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Location: Yorba Linda, Ca | I just ordered a set of Diamond Back white walls for the 59.
Seems like Neil is a big fan of them????
I really was never happy with the Cokers and even had to install smaller tires
as they could not balance the larger tires and what really ticked me off was
that Coker would not take the tires back, so the expense was totally on me!
Even with the new smaller tires, it took a tremendous amount of weight to balance
the tires, which, (To me), is not a sign of a well made tire.
Even after balancing, the car never rode like a baby buggy, like it did
with the "El Cheapo tires" the seller had put on it and they were even
several different brands too!
It will take about a month to get them, and we got the larger tires, as the Cokers
are too small and look a bit "Skimpy" to me.
We will let you all know how they work out after they are installed.
Gary |
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Expert
Posts: 2255
 
Location: Netherlands | I've got Diamond Back's under my '57.
I mounted these a few years ago myself on the wheels, but I've never yet took time to have them balanced.
They could use a balance job, just like any other new tire ofcourse, but it's not really 'needed' for under 60-70mph driving.
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3566
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | ,,,,,, nice profile! |
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Location: Nawth Kerolinuh | I've got a set of Diamondbacks on wire wheels, and they have been perfect. Seem to run fine at any speed, they wear well and balanced out OK. A lot of local driving and we drove it from NC to Carlisle years ago. I had the wheels trued up and that helped quite a bit. Also had a long conversation with the folks on the phone at Diamondback (can't recall the name, its been a long time) -- he was very helpful in making sure I got the right size and whitewall width before ordering.
And yes, I've got to complement the killer look of that 57 too. Very nice. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Signal Mountain, TN | I have a few weeks on my Diamondbacks now, and am absolutely pleased with them.... They told me it would be about 3 weeks, but I was willing to wait. They actually showed up in under 2 weeks.... and FYI I live about 15 minutes from the Coker Tire showroom. I followed the advice of others on this forum, and am glad I did. 
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Veteran
Posts: 170
Location: The Great Northwest | Diamond Back has made tires for my cars for about twenty years and they are great. I would never buy another set of Cokers......................... |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Oh, and I should have mentioned too that I was in a hurry to get the tires on before the wedding, and since we are a BMW shop, all we had was aluminum wheel weights. I still haven't balanced them, but having been up over 50mph since I installed them, I honestly can say you wouldn't notice.
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Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | I've had my Diamondback Furys P235-75R15 on for 2 years now and totally happy with them. Good at all speeds, have put abut 7000 miles on them.
What size did you get for the 59?
Edited by imopar380 2012-06-20 5:26 PM
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Location: northern germany | the db sales people suck but the tires are great. never had any problems with them. bought a full set of wwws in 2004. not much wheel weights needed. had the 61 desoto up to 133mph. after years no yellowing or ww separation. great tires.
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Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | I had one set of Coker Classics that took 20 ounces.... OVER A POUND of lead to balance one of them. The last set of tires I bought were Diamond Backs.... so far, very happy with them.
George
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | Gary, et al, the particular Diamondback radials that I love happen to be the Euro-rated 'trailer' tires, made by
"Federal", in Taiwan (didn't know that, when I bought them; I thought they were going to have been USA-made,
but, regardless---those puppies are GREAT, and handle like racing tires).
Check the inner black wall areas for the type/size of your tires, when they arrive.
My tire shop told me that those tires were/are round, and very easy to balance; the weights are all
installed and concealed inboard on the rims; no unsightly weights are visible.
Back-then (2004?), I had no problemos with the sales people, and, with Horrie's 2.76 rear gear, his 130
MPH speedo has been pegged, earlier this year, with the DB's.
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-21 1:05 AM
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3566
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | Wish DB would start making those tall, high load, "Federal/Vedeistrian" (I can't spell igt right) 14" tires again!
Largest 14" thay offer now, just doesn't have the height, or load rating for these FwdLk vehicles |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Pau, S-W France | alumcanTandThd - 2012-06-21 2:08 PM
Largest 14" thay offer now, just doesn't have the height, or load rating for these FwdLk vehicles
Right ! I can't buy a set of 235/75R14 (but i can buy this size at Coker)
Edited by Phil_the_frenchie 2012-06-21 10:14 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 594
| Diamond Back doesn't make tires. They just vulcanize the WW on to major brand tires. So, the positive comments here should read more like: I like my Coopers, my Michelins, etc. DB can also make your WW the correct width per your request. Some of the Cokers have WW that are just a bit too wide, a pet peeve of mine!
It's nearly impossible to source a WWW radial tire with the correct ride height for FL cars; some of the highly recommended tires above are NLA from Coker or DB.
It's easy to get a CORRECT set of bias-plys however. And, if you are willing to go to 15 inch wheels, your radial tire search just got easier too.
Sparky
Edited by sparky7 2012-06-21 11:06 AM
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Wise Old Village Idiot
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Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | sparky7 - 2012-06-20 11:04 PM
Diamond Back doesn't make tires. They just vulcanize the WW on to major brand tires. So, the positive comments here should read more like: I like my Coopers, my Michelins, etc. DB can also make your WW the correct width per your request. Some of the Cokers have WW that are just a bit too wide, a pet peeve of mine!
It's nearly impossible to source a WWW radial tire with the correct ride height for FL cars; some of the highly recommended tires above are NLA from Coker or DB.
It's easy to get a CORRECT set of bias-plys however. And, if you are willing to go to 15 inch wheels, your radial tire search just got easier too.
Sparky
Coker's 3rd world made, radial WW's, are GUARANTEED to; seperate, be out of round, take a pound or two of weights to balance, waller like an over loaded wheelbarrow, have the tread depth requirments that of re-caps,,,,,,,,,. Plus, WW's too wide! LOL. ALL for twice what one would pay for the equlivant tire at a tire store!
Now, Coker's biased BFG's or other biased tires, are 'king-o-the-hill'
Yes, 15" seems to be 'way out'. But when one has a nice set of OM 14" spinner caps,,,,,,,,, or, some 14" 'special' cap, the 15" tires now are MORE than TWICE the cost! |
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | The Federal/Vedestrian (spelling?) brand Euro-rated trailer tires ARE 100% correct riding/rolling height, at least, as confirmed
by my car's odometer (back when it still had the OEM 3.36 : 1 rear gear...).
The odo-error went to basically ZERO--mind boggling--with those tires and that OEM ratio.
Those tires are still available, somewhere in the world; I found them for sale in Australia a couple years ago.
It would be very expensive to buy these tires and then to have them be drop-shipped to Diamondback, for the WWW
vulcanization, but, ultimately, the person doing this deal would be very happy with the outcome of the effort, and its
considerable cost.
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Location: Netherlands | It''s 'Vredestein'. |
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Location: bishop, ca | Gesundheit.
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Location: Chesterfield, Virginia | I've had set of DB's on our 59 Firesweep for four years with no problem with them .My tires are made in the U.S Coopers,215/75/14. |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3566
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | d500neil - 2012-06-21 9:12 AM
The Federal/Vedestrian (spelling?) brand Euro-rated trailer tires ARE 100% correct riding/rolling height,
It would be very expensive to buy these tires and then to have them be drop-shipped to Diamondback, for the WWW
vulcanization, but, ultimately, the person doing this deal would be very happy with the outcome of the effort, and its
considerable cost.
Oh, Dee Five Hundred one! I don't think you would reliaze exactly how "very expensive" that endeaver would be!? I'd be willing to wager a dime to a small hole do-nut, one could buy a running sedan parts car cheaper!
Has anyone talked to DB about having them 'do' their WW process on YOUR supplied tires?! It's only a miniscule price differnce. THEN, DB must first approve 'your' tires!
OK, lets say you buy a set of tires from whatever foreign country. THEN pay to have them shipped to DB. DB approves TWO of the 4 tires. You PAY to have the TWO rejects sent back to wherever you bought them.
Lets say for s**ts and giggles, the company will take those two back with no problem. You again PAY to have the two shipped to DB. Lets say DB rejects, one of those two. Same thing all over again!
I'd say, between 2 and 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS in a set of tires!
I dunno about you. But anyone who would even think of such an endeaver is either, brain dead, too much brain, or got more $$$ than brains! Whoo-Haw! |
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Location: Netherlands | alumcanTandThd - 2012-06-22
Whoo-Haw!
Gesundheit !
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | In the land of the blind, the 1-eyed man is king.
You're giving yourself a TWO-thousand dollar range of costs.
Why don't you find a set of those tires, and find out what the shipping costs would be?
Fortunately, I won't be in the market for another set of these tires for several more years.
Maybe I should start saving for the Federales (Mex. national police)....the DB's cost something over $800.00
in 2006 (IIRC).
So: $850 divided by 8 years life = $126.25/year, or...about $0.29/day.
Not cheap, but I'd willingly pay that much, again, for them.
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-22 8:16 PM
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Location: northern germany | they told me years ago they ONLY do certain tires/brands because their method of applying www only works on certain tires... |
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | Riiiiight...but DB did/do apply the WWW to the Federales.
It's been reported, around here, that "trailer" tires are not supposed-allowed to be installed onto cars----still don't know how/why
that these tires may not be able to be directly imported into this country (IF that is even true...).
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-22 9:19 PM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Alright... first of all, a comment regarding Diamond Back radials has once again sent everyone into a tailspin of the "trailer tire" debate....
For the record, I sold tires for several years... allow me to share a few excerpts from the 'net that support what I have always understood regarding the use of trailer tires on passenger cars...
First, from the Discount Tire website:
Trailer Tire Applications
•Trailer tires are designed for use on trailer axle positions only. They are not built to handle the loads applied to, or the traction required by, drive or steering axles.
•An "LT" designation on a trailer tire size specifies load range only. It is not designed for use on light trucks.
•Do not mount "ST" or "LT" trailer tires on passenger cars or light trucks.
And then from The write up for Taskmaster Trailer Tires:
"There are distinct differences in the way passenger tires and trailer tires are
designed, engineered, and constructed. There are also differences in the service
requirements between the tires on your car or truck and those on your trailer.
Traction, or grip, is a key element in the design of passenger tires. Traction
moves your car or truck down the road. Traction allows you to stop, turn and
swerve, and traction also gives you the ability to tow your trailer. Another
important consideration in passenger tire design is “ride”. Ride, traction, and
handling are all achieved in passenger tire designs by adding flex in the sidewall.
By making the sidewall more flexible, tire engineers maximize tread contact with
the road, thus increasing traction and allowing the driver to maintain better
control over the vehicle."
from eHow:
"Different Uses
Car tires and trailer tires differ in design and function. While car tires are constantly turning and maneuvering during driving, trailer tires are generally rolling forward. The vehicle pulling a trailer is doing most of the work, and so are its tires. The trailer, following behind, has a smoother, straighter ride.
Because of this, car tires are highly technical, made with tread compounds that are developed for optimum cornering, handling and wet/dry braking. Trailer tires are designed to carry heavy loads."
You could talk about this forever, (and it seems like this merry-go-round has started up several times now...) but the simple truth is they ARE made different, with each serving a different purpose.
I can truthfully say I will not ever install trailer tires on a vehicle. (And, keep in mind this is coming from the guy with manual, drum brakes operating from a single circuit master cylinder) On the other hand, I also will not put a cheap passenger tire on a trailer...
But, as a wise old veteran mechanic once told me... it's your coal truck... do what you want....
And, so, the debate rages on... 
Edited by BarnFind57 2012-06-22 11:38 PM
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3566
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | BarnFind57 - 2012-06-22 11:35 AM
•An "LT" designation on a trailer tire size specifies load range only. It is not designed for use on light trucks.
Then, what 'does' the "LT" stand for on the 31 1050- 15's, 16's and larger, that are on 4X4 PU's SUV's and the such? I called a big tire place here and asked 'em what the "LT" stood for? They said, "Light Truck"
DB basicly told me the same thing as what you stated, when I asked them about WW'ing a set of 225 75 14" 6 ply radial trailer tires, made right there not very far from them in SC! They WILL NOT do it! BIG safety hazard! Thank you for verfing the statement they made to me!
Yes there O Dee-Five Hundred one! There IS a 2K range in there. Because I do NOT know how many times DB will 'reject' what tires you send them. "IF" they accept ALL 4 tires, what you pay to have shipped to them, then yes, one will probably have around $2,000 (+ total?) in a set of tires. I did the 50/50 reject ratio.
"It's your coal truck Neil" You have 2+K in 'pocket change' to blow on a set of WW's,,,,,,,, beat yer self up. $2K to me, is almost TWO MONTHS pay! Just remember there Neil. The more one 'flaunts' his wealth, (agrees/willing to pay exorbant amounts W/O any heasitation) the higher these company's/people, will charge for their product, and drive the hobby right out of the reach of the 'average joe'!
Hey "Barnyard"! Wonder what kind of 'double talk' Neil's responce will be, to your 'trailer tire' seneriao up above will be?
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Expert
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Location: Blythewood, SC | I have been told that the LT designates light truck. I do know for a fact from a buddy that works at the Michelin plant in Lexington, SC that trailer tires are not safe on a car. They are not designed to be used on a steering axle. Just as BarnFind and TinCanHead said above. I know Neil has had good luck with his, but why hunt down the wrong tire for the application when Diamond Back sells the right tire every day? Don't like Cooper's? Fine, buy the BFG's or Michelin's instead.
Like Sparky said, you can buy bias ply tires as well. They probably ride as smooth as Neil's 6 ply sidewall trailer tires. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 905
Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Very good catch, boys.... "LT" on an vehicle tire does stand for "Light Truck"... They usually have a stronger wall than a regular passenger tire.
When found on a trailer designated tire, it indicates load range.... kinda tricky.... 
If you could find them in the size you are looking for, a good alternative is a high load range designated passenger tire. For instance, my other "old daily ride" is a 1967 split window VW Westfalia camper.... with a standard "P" designated tire, it wanders all over the road, thanks to a combination of it's stellar aerodynamics, top heavy profile, and swing axle rear end..... This last time I purchased "C" load range truck tires for it and it now handles completely differently, is much more stable, and has almost no wandering, except in very strong winds.... But, it is a "passenger tire" not a "trailer tire"
Here's a link to the Tire Rack listings for the tires they offer in my bus size... notice some are listed as passenger, some as trailer tires...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?customSizeSearc...
Edited by BarnFind57 2012-06-23 9:31 AM
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Wise Old Village Idiot
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Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | ,,,,,,,,,wish I could get a set of 225 or 235 75 14" radial, load range C, 2 1/6th WW,,,,,,,,,,,.
Those Dutch/European made Verdestian's (spelled wrong) WERE a light Truck or Van tire. Before "________" Obama levied that tariff. DB WAS offering them. Now the size was a 205 75 14" but,,,,,,,. The tread width, the section width, ride height, was equal that of a 225/235! PLUS, a 6 ply load rating!
For the past year or so, DB's repeated replys to my are you going to offer a tall, high load cap, 14" tire,,,,,, " We're working on it. It will be soon." |
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | Rick (Barnfind), what you say may well be 100% correct for domestically produced "trailer" tires.
As we've all discussed on other previous threads, the Federal-brand tires have a Euro rating to them, which
was decyphered to me (by Jim Hoek, and confirmed by Herman(?), here) as relating to 'trailer-weight' carrying capacity.
Right now and since 2006 when I bought them, I estimate that they've got about 25K mileage on them,
including a 3.5K highway road trip to Tulsa in '07, plus a lot of (too-much, really) high-spirited driving and
cornering.
The first coupla pics are vintage, and show the 'weird' rating of these guys, and the last two were taken, today.
Not much wear showing on them, huh, and they have been rotated front:rear--note the slight edge wear on the
rear tires, compared to the (-now) front tires.
Check out the impressive footprint on them.
I do believe that I'd drive these tires to the ends of the World; they're that great, and reliable.
[Actually, Brian, these bad boys are 8-ply, not 6-ply, and they're inflation rated to 55 psi, altho I only run 40+
psi in them].
I have nothing against bias ply tires; new formulaic chemistry will make them soft and durable.
See next post...
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-23 9:39 PM
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | Tire technology is always improving.
Back in '61, Dodge was bragging about the new-improved Goodyear Super Cushions.
A 2012-produced Goodyear (or any brand) bias ply should be round, soft(-riding), and durable (Coker's
in-house/brand offerings notwithstanding!).
NOW---the bias ply tires that I'd really like to see Goodyear reproduce (with modern, highway formulations
to them, of course) is the late 50's Blue Streak 'racing' size/tread pattern "shoes".
...Note, the considerable amount of iron that had to be used to balance this late-50's formulated tire, and
wheel.
The Blue Streak's footprint looks familiar, no?
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 594
| To clarify, Neil's tires are not intended for trailer use, but they are not regular passenger car tires either. They are "commercial" light van tires and they have higher load ratings than regular car tires.
I think the reason DB has dropped both the Federal and Vredestein lines might have to do with liability issues. DB makes it clear on their site that the tire maker does not warrant the tire once DB has done their thing. DB has their own warranty on the tires, but it's not clear to me how things would play out in the aftermath of a tire-related accident, if for example the tire failure is unrelated to the whitewall mod. Federal and Vredestein might not have the legal and insurance arrangements in place in the U.S., that would normally be part of a distribution presence here.
On the flip side . . . DB may have their own concerns. Lawyers will perk up when a "van tire" is mounted on "car". Never mind that it's probably safer than a car tire. It just has to sound bad to the right jury!
These tires are made in Taiwan (Federal) and the EU (Vredestein) so import tariffs are not really an issue, as they are for tires made in mainland China.
Sparky
Edited by sparky7 2012-06-24 9:45 AM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Signal Mountain, TN | sparky7 - 2012-06-23 11:54 PM
To clarify, Neil's tires are not intended for trailer use, but they are not regular passenger car tires either. They are "commercial" light van tires and they have higher load ratings than regular car tires.
Now THAT makes sense... and those are in fact the type of tires that I was talking about earlier that I put on my bus which I posted the link to.... Now I think we are on the same page....
Maybe....
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
Location: Orlando | My dad had Vredestein tires on his Jaguar xk120. They were some of only a few brands that were being made in the proper size. They were very good tires. I set a (nation wide) club record in the slalom on those tires.
Edited by ThomasD500 2012-06-24 2:09 PM
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Elite Veteran
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Location: Springville, CA | Try here for Bluestreaks:http://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/sports.html |
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Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 15124
Location: bishop, ca | ..Going back to that "Liability" issue; the so-called express warranties from DB (or Coker, or Bridgestone, etcetcetc...) are not
applicable in Products Liability bodily-injury claims.
The applicable State (where the event occurred) and/or Federal (Interstate Commerce) statutes apply to the issues of legal responsibility
for monetary damages owed to a claimant.
As far as getting a tire replaced, due to a manufacturing defect, the express contracts may well apply, but, there might well be considerable
Expert-Forensic investigation done to confirm how and why the subject tire failed---especially if there is any collateral damage involved.
Road Hazards are usually not covered by a Manufacturer's warranty.
Thanks for the tip on the Blue Streaks, but, that site didn't provide any information on these "vintage" tires
being re-popped.
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-24 4:55 PM
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Wise Old Village Idiot
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Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | O D-500 one! You got any 'pull' at D'Back? Or can you baffel 'em with enough of yer bull feces to get them to start offering those tall, high load range, 14" radial, Fed's/Verd's,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,? |
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Exner Expert 10K+
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Location: bishop, ca | I know that the Blue Steak Specials were formulated for high speed/short-life purposes,
but came across these references to it, during some unrelated research, today.
The Blue Streaks really do resemble radial tire profiles, like the Federal brand tires, above.
It's too bad that Goodyear isn't re-popping these guys, in highway formulations, and, even,
in stiff-sidewall radial profiles (no typical deep belly sections, which give-away the appearance
of radial tires).
Note that the tread pattern, for the 1960 paved Daytona 500 is considerably different from the
sand-pattern, at the 1957 Daytona Speed Week Trials.
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Veteran
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Location: St. Louis, MO. USA | I bought a set of Coker BF Goodrich wide whites less than two years ago and have less than 1/32 wear from the original 12/32. They are filled with nitrogen and get checked for proper inflation every time I drive them and have never been run low. With 100+ degree days the sidewall's cracked and are separating like recaps, rolling the sidewall back it is obvious the layers were never bonded because of the smooth unblemished surfaces inside. I sent Coker photos and was told they had exceeded their life expectancy and that after returning the tires to them for warranty at my expense they might give me $40.00 credit on more of their s**t tires. Hell it's going to cost me more than $40.00 to ship them back. All I can say is be glad you bought Diamondback's their warranty far exceeds Cokers joke of one!!
Anyone buying tires stay as far away from Coker tires as you can. |
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Diamond Back Tires
