Plymouth Horizon Tires

The Plymouth Horizon uses four tire sizes across its production years: 155/80R13 for 1978 through 1981, 165/75R13 for 1978 through 1981, 175/75R13 for 1979 and 1982 through 1985, and 165/80R13 for 1984 through 1990. Every size listed for the Plymouth Horizon is a radial built for a 13-inch rim, but the width and profile vary from one size to another.

That matters because two Plymouth Horizon cars with the same wheel diameter can still need different tires. Use the year as your first filter, then verify the actual size on the vehicle’s current tires or against factory literature for the specific car so you do not substitute a different section width or aspect ratio by mistake.

The 1979 Plymouth Horizon is one of the split years in this range, with 155/80R13, 165/75R13, and 175/75R13 all listed. Those sizes share the same 13-inch rim diameter, so the difference is not a wheel change. The variation points to configuration differences within the Plymouth Horizon line rather than one universal size for every 1979 car.

A 1979 Plymouth Horizon owner should not choose a tire by year alone. Check the size on the car now, inspect the wheel and tire clearance, and compare against period specifications for the exact body style or trim so the replacement keeps the intended stance, gearing feel, and fender clearance.

Every Plymouth Horizon size listed here uses a 13-inch rim diameter. The sizes changed over the years from 155/80R13 and 165/75R13 to 175/75R13 and later 165/80R13, but the rim diameter remained 13 inches throughout the run covered here. What changed was the tire’s width and sidewall profile, not the wheel diameter.

That means a Plymouth Horizon owner still needs to read the complete size code rather than stopping at the wheel diameter alone. A 13-inch wheel can accept more than one listed Horizon tire size, so the right replacement depends on matching the full metric designation for the specific year and configuration.

On a Plymouth Horizon, 155/80R13 means the tire is 155 millimeters wide, has an 80-series aspect ratio, uses radial construction, and fits a 13-inch rim. That is one of the early-production Plymouth Horizon sizes used from 1978 through 1981. The same basic decoding logic applies to the other Horizon sizes as well, with the width and aspect ratio changing by application.

Knowing how to read the code helps you avoid choosing a nearby size that looks similar but alters the tire’s profile. On a Plymouth Horizon, moving from a 155-width tire to a 165- or 175-width tire, or changing from an 80-series to a 75-series profile, can affect appearance and fit even though the wheel diameter stays the same.

The 1984 Plymouth Horizon has two sizes listed: 165/80R13 and 175/75R13. Both fit 13-inch rims, so wheel diameter alone will not separate them. The deciding factor is the specific configuration of the Plymouth Horizon and the tire size the car was actually equipped to use.

Start by reading the size on the tires currently installed and comparing that to the wheel width and overall clearance. If the car is being restored or corrected after years of substitutions, check period owner literature or a Horizon specialist so the chosen size matches the intended look and driving character of that particular 1984 Plymouth Horizon.

Available Plymouth Horizon products include both narrow whitewall and wide whitewall sidewall styles. The 155/80R13 products include narrow whitewall and wide whitewall options, while the 165/80R13 products also include both narrow and wide whitewall choices. That gives Plymouth Horizon owners more than one visual approach within the listed radial offerings.

Sidewall choice is largely a matter of period appearance and personal taste once the correct size is established. A narrow whitewall usually suits a subtler late-1970s or 1980s look on a Plymouth Horizon, while a wide whitewall creates a more custom or dress-up presentation that some owners prefer on surviving original cars.

The brands represented in the available Plymouth Horizon products are BFGoodrich, Maxxis, Travelstar, and Tornel. Those brands appear across the currently listed 155/80R13 and 165/80R13 radial applications. Product families include Silvertown Radial, Classic Whitewall MA-1, UN106, and Tornel Classic.

Brand choice should come after size confirmation, not before. Once the correct Plymouth Horizon size is established, compare sidewall style, rim-width compatibility where listed, and the overall look you want so the selected tire matches both the car’s fitment needs and the appearance you want to preserve.

The Plymouth Horizon products listed here include several radial series: Travelstar UN106, BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial, Maxxis Classic Whitewall MA-1, and Tornel Classic. All are radial-construction tires, but they differ in brand family and in presentation, especially sidewall treatment. Within these listings, the most visible difference is whether the tire is offered as a narrow whitewall or a wider whitewall style.

For a Plymouth Horizon owner, that means the series choice is mainly about appearance once the correct size has been identified. If you want a cleaner late-compact look, a narrow whitewall is the closer visual fit; if you want more curb appeal on a preserved or show-oriented car, a wider whitewall can change the character noticeably.

A Plymouth Horizon should be stored on a clean, dry surface away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, ozone sources, and prolonged heat. Keep the tires inflated to an appropriate pressure for storage and move the car occasionally if it will sit for long periods. Long static storage can create flat spotting on radial tires even when tread wear is minimal.

If the Plymouth Horizon will sit seasonally or for a longer restoration pause, wash the tires, keep them out of standing moisture, and avoid petroleum-based dressings. Owners who want to preserve ride quality and sidewall appearance should inspect for cracking, bulges, or distortion each time the car comes out of storage rather than assuming low mileage equals fresh condition.

Tires on a Plymouth Horizon should be inspected before regular driving and again whenever the car has been sitting for an extended period. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, impact damage, irregular wear, and air loss, and inspect the valve stems at the same time. Collector cars often age out their tires long before they wear them out.

A practical routine is to give the Plymouth Horizon a quick visual check before every drive and a more thorough inspection several times a year. If the car pulls, vibrates, or develops uneven wear, stop using assumptions based on appearance alone and have the tires and alignment evaluated before adding more road miles.

Plymouth Horizon tires should be replaced when they show age cracking, hardening, bulges, persistent vibration, separation, repeated air loss, or any structural damage, even if the tread still looks usable. Low-mileage collector use does not stop rubber from aging. Time, storage conditions, and heat cycles matter as much as tread depth on an older hobby car.

For a Plymouth Horizon that sees occasional use, replacement decisions should be driven by condition and age rather than appearance alone. If the tires are several years old and the car is returning to regular road use, a preventive replacement is often wiser than trying to stretch service from aging rubber that no longer offers the consistency the car needs.

The Plymouth Horizon used multiple original-style size patterns during its production run rather than one universal fitment. The listed sizes are 155/80R13, 165/75R13, 175/75R13, and 165/80R13, with the exact application depending on year and configuration. Available replacement products in the current listings are radial tires rather than a mix of earlier construction types.

For restoration work, the goal is to match the specific Plymouth Horizon year and configuration first, then choose the sidewall presentation that best suits the car. If originality matters for judging or historical correctness, period Plymouth literature and marque-specific references remain the best way to separate a merely usable size from the size the individual car should wear.

Correct tire fitment can affect both the appearance and the credibility of a restored Plymouth Horizon, especially as surviving front-wheel-drive compacts become harder to find in unmodified form. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts notice whether the tire’s width, profile, and sidewall look belong to the era. Even when the wheel diameter is right, the wrong aspect ratio can change the stance enough to stand out.

A Plymouth Horizon being prepared for shows or preservation should wear the size that fits its specific year and configuration rather than a close substitute chosen only for convenience. If the car is entering marque judging, use club references and factory literature to decide whether a narrow whitewall or wider whitewall treatment best suits the restoration objective.

Plymouth Horizon restoration choices in the current listings include narrow whitewall and wide whitewall styles. Both are available in the radial product range offered for Horizon sizes, although the narrower whitewall generally aligns more naturally with the understated look of many late-1970s and 1980s compact cars. A wide whitewall gives the Plymouth Horizon a dressier visual effect than many owners would have chosen when the cars were new.

The right answer depends on the restoration goal. If the Plymouth Horizon is being returned to a more factory-minded appearance, a narrow whitewall is usually the safer visual direction; if the car reflects dealer dress-up trends or a personal-period style, a wider whitewall may suit it without changing the underlying size fitment.

A Plymouth Horizon fitted with fresh, correctly sized radial tires in sound condition can be appropriate for normal collector-car road use, provided the rest of the car is mechanically sound. The available products here are modern radial constructions in listed Horizon sizes, which is important for a car originally designed around compact radial tire behavior. Safety still depends on condition, inflation, suspension health, and brake performance as much as the tire itself.

Before using a Plymouth Horizon regularly, inspect the full car rather than treating new tires as the only requirement. Alignment, wheel condition, aging brake hoses, wheel bearings, and suspension bushings all influence how safely the car uses its tires on public roads.

Before driving a Plymouth Horizon, check that all four tires match the intended size, are evenly inflated, and show no cracking, bulges, or visible damage. Also look at tread wear, valve stem condition, and whether the wheels appear true and undamaged. Because several 13-inch sizes were used across Horizon production, confirming that the car is wearing a consistent set matters.

A quick pre-drive inspection helps catch problems that can be missed on a low-use car. If the Plymouth Horizon has recently come out of storage, drive gently at first and pay attention to pull, vibration, or wandering, since those symptoms can point to aged tires, pressure loss, or mismatch from one axle to the other.

A Plymouth Horizon should be driven at prudent, legal road speeds that match the condition of the tires, wheels, suspension, and brakes rather than the car’s theoretical capability when new. Even with the correct size fitted, an older collector car does not benefit from sustained high-speed use on aging components. The safest approach is to treat the whole package conservatively unless the car has been thoroughly inspected and sorted.

For most hobby use, a Plymouth Horizon is best enjoyed at moderate speeds where handling, braking, and ride can be monitored without stressing old parts. If the tires are older, the car has been stored for long periods, or the service history is unclear, keep speeds down until the vehicle has been fully evaluated on the road.