1968 Toyota Tire Fitment Guide

1968 Toyota vehicles use six sizes across three model lines. The Corona uses 165R13 and 600-13 on 13-inch rims, the Crown uses 175R14 and 695-14 on 14-inch rims, and the Land Cruiser uses 760-15 and H78-15 on 15-inch rims. Rim width guidance is available for several of these sizes: 165R13 works with 4.50 to 6.00-inch rims, 600-13 with 4.00 to 4.50-inch rims, 175R14 with 4.5 to 6.0-inch rims, 695-14 with 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims, 760-15 with 5.50 to 6.00-inch rims, and H78-15 with 5.50 to 7.00-inch rims.

The important takeaway is that there is no single tire size that fits every 1968 Toyota model. A Corona owner can compare two 13-inch sizes, a Crown owner can compare two 14-inch sizes, and a Land Cruiser owner can compare two 15-inch sizes, but those choices do not cross over between models. Start by identifying the model and wheel diameter, then confirm whether you want the more period-authentic bias-ply route or, where available, the radial alternative.

On a 1968 Toyota Corona, 165R13 is an older metric radial size. The 165 refers to a 165-millimeter nominal section width, the R identifies radial construction, and the 13 is the wheel diameter in inches. In period european sizing, a 165R13 generally follows the older euro-metric convention that typically implies an 80-series profile even though the aspect ratio is not written into the size.

That makes 165R13 very different in character from a numeric bias-ply size like 600-13, even though both belong to the same model family. If your Corona is being restored for an original late-1960s look, the bias-ply option may be the closer visual fit. If the car sees more regular road use, a radial in the proper 13-inch size keeps you within the right general fitment family while changing the tire construction.

On a 1968 Toyota Land Cruiser, H78-15 is an alphanumeric bias-ply size. The H is an older size-series designation tied to section and load class, the absence of an R means it is not a radial, and the 15 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. It is part of the later alphanumeric sizing system that became common on American-market tires as older numeric conventions evolved.

A Land Cruiser owner should read H78-15 as a 15-inch bias-ply fitment rather than as a direct modern metric size. That matters because the code points you toward the correct family of vintage-style replacement tires, and it also affects wheel compatibility, load capacity, and sidewall appearance. If your vehicle currently wears 15-inch wheels and you are comparing H78-15 with 760-15, confirm the wheel width and decide which style and use case better fits the vehicle.

For a 1968 Toyota Corona, the choice between 165R13 and 600-13 is mainly a choice between radial and bias-ply construction on the same 13-inch wheel diameter. The 165R13 is a radial blackwall size available from Michelin and Dunlop, while the 600-13 is a bias-ply size from BFGoodrich with narrow and wide whitewall treatments. Both belong to the Corona, but they deliver a different period appearance and driving character.

Choose 600-13 when restoration authenticity and a late-1960s bias-ply look matter most. Choose 165R13 when you want to stay within the proper wheel diameter while moving to a radial construction for more modern road behavior. The same general logic applies to the Crown's 175R14 versus 695-14 pair, although those sizes do not interchange with the Corona because the Crown uses 14-inch wheels.

Sidewall style varies widely across 1968 Toyota tire sizes. The radial passenger-car sizes 165R13 and 175R14 are offered in blackwall form, while the bias-ply sizes broaden the visual choices: 600-13 comes in narrow and wide whitewall, 695-14 appears in blackwall, narrow whitewall, and dual-redline, 760-15 comes in narrow and wide whitewall, and H78-15 is available in both wide whitewall and blackwall form.

That means sidewall appearance is part of the buying decision, especially on a restoration. A compact Corona often looks most era-appropriate with a modest whitewall or plain blackwall depending on market and trim, while the Crown can support more pronounced vintage sidewall styling. On a Land Cruiser, blackwall usually suits a more utility-minded presentation, while a whitewall pushes the truck toward a more civilian vintage look.

1968 Toyota tire coverage includes Michelin, Dunlop, Vredestein, BFGoodrich, US Royal, Coker Classic, Universal Vintage Tire, and STA. Michelin and Dunlop cover the Corona's 165R13 radial size, Michelin and Vredestein cover the Crown's 175R14 radial size, BFGoodrich handles the 600-13 bias-ply size, BFGoodrich and US Royal cover 695-14, BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, and Universal Vintage Tire cover 760-15, and Coker Classic plus STA cover H78-15.

Brand choice matters most when you are balancing period appearance, sidewall treatment, and the kind of driving your Toyota actually sees. Some sizes, especially the bias-ply passenger-car and utility sizes, give you a wider visual range than others. A practical approach is to choose the correct size first, then narrow by construction and sidewall style before comparing brands within that fitment family.

Rim width requirements depend on the specific 1968 Toyota size. For the Corona, 165R13 fits 4.50 to 6.00-inch rims and 600-13 fits 4.00 to 4.50-inch rims. For the Crown, 175R14 fits 4.5 to 6.0-inch rims and 695-14 fits 5.00 to 6.00-inch rims. For the Land Cruiser, 760-15 fits 5.50 to 6.00-inch rims and H78-15 fits 5.50 to 7.00-inch rims.

Those ranges show why wheel measurement matters before ordering, especially if your Toyota has replacement wheels or a long ownership history. Two sizes can share the same wheel diameter but still want different rim widths, which affects how the tire sits and performs. Measure the actual wheel width at the bead seat or confirm it through a trusted wheel reference before settling on one of the available sizes.

Tube use on 1968 Toyota tires depends on the individual size and product. The 165R13 Michelin products are marked TL for tubeless use, while the Dunlop example in that size does not carry a tube marking in the same way. The bias-ply passenger-car and utility sizes here are not marked TL in the same fashion, so tube practice should be matched to the wheel type and the exact tire being considered rather than assumed across the whole year and make.

Original-style wheels, especially older multi-piece or non-safety-rim designs, can influence whether a tube is appropriate even when the tire itself appears straightforward. Check the sidewall marking on the exact tire and inspect the wheel's condition, valve-stem opening, and sealing surfaces before final assembly. If the car or truck still wears its original wheels, a vintage Toyota specialist or experienced installer can help confirm the right setup.

A 1968 Toyota should be stored on clean, properly inflated tires in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, furnaces, welders, and other ozone-producing equipment. Keep the tires off damp soil or standing moisture, and avoid long-term exposure to petroleum products or solvents on the floor. Bias-ply tires, which appear on the Corona, Crown, and Land Cruiser fitments here, are especially prone to flat-spotting during long static storage.

Moving the vehicle periodically helps change the contact patch and can reduce the set that develops in a collector tire over time. For longer seasonal storage, some owners lightly unload the tires with stands while keeping the suspension supported in a sensible way. If your Toyota sits for months at a time, inspect sidewalls and tread blocks at the start of every driving season before returning it to regular use.

Tires on a 1968 Toyota should be judged more by age and condition than by mileage, because collector vehicles often accumulate very little tread wear. A sensible rule is to begin paying close attention around five to seven years of service and to treat ten years as a point where replacement deserves serious consideration regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code on the tire sidewall is the key reference for age.

That timeline matters because a vintage Toyota can appear lightly used while the rubber has already hardened or begun to crack. Storage conditions, inflation habits, and heat exposure often do more to shorten life than occasional weekend driving. If the car or truck is driven at modern traffic speeds, age-related deterioration becomes even more important, since the tire may fail long before the tread looks worn out.

Tires on a 1968 Toyota should be checked before every drive and again before any longer outing at sustained road speed. Look for sidewall cracking, bulges, cuts, unusual tread wear, and signs that the tire is losing pressure between drives. On older wheels or tube-type setups, the valve stem and the area around the rim are just as important to inspect as the tread and sidewall.

Frequent inspection is especially important on collector cars and trucks because they may sit for long periods and then be asked to run at speed with little warning. A quick walk-around catches many problems before they become roadside failures. If the steering suddenly feels heavier, the ride changes, or the vehicle begins to pull, stop and recheck pressure and tire condition before continuing.

A 1968 Toyota Corona would have been associated with a bias-ply tire as the traditional original-type fitment, represented here by the 600-13 size. The companion 165R13 radial reflects the period when radial construction was becoming more familiar in import and export markets, but bias-ply still defines the more traditional late-1960s presentation for many restorations. Original equipment branding could vary by market and delivery channel, so size and construction are usually the first authenticity checkpoints.

For a restoration judged on factory-correct appearance, the key questions are whether the car should wear a 13-inch bias-ply or whether a market-specific radial fitment is appropriate for that exact example. Sidewall style can matter too, especially on a compact imported sedan where whitewall width changes the car's visual tone. Marque clubs, period brochures, and market-specific service literature are the best final references when you want to verify the exact presentation.

Correct tire fitment matters on a 1968 Toyota because judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice size, construction type, and sidewall style immediately. A Corona or Crown restored for originality can look out of period if it wears a modern-looking radial profile when a bias-ply would be more authentic, and a Land Cruiser can shift visually from utility vehicle to boulevard treatment depending on whether it runs blackwalls or wide whitewalls.

The standard is not identical at every event, which is why it helps to match the tire to the vehicle's intended presentation before you spend money. Some shows care mostly about overall era correctness, while others are stricter about market-specific details and sidewall treatment. If your 1968 Toyota is being built for judged competition, check the event rules and ask a Toyota club or restoration specialist what would draw attention.

For a 1968 Toyota Land Cruiser in H78-15, the Coker Classic options use a wide whitewall presentation and carry a maximum load of 1,770 pounds at 32 psi on 5.50 to 7.00-inch rims. The STA Traxion uses a blackwall truck-oriented appearance, fits the same 5.50 to 7.00-inch rim width range, and carries a higher stated maximum load of 1,830 pounds at 45 psi. Both are bias-ply tires, but they present the Land Cruiser very differently.

That difference makes the choice less about simple fitment and more about how you want the vehicle to read. A Coker Classic wide whitewall suits a more civilian vintage restoration, while the STA Traxion leans toward a utility or work-truck look. Confirm how your Land Cruiser is being restored and how it will be used before selecting between them, especially if wheel width and load demands are part of the decision.

1968 Toyota tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are in good condition, correctly inflated, and used within their construction and speed limits. The radial passenger-car sizes 165R13 and 175R14 include H-rated examples, which carry a 130 mph ceiling, while the bias-ply sizes here are not presented with comparable modern speed-letter coverage. In normal collector use, the vehicle's brakes, steering, suspension condition, and overall age are often more limiting than the tire itself.

Safe highway use comes down to matching the tire to the vehicle and the trip. A carefully maintained Corona or Crown on the right radial can feel more at home in modern traffic, while a bias-ply setup asks for a more period-aware driving style with greater sensitivity to road crown and longer stopping expectations. Any 1968 Toyota headed onto faster roads deserves a full pre-drive inspection and realistic speed planning.

Inflation pressure on a 1968 Toyota should begin with the factory recommendation for the vehicle, then be checked against the reproduction tire's own load-and-pressure limits. Several sizes here include maximum load and pressure figures: 600-13 is rated at 1,010 pounds at 32 psi, 695-14 at 1,230 pounds at 32 psi, 760-15 at 1,710 pounds at 32 psi, H78-15 at either 1,770 pounds at 32 psi or 1,830 pounds at 45 psi depending on the product, and one 175R14 option reaches 1,235 pounds at 51 psi.

Those figures are not blanket inflation recommendations for every 1968 Toyota; they are the tire's rated capacity points. The right operating pressure depends on the model, the weight distribution, and the specific tire selected. Use the owner's manual or factory placard as your baseline, then confirm that the chosen tire's pressure range supports that use without simply copying a number from a different size or product family.

Before a longer drive in a 1968 Toyota, inspect all four tires and the spare for visible cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and correct cold inflation pressure. Check the valve stems, especially if the vehicle uses older wheels or a tube-type arrangement, and make sure each tire is seated properly with no signs of bead damage or sidewall bruising. On a collector vehicle, the age of the tire matters as much as the tread depth.

Tires are only one part of a proper road-trip check on a vehicle of this age, so include brakes, wheel bearings, steering play, fluids, lights, and basic tools in your preparation. A Land Cruiser headed onto rougher roads deserves extra attention to sidewall condition and load, while a Corona or Crown bound for highway miles benefits from a careful pressure and balance check. A short local test drive before the main trip is always worthwhile.