Pierce Arrow 40A Tires

Pierce Arrow 40A uses one listed tire size: 700-17 for 1934. The available tires for that size are built for 17-inch rims, with listed rim widths of 3.5 to 4.0 inches or 4 inches depending on the specific product, and all of them are bias-ply designs.

That makes selection more straightforward than on many multi-year collector cars, but it is still important to verify the actual wheel diameter on the car before fitting new tires. If the car has been altered during its life, measure the rim or compare it with factory literature, restoration records, or Pierce Arrow club guidance before choosing a tire.

On Pierce Arrow 40A, 700-17 is a numeric bias-ply tire size. The 700 portion indicates a nominal section width of about 7.00 inches, while 17 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. It is a period-correct sizing system commonly used on 1930s American automobiles before modern metric sizing became standard.

Understanding that code helps prevent one of the most common mistakes in vintage tire buying: focusing only on the width and overlooking the wheel diameter. When comparing products, make sure the tire is a bias-ply 700-17 intended for a 17-inch rim and not simply a modern-looking substitute with a similar overall appearance.

Pierce Arrow 40A uses a 17-inch rim with the listed 700-17 tire size. The available products in this fitment show a 17-inch rim diameter and rim widths ranging from 3.5 to 4.0 inches or a straight 4 inches, depending on the tire.

That rim diameter is the first measurement to confirm before fitting replacement tires. On a long-restored or partially modified luxury car, wheels can sometimes be swapped over the decades, so a quick physical check of the rim is worthwhile before matching sidewall style, brand, or tread character to the rest of the restoration.

Yes, the Pierce Arrow 40A fitment listed here is entirely bias-ply, and a tube is required. The available 700-17 options are all period-style bias-ply tires rather than modern tubeless radial constructions, so they should be treated as tube-type fitments.

That matters during installation because the condition of the wheel, flap arrangement if used, and the tube itself all affect service life and reliability. A Pierce Arrow 40A that is driven only occasionally still benefits from proper tube installation by a shop familiar with vintage wheels and collector-car tire mounting practices.

Pierce Arrow 40A tires in 700-17 are available in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles. The listed products include Firestone Balloon tires in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall forms, along with an Ensign B5 blackwall option.

Sidewall choice affects the car’s finished character as much as the tire size itself. A formal restoration may call for a different appearance than a touring driver or preservation car, so compare the sidewall treatment on the car now with period photos, restoration goals, and judging expectations before deciding which visual style belongs on your Pierce Arrow 40A.

Pierce Arrow 40A tires in the listed 700-17 size are available from Firestone and Ensign. Firestone appears in the Balloon series with multiple sidewall styles, while Ensign is offered in the B5 series as a blackwall bias-ply tire.

That gives buyers a useful range of period-style choices without changing the required size. Once the brand shortlist is narrowed down, compare the sidewall look, listed rim width compatibility, and the overall restoration direction of the car so the finished result suits both the vehicle’s appearance and its intended use.

Pierce Arrow 40A tires are offered here in two series: Firestone Balloon and Ensign B5. Both are bias-ply tires in the same 700-17 size, but they differ in brand identity, available sidewall treatments, listed rim-width compatibility, and load figures shown for the individual products.

For a buyer, that means the decision is less about changing the basic fitment and more about matching presentation and specification details to the car. Firestone Balloon gives the broadest visual choice with blackwall and whitewall variants, while Ensign B5 offers another period-style bias-ply path for owners who prefer that particular look or construction family.

Pierce Arrow 40A should be stored on a clean, dry surface away from direct sunlight, ozone sources, fuel vapors, and major temperature swings. Proper inflation matters even when the car is not being driven, because an underinflated bias-ply tire can take a set more easily during long stationary periods than a regularly used modern tire.

If the car will sit for extended periods, move it occasionally or support it in a way that reduces prolonged flat spotting and sidewall stress. A heavy luxury car like Pierce Arrow 40A benefits from routine attention during storage, especially if it is shown occasionally but spends most of its life parked in a garage or collection.

Tires on a Pierce Arrow 40A should be inspected before every meaningful drive and again during normal seasonal maintenance, even if tread wear appears minimal. On a collector car, age, storage conditions, sidewall cracking, tube condition, bead area wear, and wheel condition can matter more than mileage alone.

That inspection should include inflation, visible weathering, irregular wear, and any change in how the car steers or rides. Because Pierce Arrow 40A uses tube-type bias-ply tires, an experienced vintage tire shop or restoration specialist can often spot early issues that are easy to miss during a quick glance in the garage.

Pierce Arrow 40A tires should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, repeated air loss, sidewall damage, or internal deterioration appears, even if the tread still looks deep. Collector-car tires often age out before they wear out, especially on vehicles that are driven sparingly and stored for long periods.

Waiting for visible tread wear alone is not a sound approach on a large 1930s automobile. If the car has older tires of uncertain age, or if they have spent many years mounted without regular service, have them evaluated closely and plan replacement before the next extended outing rather than after a problem develops.

Pierce Arrow 40A is listed here with one period size, 700-17, and the available replacement tires are offered in Firestone Balloon and Ensign B5 series. Those series reflect appropriate vintage-style bias-ply constructions for the era, but the exact brand or sidewall treatment originally delivered on a particular Pierce Arrow 40A can vary by surviving records and restoration history.

For an owner pursuing factory-level accuracy, the best next step is to compare the car against original literature, photos, and marque-club guidance rather than selecting by size alone. The tire size gets the fitment right, while the exact series and sidewall treatment help determine how faithful the finished restoration will look.

Yes, correct tire fitment can influence both the presentation and the perceived authenticity of a Pierce Arrow 40A. Size, sidewall treatment, overall profile, and period-appropriate bias-ply construction all contribute to whether the car looks properly finished for its era, especially on a full classic luxury automobile where visual proportion matters.

Judging standards vary, but incorrect modern-looking tires can quickly change the stance and character of the car. Owners preparing a Pierce Arrow 40A for concours, club events, or high-level restoration review should compare the installed tire’s size and sidewall style against period references and Pierce Arrow specialist advice before the car is shown.

Pierce Arrow 40A tires are offered here in blackwall, wide whitewall, and double-whitewall styles, all within the proper 700-17 size. Any of those treatments can shape the restoration’s final appearance, but the most correct choice for a specific Pierce Arrow 40A depends on how that individual car was originally equipped and how the restoration is being judged.

Because sidewall style changes the visual weight of a large prewar car, it is worth treating that decision as more than a cosmetic preference. Period photographs, surviving original cars, and marque expertise are the best guides when deciding whether your Pierce Arrow 40A should wear a more restrained blackwall or a stronger whitewall presentation.

A properly fitted new bias-ply tire in the correct 700-17 size can be suitable for road use on a Pierce Arrow 40A when the rest of the car is mechanically sound. Safety depends on much more than the tire alone, including wheel condition, tube installation, steering and brake health, alignment, and the general condition of a heavy prewar chassis.

That means the tire should be treated as one part of a complete road-readiness check rather than a stand-alone solution. Before regular driving, have the Pierce Arrow 40A inspected as a system so the tires, wheels, suspension, and braking performance all match the car’s weight, age, and intended touring use.

Before driving a Pierce Arrow 40A, check tire inflation, visible sidewall condition, wheel security, valve stems, and any sign of air loss or age cracking. On a prewar luxury car with bias-ply tires and tube-type fitment, it is also wise to pay close attention to steering free play, brake response, and the condition of the road surface you plan to drive on.

A careful walk-around takes only a few minutes and can prevent the sort of avoidable issue that spoils a tour or event. Collector cars that sit for long periods often develop problems between drives, so Pierce Arrow 40A owners should treat every outing as a fresh mechanical check rather than assuming the last drive tells the whole story.

Pierce Arrow 40A should be driven at conservative speeds that respect its period-style bias-ply tires, age, and overall mechanical design. Even when the tire size is correct, a 1934 luxury car does not respond like a modern automobile in braking, lane changes, or emergency maneuvers, and the safest pace is one that leaves generous distance and time for every input.

The practical approach is to use the car for the kind of steady touring and event driving that suits its construction instead of pushing highway speed or abrupt handling transitions. If the Pierce Arrow 40A has not been driven regularly, build confidence gradually after inspection and keep road use within the car’s comfort zone rather than the traffic flow’s maximum pace.