Coker Tires - Is it just me??

I had two sets of cokers for my model A.I had nothing but problems with the tires.had them balanced and rebalancd.The car would shake your teeth out,untill I lowered the pressure to about 14 psi.Then it would handle like crap.wobbled all over the road.I ended up buying some radial tires from Diamond Back and have had no problems since.The hole traditional thing went right out the window.They do not build them like they used to.Good luck friend

 

I bought the firestones from coker. Ive been fighting a shake/bounce at about 70-75. I mounted and balanced them myself. First i did the wheeels and tires. bounced. then i did it with the brake drum. bounced. Got another wheel, had it powder coated. Dismounted all wheels and checked for straightness and put the two straightest (no visual runout at all) on the front. Still shaked and bounced but a little better. Checked the tires and they are out of round and i will shave them when i get the car back. \

I did buy the bfg blackwalls from coker and they are supper nice on my 35 coupe. Balanced easy and run true.

I think the firestone piecrust molds are a bit off or hard to operate. I think its a mold problem on that tire, that needs to be fixed. They just look so dam good and everybody keeps buying them. So would you stop making them? I bet he cant afford to stop making them.

 

Make new molds, hey,that's an idea!

 

Geez. That's about what I charge to mount and balance a tire. Now I feel bad. Mind you I usually only make about twenty bucks selling a modern tire.......


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Well,I know of 1 place that charges $7.00 and 2 places that charge $10.00 all within a 10 mile radius of my house,and all 3 places been in business for a looong time. I buy regular car tires from Discount Tire--Free shipping and no tax---take them & get mounted & balanced for $7.00 per tire----so maybe you should feel bad ha ha

 

The going rate around me to mount and balance is $15-$18. If you think you can get it done for free with the purchase of tires you're wrong. You're paying for it somehow. Bitchin' about 10% sales tax is pointless. Yeah it sucks but it's not Coker's fault and they don't see a penny of it.

 

Found this on another forum, According to this all buggy spring cars should have bias tires???


Mid 70's is when radials became the defacto common place factory spec tire.

Prior to that fiberglass belted tires could be spec'd as an optional upgrade to a regular bias ply (Think: Goodyear Polyglass). That was partly due to differences in suspension tuning required for a bias ply compared to a radial (it's true).

 

EGGZACTLY! IF you REALLY want to put out a high quality product you replace tooling, machines, (tire molds!) when worn out! ALL "Quality Minded" folks in manufacturing do... don't they? The shit don't last for ever!! Penny pinching does NOT get it, Coker may find this out when a big lawsuit hits him after someone gets killed because of those bad tires! Cheaper to replace tooling I say.. Besides how many tire sales are lost to the bad press?

 

Yes, I believe it is true. Many years ago I was involved in some tire & brake testing on class 8 big rigs. In this testing we ran "Rag Tires" (bias ply tires in truck lingo) recorded the data, then switched over to radials. Took back to the test track and recorded the data... BUT, I did not need the test data to feel the difference... when putting the truck into the corner you could feel the radial tire roll slightly as you entered the corner, noticeably when compared to the same truck with "Rag Tires".... This was (we filmed it) the radial tire "grabbing" a bigger footprint on the road.... That first initial roll would really not be good on a buggy spring chassis... they have too much roll to start with. We never had durability issues with the "Rag Tires" but those radials allowed higher cornering speeds (skid pad tests too) due in part (in my opinion) to the bigger footprint in the corner...
4 springs and anti-sway bars became the "norm" on cars and the radial was rite at home... in my old, worn out opinion... Still no reason to make shitty bias tires.

 

Hey guys
Go to Utube and bring up ZZ tops new video "Gotsta get paid" Watch the cool cars running down the dirt at El Mirage. Right front tire on one of the coupes is wobbling like crazy but the wheel is straight.
I run Radials - Period
Safety over cool

 

I'd rather believe the problem is the way they are made then the tooling. If it was the mold, every tire would run out the same. I'd rather think they are pulling them from the mold too early or the heat is wrong, something in the method. I've seen tires that ran out over 1/4. You should not have to cut that much off to true them.

 

I have and will still buy Coker Tires. I like their products especially their bias Firestone tires. Coker said they would fix the problem so contact them and fix the problem.

Like someones signature says, " Build a bridge and get over it".

 

5.50x16 and 7.00 16

 

Looking good to me.

 

Sounds good, but I still have one question: If I can spot the problem in 60-seconds, in the field, why can't it be spotted at the factory? I have customers to take care of. I can't rightly tell them that I need to, nor do I have the space to hold on to their car for a week, or two while I resolve a tire issue. It is quicker to take it in and have the tires shaved, that day, and be done with it. Yeah, costs extra, but so does time and shop space.

 

You should apply to Coker for a spotter job. Are you a retail outlet for Coker?
Apparently they drove their car to your shop and they can probably drive it back home after you do your 60 second spotting. No need to hold the car for a week or two.

A friend has a big retail store and supplies tires in a four state region to repair shops and gas stations. He has piles of tires that are waiting for the manufacturer to inspect for defects. They are all sizes and all radials. The major tire manufactures have a lot of problems too.

 

But that don't make it right!

 

Again, back to the hard tacks: Will there be a tour of the manufacture processing of the bias?

 

You're missing the point. We build cars, not sell tires. We have to order the tires, and wait for them to come in. When they arrive, if we're lucky, we can mount them up, and send the car home to its owner. If not, out they go for shaving. Were we to work the resolution process, we'd have to wait for that process to transpire. In the intervening time, that car will be occupying valuable, limited shop space, NOT earning any revenue. We would lose WAY more money waiting, in just one day, than what the shaving costs. I'd settle for round tires.

 

When you buy a tire does a note come with it "shaving may be required" - I've never seen one, and if I did I wouldn't buy it - period.

 

Ran a set of 5.50 and 8.20 x 15 Firestones, I'd rather slam my dick in a car door before I would run another set!!!!, did some homework and now run the 5.50 US Royal front and 8.20 Lester rears, there is no comparison for me with ride and handelling. Everyone that I have spoken to that have stones on there car say they look kool but handle like shit!

 

My guess is that there process quality control is not very good since some customers have good tires and others don't. Its either poor process controls or dies that are marginally on the edge of wear. I spent 30 years + in automotive manufacturing quality and bet I could find their problems in a few days.

 

It seems to me, after reading through this thread, that most of the issues involve the 16" and larger Firestone bias tires.

I'm about to do my part and support an Alliance vendor and order up a set of 6.70 x 15's for Corky....anyone have these issues with the 15's?

 

I believe some sizes are better than others. I also believe there is more of a problem with a smaller Firestone in the 450 - 550 X 16 range and especially in the white wall. Like anything else some to their products I am sure some are better than others. Just a couple of things to consider. Coker doe's not pay for shipping. If you do have a bad tire you will pay postage both ways. I am out the cost of one tire because I assumed Coker's "proven customer service" would just replace it like they did the first time which they did not. It also cost me postage to have they old tire returned which is nothing more than an expensive wall hanger at this point. I have accrued charges for a replacement tire, four different shipping charges and the cost of having both front tires trued in order to be able to use them. One thing that really upsets me is the many different mounting and balancing that I have tried that has left my freshly powder coated wheels chipped from banging on different weight combinations. If after reading all of these posts and you are still determined to buy them check around for prices. I have found the same tires available through different vendors at lower prices and often with free shipping. You will still have to deal with Coker for your warranty issues directly. Maybe your experience with Coker's customer service will be better than mine. Good luck!!

 

I been looking and I can't find them any cheaper anywhere---seems like everywhere I have looked the price is the same. Shoot me a PM as to where they are cheaper ---wouldn't mind saving some $$$$

 

Some very serious allegation have surfaced as a result of this blog. I am quite frankly surprised at the lack of response from the Coker Tire Company. It is not nearly enough for their representative to say that IF you have a problem, give me a call. Coker, this is your bread and butter talking here. This is an international site dedicated to traditional hot rods and you are the largest retailer of traditional hot rod tires. While some of your faithful customers have stated that they have had success with your product, they are greatly overshadowed by the horror stories of others. Coker, you need no more than what they have already read to start immediately responding directly to customer's problems if for not other reason than damage control. And this is the place to start. Customer's problems have been stated in graphic detail. You have the ability to address them though this site. Best get busy. This is no time for the standard customer service bibble babble. The damage is done.

 

I have the same problem with my 5.60 X 15's, there's a flaw in the tread pattern. My buddies set has the exact same flaw which means it's in the mold. If you look at the center tread towards the top on the right in the first photo. You can see a wiggle in the tread pattern in the center only.
The second picture look in the same general spot but only on the left tire. It's on every 5.60 15 I've seen. Double click the picture if need be.