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Technical Good, Bad, Ugly of Coker 285-70-R15 Tires

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by old.hot.rodder, Jul 15, 2020.

  1. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    Thinking of a new set but am leery of his quality. Anyone using these? Thanks
     
  2. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,263

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

  3. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    I don't think they are any better or worse than other places. I do think they'll fix any problems. Took them 6 hub caps to get 4 to fit right for me. I loved it when one of them passed me on the right at about 35 mph. No worries.
     
  4. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,212

    Elcohaulic


  5. FrankenRodz
    Joined: Dec 20, 2007
    Posts: 892

    FrankenRodz
    Member

    No matter what I tried, couldn't get the Blue off the Whitewall. Never had that issue with Diamondback.
     
    dirty old man and AHotRod like this.
  6. Never had a problem with Coker and I have had several sets of their tires.
     
  7. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    At our Hot Rod and Muscle car shop, We order Diamondback Tires for all of our customers cars that want a vintage look. They have a nice selection.
     
    dirty old man likes this.
  8. These aren't vintage, they are the modern BFG light truck tires
     
    1934coupe likes this.
  9. Yes sir, radials. HRP
     
  10. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    He asked for radials ...........
     
  11. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    My Bad, I guess I should have done a search first
    Yes, Radials. The 285-70-R15 Radial TA's I have now are discontinued. Coker is the only guy in town that makes them. That is why I asked if anyone was using he repo tires this size. My tires are dated 1991 and I think it is time! Even though the tires are only half worn and in "flawless condition". Thanks
     
    dirty old man likes this.
  12. Look at the 15" tire thread from the other day. It seems Cooper makes a nice tire in these bigger sizes.
     
    Chavezk21 likes this.
  13. DRD57
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 4,165

    DRD57
    Member

    I have a set on my black 32. No complaints.
     
  14. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    I heard they is gouges on one side of the tire? Yes? No? Thanks
     
  15. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Never had troubles with Coker radials or their Firestones bias plys. Top notch. Only the Coker Classic bias plys seemed to be not exactly round , at least the 560-15s I bought were bounding all over. I just shaved them round and they were perfectly fine after that.
     
  16. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    Yes, It is good to know there is an alternative. I might use it. Trying to keep the same tread profile, if I can feel secure with the Coker tires. Thanks
     
  17. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    I've read too many complaints about Coker products to even consider them. BFG's and Cragars on my 60 Pontiac.
     
  18. Wrench97
    Joined: Jan 29, 2020
    Posts: 679

    Wrench97

  19. Goodrich no longer makes that size. He's down to two sources for that size...

    This problem is only going to get worse. As more and more of 'our' sizes drop out of mainstream use and/or sales volume drops too low, we will become even more dependent on 'specialty' suppliers. And as anybody who has ever bought repo parts can tell you, quality almost always suffers by some amount.
     
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  20. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    The difference is my BFG's have no problems to complain about.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2020
    Hnstray likes this.
  21. earlymopar
    Joined: Feb 26, 2007
    Posts: 1,608

    earlymopar
    Member

    I’m running the Coker Silvertown radials in that size and really like them. Last year I decided out of curiosity to see what other tires in roughly the same size might be available. This was without comparisons to quality, style and cost but focused mainly on diameter. I was a bit surprised at the results OF my search.


    - EM



    - General Grabber: HTS60 Model, 10.50-15

    - Master Craft Courser LTR, 31-10.50-15

    - Coker-Firestone Dirt Track, 11.00-15

    - Michelin Defender LTX, 10.50-15

    - Cooper Starfire SF-510 LT, 10.50-15

    - Uniroyal Laredo Cross Country, 10.50-15

    - Uniroyal Laredo AWT II, 10.50-15
     
  22. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    I guess some people are ok with the Coker. Some are not. I will probably have go with them and roll the dice. My other choice of tires the same size is the tires from South Africa (Galaxy R1) with a much more modern tire pattern. A lot of the truck sizes such as 31" are smaller, as the 285 are 31.75" 3/4" is a little more help for my rake. I guess the real bummer of this whole thing is the Coker tire this size is made in the USA!!! Thanks
     
  23. metlmunchr
    Joined: Jan 16, 2010
    Posts: 861

    metlmunchr
    Member

    Coker doesn't make these tires. They're made by the BFG division of Michelin same as they were when they were available from any BFG dealer. The same is true for any of the Michelin or BFG tires Coker sells. They're the real thing and not reproductions. The difference is that they're manufactured for and sold to Coker exclusively.

    Once the popularity of a particular tire model and dimension drops to a certain level, it's no longer viable for the mfgr to continue to produce it for widespread retail distribution. They have to make estimates of projected sales in order to determine production quantities, and this is done well in advance of the actual production. If the volume on a particular tire is dropping then you have to estimate both how fast it may continue to drop and how many you might sell. Gets much more difficult to come up with good numbers.

    Say you estimate sales of 12,000 tires and only sell 10,000 before that production lot ages in the warehouse to the point where the remaining 2,000 are scrapped. You just scrapped all the profit on all 12,000 tires. Not a good way to stay in business.

    Now a guy like Corky Coker comes along and says he'll buy 8,000 of those 285/70s. You (Michelin) still have the molds so there's no big capital investment required. You can get a premium price for the tires since you control the rights to produce them. There's no sales projection guesswork involved. Make 8,000 tires and ship 'em. Done. Selling them becomes Corky's problem, and with his knowledge of his market, he'll get 'em sold.

    Good deal for Michelin as they don't have to warehouse them or track production dates or handle them several times before they're ultimately shipped out to a distributor or dealer. And a good deal for Coker too, as they are the sole source for a tire that retains a level of desireability in the specialty market.

    FWIW, if you look at the 285 T/A and the 285 Silvertown in the Coker catalog, the tread pattern is identical. Chances are, the two tires are identical in construction with exception of the whitewall and the sidewall mold sections. The Silvertown is more expensive because adding a whitewall adds more complications to the carcass construction as well as increasing the likelihood of scrap due to cosmetic issues with the whitewall that don't exist with a blackwall.

    My knowledge of how the tire making business works comes from working for Michelin for 10 years, and I verified in a conversation a few months ago with an engineer who recently retired from the company that they do actually make the Michelin and BFG tires that Coker sells.
     
    clunker, Hnstray, 1934coupe and 2 others like this.
  24. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    Probably sucks when you get tire #’s 7997, 7998, 7999, 8000 and they have 2 months left before the expiration date!
     
  25. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    Thanks for the information and your time. This is exactly what I wanted to know. I guess I will order a set today.
     
  26. old.hot.rodder
    Joined: Oct 13, 2012
    Posts: 287

    old.hot.rodder
    Member

    I ordered a set today from speedway. They are the same price from anyone (fair trade item). Because of the size Some others charge a oversize fee even though they say free shipping. I have had good luck with speedway in the past with returns. Everyone is good until you have a problem. We will see how this set looks. Thanks for the help
     
    dirty old man likes this.

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