I've received and installed the tires from Felder. They are beefy, stiff. and have a directional arrow on them. They also have a slight texture on the blade side. I spoke to a service tech about how to install them and he suggested using zip ties and motorcycle tire irons. He wasn't sure about the material although it's obvious that they are not rubber. I picked up a pair of mini tire irons at Auto Zone, drove home and installed them in a few minutes. Jean was there to assist and having a third hand was a big help. so far, so good.
Thanks again for all of your input on this.
Bob