Technical Coker American Classic vs. Diamondback tires

diamondbacks-have used several sets--no issues-latest on a 39 woody

 

I question the owner of the old tire shop and his dislike for Coker. I sent Jesse Hoodenpile a picture of my 1950 Mercury Sport Sedan with Firestone Deluxe Champions on it and mentioned to him they were made in New Zealand. He roared out laughing and said "they haven't been made in New Zealand since the 80's!" He then laughed again and said "obviously you know how to take care of tires! " Well I put them on when I purchased the car and that was during the early 80's This was after I contacted him on being able to purchase an additional or two 8.20x15 for my 56 Continental Mark II that were discontinued forcing me to use the 1955 and older with different Pie Crust design! Sorry for the off topic of not being Diamond Back but I refuse to use radials on my Continental because I don't want to throw full sized wheel covers which seems to be a problem using radials on the older rims.

 

I have B. F. Goodrich, wide sites, on my '46 Wagon, great tires. Stay away from Coker. The next time my daughter in law is over she can show me how to post the pictures of a set of Coker's. Absolute junk!

 

What is the main failure? Tread separation? Sidewall cracking? Complaints of sidewalls cracking was common on the Coker Firestone Deluxe Champions but it was surprising of how many figured you run Bios Ply at lower pressure. I have run my 7.10&8.20x15 at 32-34 for years and on my Continental Mark II weighing in at 5400 I most certainly run it at 34. There was a printing error in the owners manual indicating mid+ 20's for pressure and logic would dictate this is quite simply wrong!

 

At about 12 thousand, all 4 tires showed very heavy wear on both the in and outside of the tread. Almost like a severe under inflation issue. I kept the psi at the Coker recommended 35 psi. When I noticed the wear pattern, I bumped it up to 40 and then 45 and my car felt like the tires were made of steel. The next thing I noticed was a tennis ball blister on one of the whitewalls. I took pictures of all 4 tires and showed the Coker people at Hershey. They basically told me "tough s*%t". To make matters worse, I was told by a Coker rep, that Coker tires are not for drivers, only show cars. This was confirmed and posted by several other people that had the same issue. Not a good way to keep customers happy, never again. The B. F. Goodrich tires I have on the car now show zero wear at well over 20K miles.

 

I spoke to a Coker guy @ Iola about my American Classics & the fact that they ride like 10 ply truck tires. They suggested their Silvertown Radials. They are supposed to be a better tire & they are speed rated.
Should I try 'em?

 

brand new 165/15 coker classics with 2.25 whitewall sent them back after about 50 miles. white walls have indented troughs all around the circumference and couldnt get steering wheel shake at 60mph to stop. they will give me credit and I will pay the price difference for american classics or BFG , my choice.

 

I have diamond back BFGs

 

I have Diamondback tires on 3 cars and no problems at all. I also have Coker on 1 car and nothing but problems. Tread started separating from casing. Whitewalls would not stay white, They replaced them and the new ones would not balance. They replaced two of these with American classics which had terrible whitewalls, Real rough, would not stay clean. No more coker for me!

 

I know this is an old thread but I’ve ran Coker’s on all my stuff for going on 20 years now. About 9 sets I think, all Coker classic bias plies except 1 set of Firestone’s that were on my Model A coupe. I have them balanced and run balancing beads in them. For the most part they aren’t too bad. I abuse them pretty hard at times and I drive a lot of miles on them. I’ve never had the severe balance or separation issues I hear about. I run them at lower pressures ( about 26 - 28 fronts and 22-24 rear) sometimes I try different pressures but I seem to come back to these pressures. I don’t know maybe I’ve just been lucky. Can someone answer this though? Aren’t the Diamondback tires (wide white bias plies) all recaps? And the Cokers are manufactured as white wall tires? Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s been my understanding all along?

 

sent 2 sets of Cokers back because of defects. Switched to Diamondbacks. Will not return to Coker

 

The Diamondbacks that I have are tire brands that you could get at Tire Rack. Diamondback then adds the whitewall.
They are definitely NOT recaps.
Phil

 

Coker = Round as a brick.

 

I ordered new tires from Coker and when they arrived the manufacture date was two years previous. If five years is a rule of thumb for reliability,then I should have be reimbursed 2/5's of my purchase price. I'm going to try Diamond Back next go around.

 

That makes more sense. Someone had told me they make them from regular brand name tires. I must have mistook them for meaning recaps. Like the Hurst slicks and Towel City tires or may have confused the two. So who makes a bias ply car tire now? I run L78’s and 560’s

 

Diamond back will shave off all the sidewall print for a few bucks.