wide white walls

[sidewalkman]

I've put the 225X75 Cokers on mine. So far so good but make sure all the date codes are the same, and the older cokers get the harder it is to keep the white bright. So get cokers from someone that hasn't had them in stock on a shelf for a year. Also with stock rims they have to be installed with the rim upside down, meaning the rear of the rim is up. Tire machines will eat the tire if you don't, make sure you tell whomever does the install.

[byersmtrco]

That's some good knowledge there (re; the tire machine)

I've been running the Cooper Trendsetters. Good tire, made in the good ol' USofA. Problem is, mine are old now. It's a 3/4" whitewall. But the 225/75/14 is no longer available

[YellowRose]

wide white walls

For those of you who may not know where to find the Date Code, look on the back side of the tire. You always want to get the tires with the newest Date Code, and not ones that have been sitting on some shelf for several years...

[byersmtrco]

Correct;
For example # 3517
would mean the manif date is the 35th week of 2017.
Its right by the DOT # that they register
when you buy the tire.

[JohnG]

I took two photos of the "white wall" on the 2004 Diamondback Classics.

I did not put a caliper on them but would guess they are in the .010 - .015" thickness range.

A person on another site says they were vulcanized on.

A winter project for me . . .take a tire off, put it in the basement, decide on weight or something to press the ring, probably use black RTV. Clean up, move on to another tire . . .

John

[jopizz]

Beside the whitewall I don't recommend riding on 14 year old tires. Maybe for a trailer queen it's ok but I wouldn't trust them on the highway.

John

[JohnG]

John, you bring up a most important point. I have not given tire age a thought in a few years - - it was a hot topic at one point as was nitrogen.

They have a number of things going for them. Low mileage, good appearance, are never hot or exposed to sunlight. All cited by tire research as positive characteristics.

But, that said, there is no way I can guarantee there is not a problem lurking. My guess is there isn't but it is just that - a guess.

I cannot sit here and say, for certain, they are safe. So this winter they should get replaced. No other argument holds any water.

A set of tires will probably set me back $800 by the time all is done. I have been wanting to do disk brakes so this provides the opportunity to look into all components, including wheel size. More to the point,the $800 might be dirt cheap compared to all the things that might happen if one failed. Not only to the car, or me, but to someone on the road who never heard of a Thunderbird.

So . . good point!

John

[DKheld]

Yeah - I'd get some new ones. Only had 15K miles or so on mine when the one broke the belt - the tires looked almost new but I replaced them all since they were all 10 years old.

With yours at 14 years old - you probably ought to pick up a lottery ticket too - I think you would win easily.

[JohnG]

by sheer coincidence, on a 55-7 TBird discussion list, the topic of whitewalls came up very recently.

Along the way someone posted:

Not really a good idea to use Coker wide white radials. I used to be a dealer for them. Had three catastrophic blow outs on eight brand new tires a while back. See if a set of Diamond Backs will fit you car. They are great tires with a real vintage look.


john

[Deanj]

I talked with someone who was a dealer and he reported the same. My problem was a bogus bead after one mounting. He recommended not to exceed 30psi, and not exceeding 60 MPH.

Dean

[DKheld]

Wow - now my Cokers aren't that bad. I don't like the handling as well as the DB's but I feel I can drive the car without worry.

Yes - the tires had to be mounted whitewall side first by hand then flipped over and the tire machine can be used on the back side (but they have to be careful that the machine doesn't rub the whitewall). Both Coker and DB have specific mounting instructions.

I have about 40 psi in mine. Drive curvy mountain roads and run 70 + on the interstate. If I couldn't do that the tires would be replaced.