1973 Audi Tire Fitment Guide

1973 Audi vehicles use four sizes across two models. The Audi 100 uses 165R14 and 560-14, both on 14-inch rims. The Audi Fox uses 155R13 and 175/70R13, both on 13-inch rims. Rim width guidance appears within certain products: 165R14 spans 4.0 to 6.0 inches depending on tire, 560-14 spans 3.50 to 4.00 inches, 155R13 spans 4.00 to 5.50 inches where stated, and 175/70R13 fits 4.5 to 6.0 inches.

That means year and make alone are not enough for a 1973 Audi tire decision. You need to identify whether you have an Audi 100 or an Audi Fox first, then match the size to the wheel diameter already on the car. The Audi 100 also introduces a construction choice, because one of its sizes is a bias-ply and the other is a radial. On the Fox, the decision stays within radial construction but still changes section width and profile.

On a 1973 Audi, 560-14 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 5.60 figure is the nominal section width in inches with the decimal omitted, and the 14 is the rim diameter in inches. This size belongs to the Audi 100, not the Fox, and it is built in bias-ply construction rather than radial form. Available versions carry blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall styling, which makes sidewall appearance part of the decision as well.

Numeric bias-ply sizing reads very differently from modern metric sizing, so it helps to think of 560-14 as a vintage-format tire meant for a period look and period driving feel. If your Audi 100 is being restored toward original visual character, this size makes sense to investigate closely. If your car already wears a 14-inch radial and you prefer that sort of response and road behavior, the 165R14 route is the other path to compare before committing.

No. 1973 Audi models split clearly by model line. The Audi 100 uses 14-inch sizes, specifically 165R14 and 560-14, while the Audi Fox uses 13-inch sizes, specifically 155R13 and 175/70R13. None of those sizes are shared across both models, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the full 1973 Audi range.

That distinction matters because the first fitment checkpoint is wheel diameter, not brand or sidewall style. A buyer looking at 1973 Audi tires should start with the model badge and then confirm the actual wheel on the car, especially if the car has had decades of owner changes. Once that is settled, the decision gets much easier: Audi 100 owners choose between a radial and a bias-ply path, while Fox owners stay within radial options on a 13-inch wheel.

For a 1973 Audi 100, the choice between 165R14 and 560-14 is mainly a choice between radial and bias-ply construction. The 165R14 is a European radial size offered in blackwall form by Pirelli, Michelin, and Vredestein. The 560-14 is a bias-ply size from BFGoodrich, available as blackwall, narrow whitewall, or wide whitewall. Both mount on 14-inch rims, but they represent two different eras of tire design and two different visual and driving expectations.

A restoration aimed at an earlier-1970s look often leans toward the numeric bias-ply size, especially when sidewall appearance matters. A driver who wants the Audi 100 to feel more like a well-sorted European sedan on modern roads will usually focus on the radial choice instead. The most useful next step is to confirm the wheel width on the car and decide whether your priority is originality of appearance or a more modern radial driving character.

1973 Audi tire sidewall style depends heavily on size. The radial sizes 165R14, 155R13, and 175/70R13 are available in blackwall form. The bias-ply 560-14 for the Audi 100 adds blackwall, narrow whitewall, and wide whitewall choices. That makes the 560-14 the only size in the 1973 Audi range where sidewall styling significantly changes the visual presentation of the car.

For a 1973 German sedan, blackwall is generally the most natural visual fit, especially on the smaller Fox and on radial-equipped Audi 100s. Whitewall options on the 560-14 create a distinctly different look and should be chosen carefully with the car's restoration theme in mind. If the goal is event judging or marque-correct presentation, it is wise to compare your intended sidewall style with period photos, brochures, and Audi club references before settling on a final choice.

1973 Audi coverage spans several well-known brands, but the brand mix changes by size. The 165R14 is available from Pirelli, Michelin, and Vredestein. The 560-14 comes from BFGoodrich. The 155R13 comes from Michelin and Dunlop, while the 175/70R13 is available from Avon. That gives 1973 Audi owners a mix of European and American-brand options depending on model and size.

Brand choice should come after you settle the size and construction that belong on your particular Audi. Once you are comparing within the correct size, the differences tend to come down to tread character, sidewall appearance, and the sort of period flavor you want the car to project. Audi owners restoring a German-market feel often gravitate toward European-branded radial options, while an owner focused on a classic bias-ply presentation for the Audi 100 will be looking at BFGoodrich in the 560-14 size.

Rim width varies by 1973 Audi tire size. For 165R14, one radial fits 4.50 to 6.00-inch rims and another fits 4.0 to 5.5-inch rims. The 560-14 bias-ply size fits 3.50 to 4.00-inch rims. For 155R13, at least one tire fits 4.00 to 5.50-inch rims, and the 175/70R13 fits 4.5 to 6.0-inch rims. Those ranges are not interchangeable across all four sizes simply because the cars are from the same year and make.

The practical step is to measure or confirm the actual wheel before choosing among available tires, especially on a long-owned collector car that may no longer wear its factory wheels. That matters even when the rim diameter is correct, because width affects how the tire sits and behaves on the wheel. If you are comparing two sizes within the same model line, check the specific tire's approved rim-width range rather than assuming any 13-inch or 14-inch wheel will be equally suitable.

Inner-tube status varies across 1973 Audi tire options. Some radial choices carry a TL marking, which identifies them as tubeless tires. Other products in the same size do not use the same marking, so tube status can vary by product rather than by size alone. The 560-14 bias-ply options do not carry a TL marking in their size descriptions, so that size deserves an extra check before installation depending on the wheel and intended setup.

The safest approach is to match the tire's own construction and marking to the wheel you plan to use instead of assuming every tire in a given size is set up the same way. On an older Audi, wheel condition and design matter just as much as the tire label. If the car still wears original wheels or older restored wheels, inspect them carefully and verify the exact tube recommendation for the tire you choose before mounting.

Within each 1973 Audi model line, the answer is often yes on diameter, but the details still matter. The Audi 100's two sizes, 165R14 and 560-14, both fit 14-inch rims. The Audi Fox's two sizes, 155R13 and 175/70R13, both fit 13-inch rims. That means the original wheel diameter for each model can align with more than one tire size option.

Diameter compatibility does not automatically settle the question, because rim width still needs to fall within the approved range of the tire you choose. A narrower vintage wheel may suit one size better than another even when both share the same rim diameter. Before fitting an alternate size on original 1973 Audi wheels, confirm the wheel width and compare it with the tire's approved range so the installation stays sensible for the car and the tire.

A stored 1973 Audi should be kept out of direct sunlight, away from electric motors and ozone-producing equipment, and on a clean, dry surface. Maintain inflation while the car is parked, and move it periodically so the same section of tire is not bearing weight month after month. Bias-ply tires such as 560-14 tend to take a temporary set more readily in static storage, while radials are generally less prone to that effect but still benefit from movement and climate control.

If the car will sit for a long season, many owners use stands or at least increase attention to tire pressure and contact patch position. A breathable car cover and a stable indoor environment do more for tire life than occasional cosmetic treatment. Collector cars like a 1973 Audi often age out tires before they wear them out, so storage habits are part of preservation, not just convenience.

Tires on a 1973 Audi are usually judged by age more than mileage. A good rule is to begin careful evaluation around five to seven years of service and to treat about ten years as the point where replacement deserves serious consideration even if tread remains. That applies especially to collector vehicles that spend long periods parked and may accumulate very few miles. The DOT date code on the tire is the starting point for that age calculation.

A lightly driven Audi 100 or Fox can look fine at a glance while the tire compound has already aged beyond what you would want for confident road use. Sidewall cracking, hardening, and long-term pressure loss matter more than odometer readings on cars like these. If the age is creeping up, use the tire's condition and service history to guide your next move rather than waiting for visible tread wear to force the decision.

A 1973 Audi should have its tires checked before every drive, with a closer inspection before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, tread separation signs, uneven wear, punctures, bulges, and changes in pressure retention. On cars using tube-type or potentially tube-requiring setups, valve stem condition and slow leaks deserve special attention as well. Older collector cars can hide tire problems during garage storage that become obvious only once the car is back on the road.

That quick inspection routine is especially worthwhile because many vintage Audis are driven intermittently rather than daily. A car that sat for weeks can develop pressure loss or reveal weathering that was not obvious on the last drive. Building tire checks into your normal pre-drive walkaround helps catch small issues before they become roadside problems, and it is one of the easiest habits to adopt on a fifty-plus-year-old car.

For a 1973 Audi 100, both a traditional 560-14 bias-ply path and a 165R14 radial path are relevant to the model's fitment landscape. By the early 1970s, European cars were increasingly associated with radial construction, and the 165R14 format is very much in keeping with that era of Audi engineering. At the same time, the presence of a 560-14 option matters to restorers working from period U.S. replacement practices or a specific visual target.

If originality is the goal, the best answer depends on how your particular car was delivered and how it is being judged or presented now. Tire construction, sidewall style, and market-specific equipment can all affect what looks most correct. For a fully research-driven restoration, compare factory literature, surviving-car evidence, and Audi marque specialists before deciding whether your 1973 Audi 100 should wear the radial 165R14 or the bias-ply 560-14.

Yes, correct tire fitment matters on a shown 1973 Audi because size, construction type, and sidewall appearance all influence how authentic the car looks. An Audi 100 wearing a radial 165R14 presents differently from one on a 560-14 bias-ply, and whitewall treatment can move the car even farther from a stock European appearance if used casually. On the Fox, staying with the proper 13-inch radial family is central to keeping the car visually coherent.

Judging standards vary by event, but tire choices are one of the easiest details for experienced enthusiasts to notice. A tire can be physically mountable and still look out of place for the era, the market, or the restoration theme. Before entering a 1973 Audi in serious judging, confirm whether the event expects strict factory-style authenticity or allows tasteful period-type alternatives, then choose size and sidewall treatment to match that standard.

For a 1973 Audi 100 in 165R14, Michelin XAS and Vredestein Sprint Classic are both blackwall radials, but their published details are not identical. Michelin XAS carries a 4.50 to 6.00-inch rim-width range and is marked 165HR14 84H TL. Vredestein Sprint Classic carries a 4.0 to 5.5-inch rim-width range, an 84H speed/load marking, and a maximum load figure of 1,102 pounds at 51 psi. Their weights also differ, with Michelin at 20 pounds and Vredestein at 16 pounds.

Those differences matter most when you are matching the tire to the wheel already on the car and deciding how closely you want the finished look to follow a particular European touring style. Both sit in the same general radial category for the Audi 100, but they are not identical in fitment range or published specification. Confirm the wheel width first, then compare the sidewall look and specification details that matter most for your restoration or driving plan.

1973 Audi tires can be suitable for highway driving when they are in good condition, correctly fitted, and used within their construction and speed-rating limits. The radial sizes here include H-rated examples, and H corresponds to a 130 mph ceiling. The bias-ply 560-14 does not carry a speed letter in the same way, so it should be treated with the more conservative expectations appropriate to vintage bias-ply operation. On cars of this era, the condition of brakes, suspension, steering, and wheel bearings is often just as important as the tire itself.

For normal U.S. highway use, the practical question is usually not whether the tire's speed ceiling is high enough, but whether the entire 1973 Audi is prepared for sustained road speeds after years of collector-style use. Fresh inspection, proper inflation, and alignment matter more than chasing headline numbers. If the car has older bias-ply tires or has been parked for long periods, take a cautious approach and re-familiarize yourself with how the car feels before planning extended trips.

Inflation pressure for a 1973 Audi should begin with the factory recommendation for the exact model and loading condition, then be checked against the reproduction or specialty tire's own published limits. The 560-14 carries a maximum load of 906 pounds at 30 psi. The Vredestein 165R14 carries 1,102 pounds at 51 psi. Those figures are load-and-maximum-pressure references, not a universal running-pressure instruction for every 1973 Audi tire or every model.

The right approach is to avoid transferring a pressure figure from one size to another just because the tires fit the same year or even the same model line. A Fox on 155R13 should not be assumed to want the same pressure as an Audi 100 on 165R14, and a bias-ply 560-14 should not be treated like a radial. Use the owner's manual or factory placard as your baseline, then confirm the chosen tire's own limitations before setting final pressures.

Before a longer drive in a 1973 Audi, inspect all four tires and the spare for cracks, cuts, punctures, bulges, and uneven tread wear. Check cold inflation pressures, confirm that valve stems are sound, and pay extra attention to any setup that may involve tube-type service. A tire that has held pressure in the garage can still reveal age-related weakness once heat and sustained speed are introduced. Wheel balance and lug security also deserve a quick look before departure.

That tire check should be part of a broader age-appropriate mechanical inspection that includes brakes, steering, cooling, and fuel-system condition. Vintage Audis are capable and enjoyable road cars, but long storage intervals can affect many systems at once. If the car has not been driven recently, a short local shakedown run before the main trip is often wiser than heading straight onto the interstate and asking old tires and old mechanical parts to do everything at once.