Reo Deluxe Tires

Reo Deluxe uses two listed tire sizes across the years covered here. The 1932 Reo Deluxe uses 6.00-17 on a 17-inch rim, while the 1936 Reo Deluxe uses 6.25-16 on a 16-inch rim. Those are different wheel diameters, so the two sizes are not interchangeable without a wheel change.

The practical takeaway is to identify the year first and then confirm the rim diameter on the actual car. Many collector cars have had wheels changed during long service lives, so the safest approach is to match the tire size to both the model year and the wheel diameter currently fitted.

On a Reo Deluxe, 6.00-17 is a traditional numeric bias-ply size. The 6.00 figure is the nominal section width in inches, and the 17 indicates the rim diameter in inches. For the Reo Deluxe listings here, that size applies to 1932 cars.

That coding matters because it tells you the wheel diameter directly, unlike some earlier antique size systems. If your Reo Deluxe is a 1932 model, 6.00-17 is the size to compare against the wheels on the car, the spare, and any surviving period paperwork before making a final choice.

Reo Deluxe uses two different rim diameters across the years covered here. The 1932 Reo Deluxe is paired with a 17-inch rim through size 6.00-17, while the 1936 Reo Deluxe is paired with a 16-inch rim through size 6.25-16. The change occurs between the two listed production years in this group.

That makes rim measurement one of the first checks to perform in the garage. Read the size on any existing tire if it is legible, then compare that information with the actual wheel and the year of the car so you do not accidentally choose a tire built for the wrong rim diameter.

Start with the model year, because the listed Reo Deluxe fitments differ clearly between 1932 and 1936. A 1932 Reo Deluxe uses 6.00-17, while a 1936 Reo Deluxe uses 6.25-16. Those sizes correspond to different rim diameters, so the year and the wheel must agree.

A careful buyer should inspect the tires currently on the car, measure the wheel if needed, and compare the result with any original handbook, build information, or marque reference available. That approach is especially useful on older restorations, where replacement wheels or later service changes may not match the car’s original setup.

No product brands are listed here for the Reo Deluxe sizes shown, so the key buying issue is fitment rather than brand comparison. The important distinctions are the two separate numeric sizes and their matching 17-inch and 16-inch rim diameters for 1932 and 1936 respectively.

For a collector-car buyer, that means brand choice should come after the basics are settled. Once the correct size and wheel diameter are confirmed, you can then compare the available offerings for the type of restoration, driving use, and visual authenticity you want for your Reo Deluxe.

No tire series names are listed here for the Reo Deluxe entries, so there is no series split to compare within these fitments. The meaningful distinction in this case is year-specific sizing: 6.00-17 for 1932 and 6.25-16 for 1936, each tied to a different rim diameter.

That means the first decision is not between named series, but between the correct wheel-and-size combination for the car you have. Once that is settled, the next step is to compare available period-style options that suit the level of originality and road use planned for your Reo Deluxe.

A stored Reo Deluxe should be kept in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, ozone sources, and petroleum contamination. Clean floors, moderate inflation, and a stable environment help protect the tire casing and sidewalls, which is especially important on a pre-war collector car that may sit for long periods.

If the Reo Deluxe will be parked for months at a time, move it occasionally to prevent flat spotting or support it in a way that reduces constant load on one section of the tire. Regular visual checks for cracking, sidewall distortion, and slow air loss are part of good long-term preservation.

Tires on a Reo Deluxe should be inspected before every drive and more thoroughly at regular intervals during the driving season. A pre-war car places a premium on prevention, so you want to look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, embedded debris, uneven wear, and any sign that the tire is not seating or aging evenly.

That routine matters even if the car sees only short local use. Collector vehicles often age out their tires long before they wear them out, and catching problems early is far easier than dealing with a failure on the road or discovering that a spare has deteriorated unnoticed.

A Reo Deluxe tire should be replaced when age, cracking, hardening, vibration, sidewall damage, or structural concerns appear, even if the tread still looks usable. Collector-car tires often spend much more time aging than wearing, so visible tread depth alone is not a reliable measure of service life on a pre-war automobile.

That is why periodic age and condition review is as important as mileage. If a tire’s history is uncertain, if it has been stored poorly, or if it simply feels dried out and rigid, replacement is usually the wiser path for a car intended to move under its own power rather than remain a static display.

The year-based fitments listed for Reo Deluxe here are 6.00-17 for 1932 and 6.25-16 for 1936. Those sizes reflect the period wheel and tire conventions for the specific years covered, but the car’s exact original delivery specification can still vary with surviving equipment, restoration history, and factory or dealer-era changes.

For an authenticity-minded restoration, the best practice is to pair the listed year-specific size with original literature, surviving wheel hardware, and established marque references. That gives you the strongest basis for deciding whether the car should wear its current wheels or be returned to the diameter associated with its production year.

Correct tire fitment can absolutely affect how a Reo Deluxe is judged and how convincing the restoration appears. Wheel diameter, overall stance, sidewall profile, and period-appropriate sizing all influence whether the car presents as an accurate pre-war automobile rather than a visually close substitute.

For owners pursuing show points or resale value, the important step is to make sure the tire size aligns with the model year and the wheel diameter actually fitted. Marque clubs, period photos, and factory reference material are often the best tie-breakers when a car has been restored more than once over its lifetime.

Sidewall style can materially change the appearance of a Reo Deluxe restoration, especially on a pre-war passenger car where tire profile is visually prominent. The correct look depends on the exact restoration goal, whether that is a factory-style presentation, a touring-driver appearance, or a later-era aesthetic choice made during an older restoration.

For a serious restoration, use the year-correct size first and then compare period photographs, surviving cars, and marque guidance before deciding on sidewall treatment. Getting the diameter and section right usually has the biggest effect on stance, while sidewall styling fine-tunes how authentic the finished Reo Deluxe appears.

A properly selected and properly maintained tire can be suitable for limited public-road use on a Reo Deluxe, but the tire is only one part of the equation. A pre-war car also depends on sound wheels, brakes, steering, bearings, and suspension, all of which should be inspected as a system before regular operation.

That means road use should be approached with realistic expectations and conservative speeds. Even when the tire size is correct, a Reo Deluxe remains an older design with different braking distances, handling reactions, and mechanical tolerances than modern traffic, so careful route and speed choices matter.

Before driving a Reo Deluxe, check inflation, visible tire condition, wheel security, valve stems, tread and sidewall integrity, and whether all four tires match the intended fitment for the car’s year and rim diameter. On a collector car of this age, it is also wise to look for cracking, bulges, age-related hardening, and anything unusual in how the car sits.

A short walk-around can prevent most avoidable problems. If the Reo Deluxe has been sitting, add a slow initial test at low speed so you can feel for pull, vibration, flat spotting, or other signs that the tires or wheels need attention before a longer outing.

A Reo Deluxe should be driven at modest, conservative speeds that respect both the tire type fitted and the broader capabilities of a pre-war automobile. Even with correct tires, these cars were built for a different road environment, so steady cruising and smooth operation are more appropriate than sustained modern highway pacing.

The wise approach is to let the mechanical condition of the whole car set the limit, not just the tire size stamped on the sidewall. Gentle acceleration, longer stopping distances, and avoiding prolonged high-speed operation will do more to protect both the tires and the car than any single fitment choice alone.