size.

[special-K]

I wonder if Goodyear stillmakes the Extra Traction.

[71blksuper4x4]

Hey guys, a couple of years ago, I owned a 1951 M38a1 military jeep. The tires were for 16" rims, but there might be a good chance that if you search for old willy jeep threads online, those guys might be able to help you find some old style tires that you are after. Other than that, I would try and look for the co-op tires. Trevor

[67Cowboy]

Well I found a website for Armstrong and I'm gonna write tothem and TCB in TN. again and see if I can get a response to the photos. RMA was no help and I was told by a tire dealer if I had the DOT numbers off the side the code would tell which plant they were made in, that would possibly be a clue to who has the molds !

[68,69 K20]

Just scored a set of Cooper Super Tractions, good shape, 7.50x16,

Best part....FREE!!! Scored them from a local guy who was scapping and old bread van.


They are a bit dirty, I am going to clean them up and paint the rims this weekend.

[jeffspower]

My '72 had 2 Power kings & 2 CO-OP's, 9.50 x 16.5 when I first met up with it. The power kings really sang on the highway. Good bite too but didn't last as long as the CO-OP. All 4 were CO-OP when I bought it. I got tired of packratting them, so I let a buddy run them off on his trailer a few years ago. The load capacity was crazy on them things compared to today's "E" radials- not by the ratings, but in real use.