White Wall Radial Owners and DB Classic Owners PLEASE HELP

Well I got the final set of my DB AS4 the other day and the shop put them on. I went over to the shop just now and see serious issues with the sidewall of these tires.

1: You can see the seam in the white rubber it looks terrible (See pic)

2. There are bulges in the sidewall that almost resemble a tire that is a BLEM or has belt shifting.

I removed a perfect I mean flawless set of their DB1 tires but the WW Width was wrong. I wonder if these AS4 tires just dont like their vulcanization process.

the tires havent even touched the ground yet.

Im freaking pissed off bigtime for the wait and all the labor to keep switching these out.

Before I give them hell Monday I want to see what you guys can comment on before they blame my installer for this which I cant see how its even possible. I also am going to ask them to refund me some money for the labor because i cant keep taking it in the rear money wise here.

 

Ripples like that are extremely common in tires with that much sidewall. Extremely. It's a product of how the layers overlap as the carcass is built up and not broken belts. Broken belts don't look like that.

The rest of it, I dunno. They're tires man. Tires aren't perfect when you look close. Right now it's not sounding like you have reasonable expectations, but pictures sometimes don't convey, and initial posts often involve some venting.

good luck

 

Looks pretty normal from here. There radials, right?

 

The ripples are normal and will settle out as they wear in. As for the seam for the whitewall, don't they all look like that?

 

Are you building a 300k show car that will never see the street and get judged down to the every little detail? Or, will this car get driven on the street as a nicely finished custom? I personally think that they look fine as far as driver tires go. I doubt anyone will notice the layer or the "bulges," which will disappear as the tire breaks in. If you are going towards a 300k show car, maybe you should have a flawless one off set of tires made.

I would not worry about it!

 

Issue was i had the DB DB1 tires mounted and the car was on the ground for weeks. Their DB1 were flawless and didnt have these issues.

I know they are tires but the line through the whitewall is visible from 10 feet away in the daylight.

I did spend a decent amount on these tires and expected them to have no flaws likethe others i got. The 12 year old Rethread Radials I removed didnt even have these issues.
3 of the 4 tires have them .

I guess the guy running the process that day could have something to do with it. I had tire #1 first to see if I liked the new size then tire 2,3 and 4 arrived the other day so its def a different batch.

I think the DB1 and AS4 has differences in sidewall construction.

I am sorry my 12 year old tires were replaced but they had bad dry rotting from sitting 12 years causing air loss but they still looked good.

 

Not a 300k car and I will drive it but I already spent $1380 on these darn tires between shipping the wrong ones back, then they sent the wrong size white walls, then the labor back and forth for the shop. Its just adding up for no reason. Im just frustrated here. I was so stoked when I got their first set because they looked so good now I am dissapointed. its like getting less than you expected. I know they will take care of it but now i am delayed more time to get my car on the road to fix and adjust the driveline problems and once again hear my nagging wife bitch and moan.

 

the dimples are common in most radial tires. as for the seem in the white wall that sucks. I don't care for that. maybe get all your dough back and buy from coker.

 

THE SEAM IS WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST THE DIMPLES YOU WONT NOTICE.

the seam is not even flush its like a grove worn into the white about 1/32 at an angle its very noticable.

 

I had the white wall seams split on all of mine. Apparently it isn't structural, but it is a jagged zig zag opening in the white wall. I was told I didn't run enough pressure, and that caused the split. The tires were replaced, but even with careful attention to pressure, the new ones did the same.

 

DK23 yours were DB as well? How long did yours take to split apart?

The shop just called me and said even on one tire at the seam there is a 3/4 black line visible now as if the rubber was cut a touch short.

these got to go back. if they were used tires off the internet i wouldnt expect much but look at the money spent so far.

DK23 what version tire did you have problems with?

 

If you can see the seam at 10 feet or there is a visible black line from any distance, I back you 100% in saying they should make it right or take them back. I know exactly what you mean about expecting a product that it at least halfway descent for your hard earned money. Didn't mean to come across as to harsh on my last post, just trying to figure out where you were on the project

I think I would wait until monday morning and plead my case with DB. I am sure that they will make it right! But it does suck having to wait that much longer to be on the road, sounds like you are so close!

 

How did they balance and drive at differant speeds? I would be concerned about that, the ripples should not be there.

 

Balanced ok from what they told me most weight one took was 1.75 oz.

I havent driven on them yet my steering wheel is still MIA. For now Im just WAITING and PAYING like a Jerk.

Yeah I am so close and these hold ups are getting on my nerves. Then when my old lady and I argue she blames my mood on my cars over and over again until i run out of the house.

 

This is correct, the ripple shown in the black wall is where the layers overlap, that is the strongest part of the sidewall.

 

Nope, they don't. No seam what so ever in my Cokers.

 

The folks from Diamond Back seem to be pretty cool. I would suggest some diplomacy when you call. Im sure they will take care of your issue.

 

At first I thought you were being anal as I have read some of your other posts on other subjects BUT the more I think about it and look at the pic's I wouldn't be happy either. Sometimes I think vendors sent their worst parts the farthest away hoping the customer will 'give up". I don't know who DB is but I would send them back, ask for all my funds back and hope to get it. I have a set of BF Goodrich WWW on my '36 coupe, first thing I noticed was the ripples, still bugs me. No seem in WW........... JMO

OK, now I know who DB is, still feel your pain!

 

My white walls split on the one and only set I'll buy. Got the runaround from 'em when I wanted to get them replaced. Coker's the way to go! Always accomodating and never had a problem after at least 6 sets of tires.

 

Damn, that's pricey for a set of tires. With that much money spent and time and effort put in, I'd want them to be perfect too.

This kind of stuff is why I like to make my own WWW's. They may not look perfect either, but so much cheaper, and I trust a standard tire more than a custom made one with visible blems in it.

After spending close to $1400 I would want to be 100% confident in my tires holding up over a long trip. With these I'd be a bit nervous.

 

Thanks for the support guys. Yes I am anal but something like this isnt even over the top anyone of us would feel the same.

if they were for FREE I would jump up and down with a SMILE. If they were for $300 no problem but now my tire bill is creeping higher and higher as i desperatly try and get this car read to cruise.

I may bit the bullet and get Cokers and deal with the small White Wall and I am confident DB will take these back or make me happy no matter what they are a bunch of great people down there.

 

hope they fix it for you-nothing more annoying than being so close but unable to drive.

 

its very common on black wall radial tires. its call side wall unjulation. its where the differnt lays of tire over lap. its th strongest part of the tire. it looks like shit tho to me. If your not happy with the quailty. (i would not be) id give Kelsey Tire in Camdenton, Missouri a call. Great guy he sells Goodyear Super Cushions. they have the diamond wall just like in the 50's great tires and reasonable on price i forget what i paid for mine.

http://www.kelseytire.com/home.html

75 Series
P205/75-R14 2 3/4" 5.73" 8.20" 26.15" 82.15 771
P205/75-R15 2 3/4" 5.73" 8.20" 27.15" 85.29 743
P215/75-R15 3" 6.15" 8.74" 27.70" 87.02 728
P225/75-R15 3" 6.31" 9.01" 28.35" 89.06 712
P235/75-R15 3 1/4" 6.65" 9.56" 28.95" 90.91 697
70 Series
P215/70-R14 2 3/4" 6.40" 8.80" 25.90" 81.37 779
P215/70-R15 2 3/4" 6.40" 8.80" 26.90" 84.51 750

Price
75 Series 70 Series
P205/75-R14 - $190.00 P215/70-R14 -$205.00
P205/75-R15 - $195.00 P215/70-R15 -$205.00
P215/75-R15 - $200.00
P225/75-R15 - $210.00
P235/75-R15 - $215.00

 

Funny thing tires sidewalls look like I already hit nice New York potholes and they havent even touched the asphalt. YIKES. That is the only time I saw a sidewall look like this was from some sort of road hazzard.

 

Maybe I'm confused, we've established that the ripples are common and will settle out as the tires are driven on. Is your complaint how the whitewall is raised off the sidewall like is shown in pic #4 or am I missing something else?

 

it wont come out its permanent it wont come out. its where the layers over lap each other ...

 

Nobody has proved to me that "time & travel" will cure the ripples. We had new carpet installed 8 years ago, the guy said the "seem" will go away and get better with time, it didn't and sorry to late now. I just picked up 2 seats a guy had for 5 months to upholster, they are wrinkly and pukered, he said put them out in the sun and they will magically go away. I may not be able to spell but no amount of sun is going to fix these seats. Point is nothing fixes itself, it just gets worse and with a safty item why take chances........... JMO

 

the ripples are there to stay, they are a part of the manufacturing process when the tire was built. not a flaw. but that whitewall sucks, it shouldn't be like that. i've dealt with many set of DB whitewalls, and that is the first one i've ever seen with a whitewall like that. Db should replace them in IMHO, but do it quick before the turn brown.

 

The seam is the only part that would concern me but if that's how DB tires are produced and it's apparent in the sales material, you're on the hook.

For reference, my 3'' wide whites from Coker have no seams at all.