Hot Rods Anyone have any experience with Diamond back bias look radials?

I'm due for tires on my sorta hot rod/mild custom '48 coupe. Anyone tried the Diamondback Auburn Deluxe bias look radials? I'll be replacing BF Goodrich wide white radials that look like radials and it looks like the Diamondback tires will give me a look much more in line with the era of the car.. Thanks for any opinions on how these tires perform/ handle?

 

Someone posted them on their truck not long ago. I’ll see if I can find the thread

 

Thanks Tim. I did find a bunch of threads on both the Hamb and a classic Cadillac forum and a classic Thunderbird forum but no reports on how well they perform and wear. Lots of complaining on older threads (4 or 5 years) about how long it was taking Diamondback to get these tires on the market. I assume there must be a bunch of them on the road by this time.
Incidentally,beautiful black sedan there. The chrome wheels and blackwalls really work on that car. I'm a sucker for '46,47and 48 Fords. Wanted one since I was 12 and finally found the right one 6 years ago at age 61. Better late than never.

 

Yeah I guess they are still taking a while to end up on cars. The bread I read he had 500 miles and said they were great.

Seems they tend to have better reviews overall than the coker Firestone’s. I’m curious about them myself because they are a radial but actually look like a bias ply compared to the excelsior tires that have the bias ply proportions but not really the look

 

Oh and thanks on the 46

 

My only knowledge is I saw some and was curious as they are one of the better look alikes...

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Basically they have a whitewall vulcanized to a radial tire, nothing wrong with them but on occasion the white wall will split.

My pal Ken had two diamondbacks separate on the same weekend and he is anal about air pressure, they told him that's what caused the problem when he talked to them, he ended up buying a set of Coker wide white bias plys. HRP

 

Danny did diamondback warrantee them?
I agree that tear does look like too much pressure.

 

They did not, the tires are not on a rim and Ken said they were almost 2 years old with plenty of tread. HRP

 

The tires tore without being on a rim???

 

Ouch

 

No sir, they were mounted and we were on the All Deuce run when the whitewalls split, it tires were inflated to specs and I'm sure this doesn't effect the tire but it doesn't look too good.

The OP ask if anyone had used them and I felt to make a informed decision about purchasing them the good and the bad should be discussed, from that point the OP can decide what to do. HRP

 

It may be they split due to not enough pressure. Diamondback suggests 35 to 40 psi on many of the wide whites, especially the small ones on the front.

Phil

 

Again, Ken is about as anal as it gets when it comes to tire pressure, every time he fills up he checks the tires, not once a month or every 4 fill up, every single time.

I don't know what caused it but It's not the lack of air pressure.

BTW, the tires in question the white wall is vulcanized to Michelin radials, I have also heard of the same thing happening to Coker wide white radials but I haven't actually seen it, I'll stick with bias ply wide whites if I use white walls again. HRP

 

Specialty tires..... all seem to be "special"!

 

I remember your original thread about the side walls splitting.

The op was asking about the new Auburn Deluxe bias looking radials. Let's hope these new tires don't have the same problems.
-Dave

 

Diamondback sells a road hazard warranty that would more than likely cover any type of tire damage.

I've got full sets of Diamondbacks on the 29, the 32, the 49, the 51, and the 57. They have always been good people to deal with

 

Thanks for the comments gents. The DB bias look radials really do look good on that dodge coupe. At about a grand for a set of four I have to decide how lucky I feel as far as whitewalls cracking,discoloring,etc. What's killing me is the BFG Silvertowns that are on the car look to be in perfect shape but they're well past their freshness date. On the minus side,they obviously look like radials. I think the car looks really sweet with wide whites though. Here's a pic of the car in question(I hope this works). The blackwall pic is a quickie photoshop that my lovely wife did for me.

 

Aren't the new bias look radials a whole new tire? Not just a whitewall put on a modern radial.

I had a set of their WWW (modern) radial tires on my old Galaxie and was very happy with them.

 

I understand from DB catalog that Auburn is a new tire made from new molds. Not sure how WW is handled on Auburn.
Most other tires sold by DB are production tires available at other places. They then add the WW or other color sidewall.

Phil

 

Wouldn’t the problem be due to so much sidewall flex due to them being a “radial” and maybe a vulcanization issue? In other words, a faulty cosmetic problem? Seems wonky though

 

Although I am a little late to this thread I feel that I should clarify this issue. The splice seen in this photo is a splice that we haven't used in roughly 10 years. We developed a new splicing technique that is vastly superior to the one pictured. Open splice issues are virtually non existent now.

Thank you for your continued support of Diamond Back Classic Radials. We feel that we have the best quality vintage tire on the market and we work tirelessly to make sure that continues.

Tab Chapman

 

I put a set of DB Auburn's on a 55 Chevrolet this summer. They looked great on the car. I inflated them to the recommended pressure. I thought that the fronts looked low on pressure but I guess that is just the way radials usually look.
The car handled very well on twisty river road. Much better than the old bias ply tires.
View attachment 4468772

 

This is from the website.
Introducing the newest innovation in the vintage tire market- the Auburn Deluxe Radial. This tire features a timeless design that includes a “pie crust” edge, square tread shoulder, and a period correct tread pattern. The Auburn Deluxe Radial tire has all of the appearance of a bias ply, with the technology of a 21st century radial. The skeleton of this tire boasts a full radial construction, with characteristics and performance of today’s latest technology. These are brand new radial molds, not a reproduction of an outdated tire. Designed for 40’s, 50’s, and early 60’s vehicles, these tires also have the appropriate nomenclature on the sidewall. Ranging in sizes 5.60-15 all the way to 7.50-16, the Auburn Deluxe Radial brings the classic looking bias ply tire into the modern age. Call us for a set today!

 

A friend in Sacramento has a set on his 34 pickup that he was showing me, this was just a couple weeks ago. I had never heard of them. He uses it as his daily driver and has put over 12,000 miles on them with no complaints. The pickup has an "upgraded running gear and suspension". So he's hit the freeway at 80 mph and has no problems.
I have the Excelsior Stahls on my 34. They sure beat the heck out of the bias ply that I had on it before.

 

Bringing this back up to the top.... I'm hoping more HAMBers have given these new Auburn Deluxe Radials a try. Now that Diamondback has the full range of sizes available I'm considering a set for my '35. Hopefully we'll hear more about folks' experience with these new tires.

 

A set of black walls Diamondbacks for a '34 Dodge and a extra set of wide whites for the rear of the '41

 

@4speed411, give us some photos when they are on your rod. Also, your first driving impressions. Thanks.

Phil

 

Here is a set on mine. Love them. They handle great and look the part for me.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

^^^ What are the sizes?
-Dave