Front tire tread pattern

[tburch]

I've seen a few different front tire tire patterns. Seems the 3 rib design might be the most popular.

I suppose each of the different tread patterns had a purpose, Anybody know what that was?

I'm partial to the original pattern, which has, what I would call, a cogged pattern on the sidewalls.

Thanks for any info, Todd

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

The 9N, 2N, and 8N all came standard with the 4 x 19 single rib type of front tire. The 8N had 5.50 x 16 as optional equipment and were the Firestone Guide Grip style. NAA and Hundred Series had the 16" as standard equipment. Here's a page from a 1953 Firestone Tire Catalog I have. The Guide Grip front might be what you are looking for. Firestone makes and sells reproductions of the 4 x 19 single rib and the 5.50 x 16 16" Guide Grip style. Go to Miller Tire.com to see them...

[i:654c4848f0][b:654c4848f0]<font size="4">Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)</font>[/b:654c4848f0][/i:654c4848f0]<table width="100" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#000000"><tr><td height="25" colspan="2" bgcolor="#CC0000">

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="3">*9N653I* & *8NI55I3*</font>​

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[Ultradog MN]

If I'm following you on the cogged pattern those were Firestones.
My pal Ken had a set on a tractor he sold.
They were not cheap iirc.
You can kinda see them in the photo.

 

[Dean]

The ribbed sidewall pattern was a Firestone (others, maybe) design that often (always?) came as OEM equipment on 8N and later vintage Fords with 16" tires.

The design was long unavailable until several years ago when it was once again manufactured for the restoration market.

There is little or no functional use for the ribbing.

Dean

 

[hd6gtom]

The original design was thought to steer better in the mud but give you the wear advantage of a 3 rib instead of the single rib that wore out quickly on the road.
It was easier to mfg a true 3 rib than the broken rib 3 rib. The broken 3 rib design has been around a long time if you knew where to look. We sold a lot of them in the late 1980's.

 

[tburch]

Thanks for all the data.

Yes, that broken rib is what I'm looking for, but all my searches have only turned up that style in a 16". I have 19" rims.

I'll keep looking.
Todd

 

[Dean]

The referenced design was never available in 19".

Dean

 

[tburch]

Well, now that makes sense. Too bad. Guess I'll settle for the 3 rib style. Mine are dry rotted.