1930 Reo Tire Fitment Guide

1930 Reo vehicles use six sizes across three model series, and each series has its own pair of sizes. The 15 Series uses 28X5.50 and 550-18, the 20 Series uses 30X6.00 and 6.00-18, and the 25 Series uses 30X6.20 and 650-18. The numeric sizes shown here mount on 18-inch rims, with listed rim-width guidance appearing on available products for 550-18 and 650-18.

That means a 1930 Reo owner needs to identify the series before doing anything else, because tire size is not shared across the whole make. If your car already wears 18-inch wheels, the numeric size attached to your series is the logical place to start. If it still follows the earlier diameter-based convention, compare the actual markings on the tire and wheel before selecting a replacement path.

On a 1930 Reo tire, 28X5.50 is an antique diameter-by-section code. The first number gives the tire’s approximate overall diameter in inches, while the second gives nominal section width. It is a bias-ply size and, within the 1930 Reo range, it belongs specifically to the 15 Series rather than being shared across all models.

That older format can confuse modern buyers because it does not present the wheel diameter the way later numeric and metric sizes do. When you see 28X5.50 on a 1930 Reo, treat it as part of an earlier balloon-era sizing system and verify the actual wheel and existing tire markings before ordering. Matching the series and the old-style code together is more important here than comparing it loosely to a newer-looking size.

On a 1930 Reo tire, 550-18 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.50 portion refers to nominal section width, and the 18 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. Within the 1930 Reo lineup, this size is used on the 15 Series, and listed products show it on rims from 3 to 4 inches wide depending on the tire.

That makes 550-18 easier for many owners to work with because the wheel diameter is stated directly in the size itself. It is still important to confirm which 15 Series setup your car actually has, especially if it has been restored or re-wheeled over the years. Once the size is confirmed, you can narrow by sidewall appearance and the specific rim-width range shown for the product you are considering.

1930 Reo products listed here show a meaningful spread of sidewall appearances. In 550-18, available sidewall styles include Blackwall, Wide Whitewall, and Double-Whitewall. In 650-18, available styles include Blackwall and Wide Whitewall. All of these listed options are bias-ply tires, which keeps the construction era-appropriate for a 1930 car even when the visual treatment changes.

For a buyer, the sidewall decision is usually about the look you want the car to present rather than a change in fitment. Blackwalls generally suit a plainer, more utilitarian appearance, while whitewall treatments create a dressier period look that many restorers prefer on upscale pre-war presentations. If authenticity matters for showing, compare your intended sidewall style with period photos, surviving originals, and marque-club guidance for your exact body style and market.

The available 1930 Reo products listed here come from Excelsior, Firestone, and BFGoodrich. The 550-18 size includes all three brands, while 650-18 is represented by Firestone. Each offering is a bias-ply construction, which aligns with the pre-war tire type expected for a 1930 American car.

Brand choice becomes most useful once you have already confirmed the correct size for your series. At that point, compare the brand’s available sidewall style, the stated rim-width range where listed, and any load figure shown for that exact product. Because availability is concentrated in the numeric 18-inch sizes on this page, owners of diameter-based fitments may want to decide first whether they are preserving that original-style specification or working from an 18-inch wheel setup already on the car.

Within the 550-18 size for a 1930 Reo, Firestone and BFGoodrich differ in sidewall presentation, stated load figures, rim-width guidance, and weight. The Firestone blackwall version lists 1125 pounds at 32 psi on a 3.25-inch rim, while the Firestone double-whitewall version keeps the same rim width and weighs more because of its styling treatment. The BFGoodrich 3.00-inch whitewall lists 1000 pounds at 32 psi, fits a 3-inch rim, and carries a heavier listed weight than the plain blackwall Firestone.

That means the decision is less about broad brand reputation and more about the exact visual and dimensional version you want on your 15 Series. If your wheel width is close to 3 inches, the BFGoodrich fitment detail may matter. If your priority is a Firestone-branded look or a double-whitewall presentation, the Firestone choices may align more closely with your restoration plan. Confirm wheel width before making the final call.

Rim-width guidance is listed here for two 1930 Reo sizes. In 550-18, listed products fit rims from 3 inches to 4 inches wide depending on the specific tire, with individual examples shown at 3, 3.25, and 4 inches. In 650-18, the listed range is 3.25 to 3.50 inches. The antique-format sizes on this page do not carry separate rim-width figures in the available product details.

The practical step is to measure the actual wheel before choosing among products in the same size. Two tires that share a 550-18 marking may still be intended for different rim widths, and that affects how correctly the tire seats and presents on the car. If your Reo has been restored, swapped, or updated over the years, do not assume the current wheel matches the original series specification without checking it directly.

The listed 1930 Reo products do not carry tube-type or tubeless markings in the size callout, so this page does not separate the available 550-18 and 650-18 offerings by tube status. Because these are pre-war bias-ply applications on period-style wheels, many owners treat tube use as a wheel-and-tire system decision rather than assuming one answer applies to every product and wheel combination.

Inner-tube planning should be confirmed against the actual wheel design, the tire’s sidewall markings, and the product specifications for the exact tire chosen. On an original 1930 wheel, tube use is often part of staying true to the way the car was engineered. Before final setup, inspect the rim condition, verify the valve-hole arrangement, and match the tube and flap requirements to the wheel if your chosen tire and wheel combination calls for them.

A 1930 Reo should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place away from direct sunlight, electric motors, welders, battery chargers, and other ozone-producing equipment. Keep the tires clean, maintain inflation, and move the car periodically so the casing does not sit in one footprint for months at a time. Bias-ply tires are especially prone to taking a temporary set when left stationary for long periods.

If the car will be parked for a season, many collectors either roll it occasionally or support it in a way that reduces long-term loading without letting the suspension hang incorrectly. Storage habits affect appearance as much as drivability on a pre-war car, since sidewall cracking and flat-spotting can arrive long before the tread is worn out. A simple storage routine preserves both ride quality and the visual finish of the tires.

Tires on a 1930 Reo usually age out before they wear out, especially on a collector car that sees occasional use. A practical rule is to begin evaluating them closely once they are around five to seven years old and to treat about ten years as a serious replacement threshold regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code on a modern reproduction tire is the right starting point for judging age.

Low annual mileage can create a false sense of security on a pre-war car because the tread may still look healthy while the casing and sidewalls have hardened with time. If the Reo spends long periods parked, calendar age matters more than miles. Keeping a written record of installation date, pressure checks, and inspection notes makes it much easier to decide when preservation has become less important than renewal.

Tires on a 1930 Reo should be inspected before every drive and again before any longer outing. Check for sidewall cracks, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, embedded debris, and pressure loss, and look closely at the valve stems and wheel condition as part of the same routine. On a car of this age, a visual walk-around is not optional maintenance; it is part of normal operation.

A brief inspection catches small issues before they become roadside problems, especially if the car has sat for several weeks. Pre-war cars often cover fewer miles but spend more time in storage, which means deterioration can appear between drives rather than during them. Include the spare in the routine as well, since it may be older than the four road tires and is often forgotten until the moment it is needed.

A 1930 Reo 15 Series would have been fitted originally with bias-ply tires, because that was the standard passenger-car construction in 1930. Within the 1930 Reo range, the 15 Series is associated with 28X5.50 and 550-18, which reflect the period’s overlap between diameter-based balloon sizing and numeric 18-inch sizing. No original-equipment brand should be assumed from the available product range alone.

For restoration work, the right approach is to confirm which of those two 15 Series size paths matches your specific car’s wheels, body style, and surviving evidence. Factory literature, period photography, and marque specialists are the best way to narrow the original setup on an individual car. Once the size is settled, sidewall style becomes the next authenticity choice, especially if the car is being prepared for judged display.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1930 Reo because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice size, construction type, and sidewall style immediately. On a pre-war American car, a bias-ply tire in the proper series-specific size will generally look and sit more like the original fitment than a mismatched size would. A wrong sidewall treatment or a size borrowed from another Reo series can change the stance enough to be obvious.

That does not mean every event applies the same standards, but authentic-looking tire fitment usually strengthens the overall presentation. If your goal is concours accuracy, verify the exact series, compare your tire size to period references, and use event or club judging manuals where available. The more formal the judging, the more likely details such as whitewall width, blackwall versus whitewall choice, and the correct size family will matter.

Within the 650-18 size for the 1930 Reo, the listed Firestone options differ mainly in sidewall appearance and in the amount of specification detail provided. One version is a Firestone Balloon blackwall with a listed load figure of 1205 pounds at 36 psi and a rim-width range of 3.25 to 3.50 inches. The other is a Firestone Balloon wide whitewall in the same size and rim-width range, presented as the dressier visual alternative.

For a 25 Series owner, the choice is mostly about the finished look of the car once the correct size has already been established. A blackwall tends to suit a more restrained period presentation, while a wide whitewall gives the car a more formal and upscale pre-war character. If authenticity is the priority, compare your selection with period photos and any surviving evidence from your exact body style before deciding.

The listed 1930 Reo tires are all bias-ply products, and no speed ratings are shown for the available sizes on this page. A properly fitted, correctly inflated bias-ply tire in sound condition can be suitable for normal road use, but a 1930 car’s overall road behavior is shaped as much by its brakes, steering, suspension, and chassis design as by the tire itself. Highway comfort and response will feel different from a modern car even when the tires are in excellent condition.

That means road-speed decisions should be made with the whole vehicle in mind, not just the tire size molded into the sidewall. Before regular highway use, inspect the tires thoroughly, confirm wheel condition, and make sure the Reo is mechanically sorted. On a pre-war car, conservative driving habits and realistic expectations are part of safe operation, especially on crowned roads, expansion joints, and long descents.

Inflation pressure for 1930 Reo tires should be tied to the exact size and tire you are using, not borrowed from another series or sidewall style. Among the listed products, 550-18 tires show load figures at 32 psi, including 1000 pounds at 32 psi and 1125 pounds at 32 psi depending on the tire. In 650-18, one listed tire shows 1205 pounds at 36 psi.

Those figures are load-and-pressure ratings, not a universal instruction to use the same pressure on every 1930 Reo tire. The best practice is to start with the vehicle manufacturer’s period pressure guidance if available, then compare it with the reproduction tire maker’s specifications for that exact size and product. Keep pressures consistent side to side, and recheck them before extended drives because collector cars often sit long enough for slow pressure changes to go unnoticed.

Before a longer drive in a 1930 Reo, inspect every tire for cracking, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, abnormal wear, and correct inflation. Look over the valve stems, wheel hardware, and the spare as part of the same check, and make sure the tire size on the car matches the series you own. A pre-drive tire inspection should happen alongside broader checks of brakes, fluids, cooling, and ignition readiness.

Longer trips put more heat and sustained load into the tires than a short local outing, so small issues become important more quickly. If the car has been stored, drive it briefly near home first to feel for pull, vibration, or settling from long-term parking. Bringing basic tools, confirming jack and spare condition, and avoiding the temptation to run modern traffic speeds for long stretches are smart habits in any pre-war Reo.