Citroen Traction Avant Tyres
Citroen Traction Avant 1934–1956
“ … my 1938 cv7 Rides great but they are by far the most expensive tires I've ever bought! But totally worth it because it's a lot of black paint on my car :) ”
The Citroen Traction Avant fits a range of Michelin tyres depending on the model:
- 165 SR 400 Michelin X or 130/140 x 40 Michelin SCSS for a Citroen Traction Avant 7A, 7B, 7 Sport & 7C.
- These tyres are best suited to Michelin 16E innertubes.
- 165R400 Michelin or 150/160x40 Michelin SCSS for a Citroen Traction Avant 11B, 11BC, 11D, 11 Légère, 11BL, 11 Normale, & Light 15.
- We can also now offer a 165SR400 Michelin X Whitewall tyre for the Traction Avant.
- These white wall Michelins are also on special offer in sets such as this Set of 5 165R400 Michelin X White Wall.
- Longstone suggests the 185 R 400 Michelin X for a Citroen Traction Avant 15/6 (known as a Big 6 in the UK), Big 15 & 22 Horsepower.
- The later hydraulic 6 cylinder cars fitted 185 R 400 Michelin X.
- The 150/160x40 Michelin SCSS and the 185 R 400 Michelin X are best suited to a Michelin 16F innertube.
- For an in-depth look into tyre pressures, see our dedicated page on Citroen Traction Avant Tyre Pressures.
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History of the Citroen Traction Avant
The Citroën Traction Avant, unveiled to the public on April 18, 1934, is renowned for its pioneering contributions to automotive engineering. This landmark vehicle introduced several innovations, chief among them being its monocoque structure. This design significantly enhanced the car's rigidity and reduced its overall height, distinguishing it from the traditional body-on-frame construction prevalent at the time.
Another ground-breaking feature of the Traction Avant was its front-wheel-drive system, which greatly improved handling and stability, setting a new standard for vehicle driveability. The car also featured independent front suspension using torsion bars, offering superior ride quality compared to the conventional leaf spring suspension. While the front suspension benefitted from this advanced design, the rear maintained a more traditional setup with a live axle supported by leaf springs.
Equally notable was the introduction of hydraulic brakes, providing the Traction Avant with a more efficient and reliable braking system than the mechanical brakes commonly used in earlier vehicles.
The Traction Avant debuted with the 7A model, equipped with a 32 horsepower engine. It was soon followed by the 7B model, which offered a slight power increase to 35 horsepower. The lineup expanded with the introduction of the 11 CV series, which gained popularity due to its more powerful engine. In the UK, the 11 CV was known as the "Light 15," a reference to its tax horsepower category.
Citroen Traction Avant on 165 SR 400 Michelin X Tyres
Radial Traction Avant Tyres
From about 1949, Citroen offered the new Michelin X tyres in the size 165 SR 400 and 185 R 400 for the big 15 from 1953.
During its lifetime, the Citroen Traction Avant was available as a 4 door saloon, faux cabriolet, roadster, commerciale (with possibly the first production hatchback), coupe and familiale (with 8 seats!). The high development costs of the Citroen Traction Avant (Light 15) were directly responsible for the death of André Citroën and its consequent takeover by Michelin who owned Citroën until 1974. The iconic Citroen Traction Avant (Light 15) which wowed the world with its tenacious handling, magnificent comfort and advanced styling (so good even W.O.Bentley owned one!) ceased production in 1957.
Cross Ply Citroen Traction Avant Tyres
In 1935, the Citroen Traction (Light 15) 7C was launched with 36 bhp, replacing the Citroen Traction Avant (Light 15) 7B. The 7 Sport was replaced by the 11 Légère (light) during this year. 1935 also saw the introduction of the Light 15 11CV, which was wider and longer than the Light 15 7C and was fitted with a 1.9-litre engine. The Citroen Traction Avant (Light 15) 7 series came with either 130/140x40 Michelin SCSS or 150/160x40 Michelin SCSS tyres.
1938 saw the biggest change to the Traction Avant family with the introduction of the 15 Six or Big 15. This car came with a 2.8-liter, 6-cylinder engine, which necessitated a longer bonnet with cooling grilles fitted. This year also saw the fitment of Michelin Pilote wheels with 165 SR 400 Michelin X tyres. This entailed widening the wheel arches by 5cm.