1928 Durant Tire Fitment Guide

1928 Durant vehicles use four listed tire sizes across three model lines: 29X5.00 and 500-19 for the 1928 Durant 55 Series and 1928 Durant 65 Series, plus 29X5.50 and 550-19 for the 1928 Durant 75 Series. Every size in this year-make group mounts on a 19-inch rim. Where product fitment details are listed, 500-19 appears on rims from 4 to 5 inches depending on the tire, while 550-19 appears on rims from 2.50 to 3.00 inches.

That means year and make alone are not enough to choose tires for a 1928 Durant. You need to confirm whether your car is a 55 Series, 65 Series, or 75 Series first, then match the tire to the correct size family. The antique-style sizes and the numeric sizes describe the same general fitment families in two different naming conventions, so many owners use the model identification and wheel measurements together before narrowing to a specific product.

On a 1928 Durant, 29X5.00 is an antique diameter-by-section marking. The first number, 29, refers to the tire's overall diameter in inches, and the second number, 5.00, refers to the nominal section width in inches. It is a bias-ply size associated here with the 1928 Durant 55 Series and 1928 Durant 65 Series, not with the larger 75 Series.

That older style of marking can look unfamiliar to modern buyers because it does not place the wheel diameter in plain view the way a later numeric size does. For a 1928 Durant owner, the practical point is that 29X5.00 belongs to the smaller Durant fitment family for that year. If your car is a 55 Series or 65 Series, compare that marking with the companion 500-19 listings and verify your wheel before settling on the product you want to run.

On a 1928 Durant, 500-19 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 500 represents a nominal 5.00-inch section width, while 19 is the rim diameter in inches. Within the 1928 Durant lineup, this size applies to the 55 Series and 65 Series rather than the 75 Series, and current product offerings in this size are blackwall bias-ply tires.

Numeric sizes are easier for many owners to work with because the wheel diameter is stated directly, which helps when confirming a 19-inch wheel. For a 1928 Durant owner, 500-19 is the practical shopping size if you have a 55 Series or 65 Series and want to compare currently grouped products. It also gives you a direct way to check listed rim-width compatibility, which varies between the available tires in this size.

1928 Durant tire sidewall choices depend on size. In 500-19 for the 55 Series and 65 Series, the listed products are blackwall only. In 550-19 for the 75 Series, BFGoodrich offers both a blackwall and a 3.25-inch wide whitewall. All of the listed products are bias-ply, which is appropriate to the late-1920s period in construction type.

For restoration work, sidewall appearance changes the personality of the car even when the underlying size remains correct. A blackwall generally preserves a more restrained pre-war look, while a wide whitewall creates a more formal, dressier presentation on a 75 Series. If your goal is event judging, period photos, marque references, and club guidance are the best way to confirm which sidewall treatment suits your specific body style and market history.

Three brands appear in the available 1928 Durant tire offerings. The 500-19 size for the 55 Series and 65 Series is available from Excelsior and Firestone, both in blackwall bias-ply form. The 550-19 size for the 75 Series is available from BFGoodrich, offered in both blackwall and wide whitewall versions. Each brand is tied to a specific size grouping rather than covering the full Durant lineup interchangeably.

That brand split matters because your model determines which choices are actually relevant. A 55 Series or 65 Series owner compares Excelsior and Firestone within 500-19, while a 75 Series owner compares the BFGoodrich sidewall options in 550-19. Once the model and size are confirmed, the next useful comparison is appearance, rim-width compatibility, and any listed load specification, rather than trying to force a brand from one Durant size family into another.

The two listed 500-19 options for 1928 Durant vehicles differ in brand, stated application character, weight, rim-width coverage, and load information. The Excelsior Comp H is a 20-pound blackwall bias-ply tire listed for a 4-inch rim. The Firestone Dirt Track Ribbed Front is a 19-pound blackwall bias-ply tire listed for 4.00- to 5.00-inch rims and carries a stated maximum load of 895 pounds at 32 psi.

For a 1928 Durant 55 Series or 65 Series owner, that means the decision is less about size and more about how the tire is built and what wheel you have. If your rim measurement falls outside a single-width wheel spec, the broader Firestone rim range may matter. If originality standards or intended use push you toward one visual style or brand heritage over another, compare the side profile and wheel match carefully before final selection.

Rim-width guidance for 1928 Durant tires depends on the size. In 500-19, one listed tire fits a 4-inch rim, while another covers 4.00 to 5.00 inches. In 550-19, the listed BFGoodrich tires fit 2.50- to 3.00-inch rims. All of the listed fitments use 19-inch rim diameter, but width still needs to match the specific tire you choose.

That makes wheel measurement an important step before ordering, especially on a car that may have had wheels changed over its long life. A 1928 Durant owner should verify the actual rim width on the car rather than assuming every 19-inch wheel accepts every listed tire. Once width and model are confirmed, it becomes much easier to narrow down which product in the correct size family is the sensible match.

All listed 1928 Durant tire sizes mount on 19-inch rims, so the wheel diameter is common across the full Durant lineup for that year. That does not make every size interchangeable, because the 55 Series and 65 Series use the 5.00-size family while the 75 Series uses the larger 5.50-size family. Where tire listings provide width guidance, the acceptable rim-width ranges also differ by size and product.

A 1928 Durant owner can take that as a useful starting point, but not as permission to swap sizes freely between series. Diameter compatibility is only one piece of the puzzle; wheel width and model correctness still matter. If the car has original artillery or wire wheels, measure the rim and match it to the tire's stated range before assuming a tire from one Durant series can be used on another.

A 1928 Durant stored on fitted tires should be kept away from direct sunlight, damp floors, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing equipment that accelerate rubber aging. Bias-ply tires can develop flat-spotting more readily during long static storage than later radials, so clean, dry conditions and stable inflation matter. If the car sits for months at a time, periodic rolling or supporting the vehicle to reduce constant load on one patch of tread can help.

Good storage habits preserve more than the tread. They also protect sidewalls, tubes where used, and the overall ride quality you notice when the car comes back into service. For a collector 1928 Durant, even a well-kept garage can become harsh on tires if heat swings, moisture, or ozone exposure are ignored. A simple routine of shielding the tires, checking pressure, and moving the car occasionally goes a long way.

Tires on a 1928 Durant should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage, because collector cars often see limited seasonal use. A sensible rule is to evaluate them closely once they reach the five- to seven-year range and to treat around ten years as a point where replacement deserves serious consideration, even if tread remains. The date code on the tire helps establish age, and visible cracking, hardening, or repeated air loss shortens confidence further.

That matters especially on a pre-war car, where low annual mileage can make old tires look serviceable long after the rubber has aged out. Owners sometimes focus on tread depth because the car is seldom driven, but sidewall condition and casing age are usually the bigger concerns. If your 1928 Durant has sat for a long time or carries tires of uncertain age, put age verification high on the checklist before regular road use.

Tires on a 1928 Durant should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and signs of air loss. On a car of this age, valve stems and any tube-related components deserve attention as well, because even a tire that looks acceptable from a few feet away can have age-related issues at the stem or bead area.

Frequent inspection is a practical habit, not over-caution. A 1928 Durant has little margin for ignoring tire condition, especially when the car may spend long periods parked between outings. A quick walkaround with a pressure check can catch problems before they become roadside failures. If the spare is carried for touring, inspect it with the same care, since an old or deflated spare does little good when you actually need it.

A 1928 Durant 55 Series would have been fitted in the bias-ply era, and the listed size family for that model is 29X5.00 or its numeric counterpart 500-19. That aligns with what a late-1920s American car of this type would be expected to use in original-period construction. The size family is the key point for authenticity, while exact market or body-style nuances are best checked against marque references and surviving factory literature.

For restoration work, that means staying within the 5.00-by-19 family and using bias-ply construction preserves the proper visual stance and period character of the 55 Series. If your goal is a judged restoration, verify whether your event favors the antique-style marking, a particular sidewall treatment, or another period detail. Durant club resources and model-specific references are the right places to settle those finer points before finalizing a tire choice.

Correct tire fitment absolutely matters when showing a 1928 Durant, especially in preservation, restoration, or concours settings where proportion and period accuracy are part of the car's presentation. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts typically notice whether the size family matches the model, whether the construction is appropriate to the era, and whether the sidewall treatment suits the car's period look. A wrong size or an overly modern appearance can change the car's stance immediately.

For a 1928 Durant, the first authenticity checkpoint is whether the car belongs in the 5.00-size family or the larger 5.50-size family. After that, details such as blackwall versus wide whitewall become part of the visual story. Different clubs and events can apply different standards, so owners chasing top-level authenticity should compare their choice with period photos, judging guides, and Durant-specific club advice rather than relying on appearance alone.

The two BFGoodrich 550-19 choices for the 1928 Durant 75 Series share the same listed construction, rim-width range, and load rating, but they differ in sidewall appearance and weight. Both are bias-ply tires rated at 1040 pounds at 32 psi and fit 2.50- to 3.00-inch rims. The blackwall version is listed at 21 pounds, while the 3.25-inch whitewall version is listed at 23 pounds.

For restoration decisions, the meaningful difference is visual character rather than fitment. The blackwall keeps the car understated and workmanlike, while the whitewall gives the 75 Series a more formal, upscale period appearance. If the car is being restored to a specific delivery style, body type, or show standard, compare period photographs and event expectations before choosing between them, since both fit the same size family but send a different visual message.

The listed 1928 Durant tires are all bias-ply products, and no speed ratings are shown for these sizes. That means highway use should be approached with the broader realities of a 1928 car in mind, not just the tire itself. A properly selected, correctly inflated, unworn bias-ply tire in the right size can be roadworthy for normal collector use, but braking, steering response, suspension condition, and the general capabilities of a late-1920s Durant matter just as much as the tire choice.

In practical terms, a 1928 Durant owner should think in terms of moderate speeds, extra following distance, and careful route planning rather than modern traffic assumptions. Fresh tires do not turn a pre-war car into a modern highway machine. If the car will be used on longer secondary-road or highway drives, make sure the full chassis is sorted first, then confirm that the tires are the correct model-specific size and in sound condition before heading out.

Inflation pressure on a 1928 Durant should follow the vehicle's original guidance first, with the tire maker's limits used as the tire-side boundary. The listed products show maximum load figures at 32 psi for two current sizes: the Firestone 500-19 is rated at 895 pounds at 32 psi, and the BFGoodrich 550-19 is rated at 1040 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures are load-at-pressure references, not universal instructions to inflate every Durant tire to the same pressure.

That distinction matters because a pre-war Durant's recommended running pressure depends on the car's weight, axle loading, and intended use. A 55 Series or 65 Series should not simply borrow a figure from a 75 Series tire, and vice versa. Start with the factory recommendation when you have it, then confirm that your chosen tire's load and pressure limits support that use. Matching pressure to the correct size is part of getting ride quality and wear right.

Before a longer drive in a 1928 Durant, inspect each tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, tread separation, uneven wear, and proper inflation, and make sure the spare is usable as well. On a car of this age, valve stems deserve close attention, and any wheel or rim condition issues should be corrected before the trip. The tire check should be part of a wider pre-drive routine that also covers brakes, wheel bearings, steering play, cooling system condition, and basic fuel-system reliability.

Longer drives in a pre-war car are usually most enjoyable when problems are caught in the garage instead of on the shoulder. Even if the 1928 Durant has been driving well locally, sustained heat and speed can reveal weaknesses in old tires or marginal mechanical systems. Bring the car up to touring condition deliberately, confirm the tires match the correct series, and give the same attention to the spare and tools that you give to the four tires on the ground.