The Ford Barn

C1Nelson · 12-23-2023, 12:20 PM

A friend of mine recently drove to the Florida Keys from Idaho in one of his Model A’s. While coming home in Arkansas he experienced failure of inner tubes that he had purchased through Coker when he had also replaced tires before his trip. He had taken spare tubes with him but quickly found out he needed more tubes and tires as it ruined the tires before he could get off the road. He had new tires and tubes shipped to him while holding up in a small town. I don’t think Coker helped him with any adjustments or replacements caused from the bad tube. He had radial tires and the radial tubes.

I watched on Youtube “Team Merrill and his 29 Model A and the 2022 Great Race” this week. During that video he said that for about the past five years he stopped using tubes with his Model A tires. He said if the wheels are good and powder coated you could use the tires as tubeless. He said he has had no tire issues since changing. He said he has run 15 great races.

Has anybody else changed over to running tubeless?

Y-Blockhead · 12-23-2023, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C1Nelson

A friend of mine recently drove to the Florida Keys from Idaho in one of his Model A’s. While coming home in Arkansas he experienced failure of inner tubes that he had purchased through Coker when he had also replaced tires before his trip. He had taken spare tubes with him but quickly found out he needed more tubes and tires as it ruined the tires before he could get off the road. He had new tires and tubes shipped to him while holding up in a small town. I don’t think Coker helped him with any adjustments or replacements caused from the bad tube. He had radial tires and the radial tubes.

See my post in another thread (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=333990, post #11) about "Inspection Stickers" in the Coker American Classic Radials. This is an on going issue. The Coker tubes are not the problem. I was using Snyder's Tubes when I experienced flats.

I am now using Coker Radial Tubes (they seem thicker, especially around the valve stem) with the silicone talc nkaminar recommended. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...clickkey=52466 No issues.

There are numerous other posts on this subject.

Y-Blockhead · 12-23-2023, 12:41 PM

Actually here are some pictures of the "Inspection Stickers" so you know what to look for and damage they cause.

mhsprecher · 12-23-2023, 01:09 PM

I was using Coker radial tubes and had failures in one tube and determined that given what the failure looked like, that it was the label inside the tire that caused the problem. With Coker's tubes, there is a warning on the box (Hartford tubes) about removing anything inside the tire, but it's easily overlooked. I now have plenty of experience changing tires and tubes on my 1928 roadster. There has been more than one post about this and Ron Ehrenhofer mentioned it in the latest Model A News, so word is getting out about this problem. It was a pain demounting all the tires and removing those little labels, but there is no other way around it.

Y-Blockhead · 12-23-2023, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

I was using Coker radial tubes and had failures in one tube and determined that given what the failure looked like, that it was the label inside the tire that caused the problem. With Coker's tubes, there is a warning on the box (Hartford tubes) about removing anything inside the tire, but it's easily overlooked. I now have plenty of experience changing tires and tubes on my 1928 roadster. There has been more than one post about this and Ron Ehrenhofer mentioned it in the latest Model A News, so word is getting out about this problem. It was a pain demounting all the tires and removing those little labels, but there is no other way around it.

Thing is, when I mounted my 5 American Classic Tires I didn't use Coker (Hartford) tubes. No warning.

Coker needs to put a warning label OUTSIDE the tire that is EASILY SEEN.

When I contacted Coker, they didn't seem too interested...

AzBob · 12-23-2023, 03:12 PM

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Coker now lists the warning on the outside tire sticker.

nkaminar · 12-23-2023, 03:51 PM

Friend of mine runs his tires tubeless. I don't. I think the wheel has to be in good condition so that the tire makes an airtight seal. In the back of my head there is a little voice saying that there is something on the market that will improve the seal that the tires makes. Maybe it's that green slime that fixes flats?

Tires can be ruined by running flat. The rim cuts the tire. It may not be noticed on the outside of the tire but the tire cords are weakened. Modern tires can withstand 200 psi but the weakened tire will hold much less and explode if the air pressure is too much. There are plenty of videos of exploding tires on the internet. These are used tires which likely have been damaged.

When cages came out to put tires in when they were blown up, the purpose was misunderstood. The tire technicians complained that they did not want to get in the cage with the tire. In case anyone takes this seriously, it is intended as a joke.

alexiskai · 12-23-2023, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkaminar

In the back of my head there is a little voice saying that there is something on the market that will improve the seal that the tires makes.

Synchro909 · 12-23-2023, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzBob

Coker now lists the warning on the outside tire sticker.

Would it be too difficult for Coker to put their inspection stickers say, on the tread? It's not that difficult if they wanted to improve. I haven't bought a Coker tyre for many years now (since 1996) after a friend and I had trouble with the stickers in the tyres we had fitted to a car in New Zealand for a rally. I'm sure the powers that be in some of these companies have no idea how long a bad experience by someone has with their product affects their reputation (and sales).

Y-Blockhead · 12-23-2023, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro909

Would it be too difficult for Coker to put their inspection stickers say, on the tread? It's not that difficult if they wanted to improve. I haven't bought a Coker tyre for many years now (since 1996) after a friend and I had trouble with the stickers in the tyres we had fitted to a car in New Zealand for a rally. I'm sure the powers that be in some of these companies have no idea how long a bad experience by someone has with their product affects their reputation (and sales).

I agree, these stickers in the American Classic are tuff to get out. They are plastic seem to be vulcanized inside the tire. They come out in pieces. Totally unnecessary, IMO.

AzBob · 12-23-2023, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

I agree, these stickers in the American Classic are tuff to get out. They are plastic seem to be vulcanized inside the tire. They come out in pieces. Totally unnecessary, IMO.

When I ordered my 4 ACR's in May of this year, there were NO stickers inside the tires. Along with the warning on the outside tire sticker and the absence of stickers on the inside, It appears someone at Coker Tire got the word.

12-23-2023, 01:09 PM	#4
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Bad Inner Tubes/Ruined Tires or Tubeless I was using Coker radial tubes and had failures in one tube and determined that given what the failure looked like, that it was the label inside the tire that caused the problem. With Coker's tubes, there is a warning on the box (Hartford tubes) about removing anything inside the tire, but it's easily overlooked. I now have plenty of experience changing tires and tubes on my 1928 roadster. There has been more than one post about this and Ron Ehrenhofer mentioned it in the latest Model A News, so word is getting out about this problem. It was a pain demounting all the tires and removing those little labels, but there is no other way around it. __________________ 1924 Model T Coupe 1928 Model A Roadster 1930 Model A Town Sedan 1939 Deluxe Fordor 1945 pickup 1951 Custom convertible

12-23-2023, 03:51 PM	#7
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,901	Re: Bad Inner Tubes/Ruined Tires or Tubeless Friend of mine runs his tires tubeless. I don't. I think the wheel has to be in good condition so that the tire makes an airtight seal. In the back of my head there is a little voice saying that there is something on the market that will improve the seal that the tires makes. Maybe it's that green slime that fixes flats? Tires can be ruined by running flat. The rim cuts the tire. It may not be noticed on the outside of the tire but the tire cords are weakened. Modern tires can withstand 200 psi but the weakened tire will hold much less and explode if the air pressure is too much. There are plenty of videos of exploding tires on the internet. These are used tires which likely have been damaged. When cages came out to put tires in when they were blown up, the purpose was misunderstood. The tire technicians complained that they did not want to get in the cage with the tire. In case anyone takes this seriously, it is intended as a joke. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

12-23-2023, 12:20 PM	#1
C1Nelson Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Nampa, Idaho Posts: 61	Bad Inner Tubes/Ruined Tires or Tubeless A friend of mine recently drove to the Florida Keys from Idaho in one of his Model A’s. While coming home in Arkansas he experienced failure of inner tubes that he had purchased through Coker when he had also replaced tires before his trip. He had taken spare tubes with him but quickly found out he needed more tubes and tires as it ruined the tires before he could get off the road. He had new tires and tubes shipped to him while holding up in a small town. I don’t think Coker helped him with any adjustments or replacements caused from the bad tube. He had radial tires and the radial tubes. I watched on Youtube “Team Merrill and his 29 Model A and the 2022 Great Race” this week. During that video he said that for about the past five years he stopped using tubes with his Model A tires. He said if the wheels are good and powder coated you could use the tires as tubeless. He said he has had no tire issues since changing. He said he has run 15 great races. Has anybody else changed over to running tubeless?