[longboard]

I posted on a thread in another forum that didn't deal with tires so I repost here for some input.
posted June 10, 2004 11:45 AM
Are you guys sure about the quality of Coker tires? I'm looking for red lines and through DB I have to pay an extra $21/tire for shipping and wait 3 weeks.

[scrumpy]

I admit I have to agree with Ron on the radiating line. Why the heck do they have to have it anyway. Still like them but they could do without it. From what I have seen the larger sized tires seem to emphazise the radiating lines more as well so do beware if this is important to you. Being in Canada the lower price was a consideration for me. We have a Coker dealer here in B.C. which helps in case anything does go wrong so that was the deciding factor. The purchase (which was already expensive enough with exchange rate, shipping etc.) would have been really high with a DB redline purchase which I did check into and then no local dealer to back up the product.

[ron cozzo]

Thanks for checking. I do appreciate the effort you took. But, why don't all whitewalls on the market have these marks. Looks like a cheap solution to your tooling/venting problem. If they can be buffed out, you should start buffing them.

[ctgross]

Not to take issue against Coker, never owned any, but friends have told me they did not like them. Here is a pic I just took of my 66 with DB's, two years old last week, about 1,000 miles since installed. Absolutely NO complaints!

[scrumpy]

I'm going to help Patrick out here as well. I recently purchased P205/75R14 Coker redline radials for my Firebird. I did about a 100 miles there and back to a car show today with a great ride. No complaints here. Also talked with a 68 GTO owner with the radials and no complaints from him either and Mustang owner as well with the double redlines bought as a wheel/tire package. Time will tell how they wear but my immediate indications on looks and feel are positive. Thank you also to Patrick for great service in getting things going for me. That's my 2 cents in the bucket

[ron cozzo]

If you want Bias-Plys for the totally original look, go with Cokers. But please, don't buy Coker radial redlines unless you have seen them and Diamondbacks in person. Coker radial redlines have parting lines running radially all around the sidewall. Look nasty. Redlines are for looks, right. Check out the Diamondbacks. Beautiful tire. I and several club members have had our Diamondbacks for years now and love them. Every person I have talked to that has Diamondbacks loves them, not like, love. Regarding the agressive tread pattern. Yes, the tires I have are made from Dayton Daytona SR's, and they have a very nice, blocky, agressive tread pattern. If thats not your taste, Diamondback also now makes them from a Firestone tire, which look like a normal passenger car radial. In fact, Diamondback can make them from just about any tire you supply. To summarize, please, don't buy Cokers unless you have seen them in person. I'm glad I didn't, I would have been sorry. Sorry, Coker, I appreciate all you've done for the hobby, and you have many fine products, but, them tires is ugly.

[patrickm]

The whitewalls are a different mold, and if they had any lines, they'd come off when the black rubber is buffed off anyway. Just an FYI, the white rubber is laid under the black rubber as it is molded, but I'm sure most everybody here knew that. Thanks again guys for letting me be part of your forum.

[patrickm]

Hello guys. We're not having any quality issues with our tires. As I mentioned in a previous post - we have the best warranty in the industry, and our tires are made in a Michelin licensed facility. True, we do not offer anything as aggressive as a 65 or 70 series redline, but we still offer a good product. Should you have any questions or concerns, you can always contact me at 1-800-251-6336 ext 254, or patrickm@coker.com

[70machone]

I am confused. If radial lines are caused by vents in the molds and should be the mark of a well-produced tire, why don't all modern radials that are "well produced" have them?

When Patrick refers to redlines that are vulcanized onto a modern steel belted radial as being glued on or retread style tire, either he isn't familiar with vulcanization, the process used in the manufacture of new tires or he isn't familiar with the process used by Diamondback to make their redlines.

Diamondback Classics is very open and factual about how their redlines are made and who and where they are made. Their customers are allowed to tour their factory in Conway, SC and watch redlines being vulcanized on to the modern steel belted radial.

Remember, the comments about a well made tire comes from the same people who state in their catalog on page 5, "The amount of weight required to balance a tire and wheel assembly seldom is an indicator of tire quality."

If Patrick has concerns about the quality of Diamondback Classics' tires he should talk with Corky Coker. Corky has purchased 17" Diamondback whitewalls for Jay Leno to run on his 572 Buick Roadmaster.

Patrick, just for the record, according to the DOT numbers of BFG Silvertown radials, where are they made and by whom? Be specific, no more vague comments like "made in a Michelin licensed factory."

[tommie69]

I have the coker redline radial on my 66 gto,and i'm not happy at all with the "performance".The day I put them on the car they where bad luck!Not even 15 miles and a nice gash on the inside side wall??Thats when I was able to see that the side wall is as thin as a bicycle tire.No Joke!Ok i say bad luck $188 later and a tire in the garbage pail .I can't get rid of the VIBRATION.Made in Mexico says it all.I'm now looking into Diamond backs.At shows and hangs outs I tell people who ask,Stay away from the Cokers!Sorry Pat nothing personal.The ride ? the car rides like a boat!the side walls are just well,there is no support!Forget about the looks,at this point I never got to that point.I spent close to $1000 for 5 tires that are garbage!I didn't do my homework on that one,shame on me.

[GTOJOE228]

Althougth these tires have performed OK I have to say the give the car a very hard ride. Anbody experience this? My tires are Dayton and they are for mud and snow...

I wasn't aware of the MS coding. Could that be the reason for the harsh ride?

Joe

[patrickm]

Sure thing guys, I just sent an inquiry to our manufacturer about it to find out why they're there and if we can eliminate them. There may be a reason for them, I just don't know what it is. As soon as I hear back from them, I'll post their comments here. These may be the number one complaint, but if we don't know about it - we can't fix it. My door is always open to you guys if you have any comments or complaints about our products.

[patrickm]

Okay guys, just heard back from our manufacturer this morning. It would seem that those lines represent a vent in the mold. This vent allows for the tire to be removed from the mold easier, and helps make sure the redline isn't damaged when it is removed. These are something that can be buffed off if you don't like them. They are different than a glued on or retreaded style tire so that vent has to be there for the redline to cure and be removed from the mold without any damage. These vents have been there since the design of the tire, and as far as removing them goes - it would be easier to develop a completely new tire than to change that mold. Again, this isn't a quality issue guys - if anything it should be the mark of a well produced true redline tire, and not a tire that has had a redline glued or cured on. As usual, if you guys have any questions or comments you can always call me directly at 1-800-251-6336 ext 254, or e-mail me to patrickm@coker.com

[scrumpy]

Patrick - The radiating lines are a pretty well documented dislike and I went with the tires knowing this having read about it and seeing them before the purchase (with some anxiety I admit). As I said before, they perform their function - no question there. The ctgross example above is what the tires really should look like... extra lines, leave them in Mexico. We're all picky about the look of our cars and when you get people on this forum saying they look bad it doesn't make you (me) feel that great having purchased them. When you dish out a thousand dollars Canadian for tires the last thing you want to talk about at a car show is those ugly radiating lines! So if Coker comes out with a revised radial tire w/o lines send me a set and I'll let you know what I think

[patrickm]

Wow guys, I didn't know that the lines in the tire were a quality issue. They certainly don't affect the ride or performance of the tire. However, since this is the first complaint I've heard on it, I will send this post to our development team and see if I can get an answer as to why they are there, and what can be done about them.

[68MeanVerdoroGreen]

Just installed my diamonbacks today. The company quoted me two weeks to deliver and received in one. These look great on my 68!

[70machone]

For those Canadian goat lovers, Diamond Back Classics does have a Canadian distributor. Their name is Classic Tire Mart, 8 Ideal Point Rd, Bobcaygeon, ON KOM 1AO. His name is Ken Simkins.

I have had Diamond Backs for years and would had to see anyone put Mexican tires on their classic american muscle car. I do not like reproduction tires that take more than 12 oz. of weight, the tread will not come off or separate at the cord. I am not even going to pick on the radiating lines, that's too easy. It comes down to a pure quality issue for me. I have see too many problems with Cokers on friends' cars. Also, I would like someone to give me the DOT code on their Coker redlines so I can see where they are are made. Coker misrepresented their BFG Silvertowns as being made by BFG in a BFG plant, however, my research proved that they are made by Tornel, a bicycle and scooter tire manufacture in Mexico. What does a Michelin liscensed plant mean? Brazil? Korean?

If you read Cokers catalog and consciously put them on your car after reading all of the fine print and disclaimers, you are a bigger man than I'll ever be. Try Diamond Backs, you won't be sorry.

[jarhead]

I've been running bias ply Cokers on my 64 for 4 years with no problems. Ride is good on a good road surface. Bias ply tend to understeer on turns but thats inherent to bias ply construction.

[mwritter]

I have had Cokers on two cars before, but you should check out Diamond Back Classics: http://www.dbtires.com/

I have them on my '65 GTO and they are pretty sweet. Awesome selection of sizes, too. They even have 16s, 17s, 18s, and 20s. I went with 215/65/15s and they are just right for me, nice width and profile. My only complaint is that the tread is a little too agressive for my taste, but overall they are beautiful.

[longboard]

I posted on a thread in another forum that didn't deal with tires so I repost here for some input.
posted June 10, 2004 11:45 AM
Are you guys sure about the quality of Coker tires? I'm looking for red lines and through DB I have to pay an extra $21/tire for shipping and wait 3 weeks.