White wall tires

[broberts]

Has anyone tried using port-a-walls on their smart? I purchased a set and think they would really look GREAT on my silver cabriolet with chrome wheels (see my gallery). Tire dealers are discouraging me from having them installed due to the possibility of an air leaks.

Any comment from the forum would be appreciated.

Bill


April 15, 2009 - NEW SHIPMENT HAS ARRIVED! ALL SIZES SHOWN ARE NOW IN STOCK.
A PORTAWALL SET CONSISTS OF 4 PIECES Portawalls, sometimes called slap-ons, Mickies, fake white walls, etc, available in a variety of wheel sizes and widths were originally designed to work on bias ply tires some 50 years ago, not today's radials. Bias tires have a flat rigid sidewall, and a much higher profile (aspect ratio) than radial tires. There is a lesser likelihood of them adhering properly to a radial because of the radius and flexibility of it's sidewall. The lower the profile of a radial, the less likely you will be pleased with the results. Larger radials with a 75 profile seem to work fairly well, but we do not recommend trying them on many of today's popular 60 profiles and smaller. For radials, we suggest the narrower widths, so they won't extend beyond the radius of the sidewall.

Installation is critical and the sidewalls have to be extremely clean to increase your success rate. We recommend a de-greasing agent, not a solvent be used to wipe between the tire and the rim to ensure that the area is very clean. DO NOT use a soapy compound, or the portawalls will slip out during re-inflation. Further success may be achieved by keeping radial tires at maximum allowable inflation and with the use of inner tubes to firm up the sidewalls so they don't flex so much.

PORTAWALLS ARE NOT RETURNABLE, unless you've selected the wrong wheel size and they are unopened, in original packaging.

[SubSlr88]

Sounds like another headache, just waiting to cause some grief down the road. . . note they say that they're designed for the vintage bias-ply tires of yesteryear, and they don't recommend them with radials with a lower than 75 profile. The smart tires are a 60 profile ratio. . . try at the risk of having multiple flats. Never thought they were attractive, even in the old days.
Just my two cents worth . . .

[sato7]

a dab of white paint will do the same for your smart...

[jetfuel]

...from the installation instructios,"Further success may be achieved by keeping radial tires at maximum allowable inflation .....hummmm

jetfuel.......in Zihuatanejo Mexico

[Kermit]

There are some high quality tire paints out there.

That's what I considered doing for mine as I was "that close" to turning one of my cars into a "Surf Woody Smart" complete with faux wood paneling, trim and wide whitewall tires. eBay had a vendor that sold some and there is another that is awesome stuff that Rodders (Street Rodders) use too, it is from the Netherlands I believe.

A teal surf woody smart looks awesome in my head. The portawalls mightnot be so mgreat, but widewhites are cool! ..........in some cases. Yours included.

[broberts]

Thanks for your input. This board is a great place for information gathering!

Bill