Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 185/70 for a 2014 4/4

@Heinz: I received my new T-Trac 2 this week. They are now made in India and no longer in the Netherlands. Are your new ones also made in India?

I'll have to check, but won't have a chance to see my car until next week. Did you get it as information from somewhere or did you decipher the TIN number (tyre factory, country, etc.)? I remember the DOT says it is built at the end of 2023.

Apart from that...is it still the case today that a tire produced in the Netherlands, for example, is better than if all the same production machines were shipped to India? Is the work of the workforce worse or different or is the rubber compound worse?
I don't mean these questions polemically, but out of genuine interest.

Hello Heinz,
the Vredestein brand was sold to the Apollo tire company based in India. The (my) tires also have the marking "Made in India" on the sidewall. My DOT is also at the end of 2023.
I only noticed it when my tires arrived and then I contacted the dealer to ask if it was a non-EU import.
And yes, I would also like to confirm that the production standard does not matter at all when using the same machines and components.
For me, too, it is only the interest in whether there are possibly two (or more) production sites... in the end, it is the product that counts. And here I have had good experiences with the T-Trac so far.
Best regards.
Thomas

Selling a “brand” is very different to selling a factory or its equipment.
Cadbury’s chocolate is now owned by Americans, is no longer made in Bristol and has different ingredients, tastes worse…but it still says “Cadburys” on the wrapper!

I'm currently at André Koopmann's Morgan workshop. The wheel alignment needs to be adjusted and the tire dealer in Cologne didn't balance the new tires properly. They used adhesive weights that weren't attached to the outside of the rim. That's why the wheels aren't laterally balanced properly. So I'm having it done again and perfectly, using the old method with the impact weights. We just saw that my tires also come from India. André didn't know that beforehand, so he was not influenced in his assessment. He said that my rims run very well, that the imbalance is gone, but that the tires are not 100% evenly shaped. So not as good as my last T Trac2, which came from Holland. A significant loss of quality.

I will test the tires in about an hour. Due to the very slight deformation of the rubber, there could still be some lateral imbalance between 80 km/h and 90 km/h. I'll see.

Hello,
I would just like to ask if there are any new findings / experiences with the tires “made in India”?
Mine are being fitted this week and I'm hoping for a good result.
Best regards.

I can say that André balanced the tires as well as possible. There is still a bit of uneven running, which is obviously due to small deformations in the tire itself. André suggests that I should drive carefully for about 50 km with a very reduced air pressure of only one bar. That could give the tire a bit of a roll and bring it into shape. Incidentally, I have the subliminal impression that the grip was slightly better with the old original Dutch tires. The new ones are slightly softer and more comfortable at the same air pressure but less sticky and less controlled on the road in fast corners. I run 1.8 bar at the rear and 1.7 bar at the front. I will try again with 0.1 bar more everywhere. I am not really satisfied. Please write down your impressions of your new TTrac2 as well. I think if I should buy new tires again I'll try the Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 K435.

If they are deformed why not return them. I had a new Avon CR6ZZ that was badly deformed, returned to Avon and a replacement received.

Hi Heinz, Interesting subject. I changed my 165/80 R15 Continentals, which were standard on my 4/4 2014, to Vredestein Sprint Classics 185/70 R15 in 2017. I had to repaint my rear fenders 2 years later, because of the damage caused to the outer ring. I just moved the fenders 1 cm outwards, which was easily done, because the factory makes rather big holes to mount the fenders. You managed some problems with balancing, which I also have. Some wobble around 80-90 km/hr. I have now 53000 km on the clock, so not long before tire change will be necessary. You mentioned the Nankook tires. I checked the Dutch Automobile Association (ANWB). Their verdict on these tires was not very good.

Test result: Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 K435
New model of this brand from South-Korea. The Kinergy is the 'green' product with the emphasis more on fuel consumption, mileage, and comfort than on sportivity

+ Good on dry road surfaces and low fuel consumption.
- Clear imperfections on wet road surfaces (with insufficient road handling).

These are not specs you're looking for for your Morgan.

Hello Heinz,
in the meantime I have had the new Vredestein "made in India" tires fitted.
The tires run straight regardless of the speed without vibrations.
But, one tire (rear left) has air loss (0.5 bar per day). The valve is fine. So I have to go back to the dealer next week.
And a second tire (front left)
"beats" slightly on long left-hand bends....
With the last tires, also T-Trac 2, I had no problems at all.
I hope the visit to the dealer helps.
Best regards.