Dirt Trackers and Ribs

[scruff]

Since the Coker repop Dirt trackers and ribs have been out for a while I was wondering if anyone had any street driving impressions of them?.How do they seem to hold up to regular use compared to ordinary bias-plys?.

[Roadsters.com]

As you may already know, the reproduction tires have "FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY" molded into the sidewalls because they are not D.O.T.-approved.

They look neat, but I consider them to be "car show tires". I wouldn't use them on the highway, or for any distances. In the past couple of months, I have heard unconfirmed reports (which makes them rumors) of their treads flying off in normal street use on California highways on two different cars. I talk to so many people every day that I can't remember who told me this, and maybe I shouldn't have repeated it here.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

[36-3window]

i put a set of the coker dirt track rear and rib fronts on a `32 5 window and they seam to handle and drive just fine.....i display them at 75-80 MPH....i put on 750 miles on one weekend with no problems . i was conerned about the warning on the sidess too,but coker told me not to worry, they were just weezle words for liability.


but i would be interested in hearing about real experience and not rumours from others...should i be concerned too?

[Jeem]

What I'd like to know is this. The original double diamond tires and groovy implements were never meant for the street either. So then, how do the repros fare against the originals?

[Roadsters.com]

I have no first-hand experience with the originals or the reproductions. The originals have a reputation of riding poorly amd the rears are said to often wear unevenly.

Mickey Thompson's book, "Challenger", mentions the grooved "tractor tires" that they used to run on the front of their first salt flats car, and from memory, he said that they always grenaded at just over 100 mph.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

[Tman]

remeber, lots of the guys running origionals dug up decades old tires that were dry rotted and aged BEFORE they tried to run them at 75mph!

[choprods]

I have a set of 700x16 Denman/Super Safetys....whats the word on them?[They have a straight rib tread.]

[alchemy]

I was told by a local guy who ran original Diamonds on his car that they wear poorly and sometimes separate during road use on pavement because of the heat build-up. On the dirt, where they were made to be used, they didn't get as hot.

The new Cokers are supposedly made with modern materials to the old patterns and construction methods. Don't know if "modern materials" is better that 1950's materials though.

For what it's worth, I'm gonna try some of them. (If I ever get the car done)


alchemy

[Flexicoker]

You should have titled this post "ribbed for my pleasure"

[VAPHEAD]

I know "justdug"has a set on his roadster.And he drives the shit out of it.Hopefully he will respond to this post...

[k-member]

I think the old tractor tires don't have the steel band inside where the bead is. In theroy this would case the whole tire to expand do to the centrifical force and separate form the wheel causing a potentually hazardous effect. But on the other hand, I know some guys running them, and even seen them go around 80mph with no problems "so far" and have been running them for years.

[modernbeat]

A pal of mine has a set of the Coker repops on his SBC-'32 highboy. Drives it everywhere!

He reports that at first the tires squirmed and had very slow turn in and little traction. The tires broke in fairly quickly and although the turn in is still relatively slow, they don't slide or squirm like they did when new. We drove them with complete confidence during a competive TSD rally last year. Won first.

My impression was that they sidestepped over ridges and in grooved pavement but other than that they performed like any other set of mismatched and mis-sized tires. So-far, no tire failures and they look like they are holding up fairly well.