Mark D Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 I got home from work last night to find that my new Diamondback radial AS4's had arrived. It took exactly one week from the time I orderer to delivery to my front porch via UPS. Service was excellent and both Carroll and Cooper were great to deal with. Cost was comparable to the competition for the wide whites as was shipping, and came in just under a grand delivered. The bias ply coker balony skins that came with my car three years ago have gotten to a point where they wont pass inspection and frankly were quite overdue for replacement. After perusing several threads on the subject provided by our trusty search engine, and placing a call to guru Greg G, I have also decided that its prudent to replace the valve stems as well. I bought the four shown on Ebay for $9-, with free shipping. I also bought a new set of trim rings as well to replace the mismatched set I had on the car. This week I will remove the tires from the car, and my plan is to take them to have them mounted and balanced on Satruday. I have a couple questions for those that have been down this road; Are there any special care instructions I should offer to the technician in dismounting and remounting the tires and stems? Are there any rim inspections that should be done before I remount? How about wheel weights, is the clip-on style still preferred? Thanks all in advance- Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourleaf Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Mark, Do you mind me asking where you picked up your wide whites? I am looking for a set for my 48 p-15 and have been searching around for a good deal. I have researched Coker already, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 As a precaution, some silicone or other type sealer could be applied to the rivet heads before the new tires are installed. I haven't heard wheel rivet leaks were a problem with folks running tubeless. But while they are accessible, why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 (edited) Fourleaf - follow this link and scroll to the bottom of the page. Note I chose to go with this company as a result of several recent comments. Pricing difference between Diamondback and Coker for same spec tires is not that different. Wide Whites are expensive and Diamondback actually vulcanizes (adheres) the WWW to the tire in its own facilities. Since these tires are not a big demand, I wanted to make sure I got rubber that wasn't on a shelf for years. Greg - good suggestion. I haven't seen the inside of my rims yet, but will grab a small tube of silicone to have handy when the rubber gets removed. I assume the stems are self sealing and wont require any additional doping... or maybe they need some siicone too? edit - forgot to add the link -> http://www.dbtires.com/store/shoptire.cfm?size=15.00 Edited July 10, 2013 by Mark D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyO Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Do you have tubes in the tires you have now? If so, ask the guy that dismounts the tires not to destroy the tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Mark, Do you mind me asking where you picked up your wide whites? I am looking for a set for my 48 p-15 and have been searching around for a good deal. I have researched Coker already, thanks I think the answer was in his first sentence: "I got home from work last night to find that my new Diamondback radial AS4's had arrived." http://www.dbtires.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Do you have tubes in the tires you have now? If so, ask the guy that dismounts the tires not to destroy the tubes. I am not sure if they have tubes or not. I will check when I dismount them from the car. I plan to run tubeless with the new radials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyO Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) You should make the guy aware of the tubes first. Most of the guys doin tires these days dont know what a tube is much less how to remove a tire with out destroying it. Edited July 11, 2013 by BigDaddyO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 A suggestion from following the adventures of the Forum members that went to the WPC meet a couple years ago - if you use tubes, make sure that any stickers on the inside of the tires are removed. Apparently those will wear through the tubes in short order, which as BigDaddyO points out, tire shops that aren't used to tubes might not be aware of. I'd also spin the rims before you mount the tires to make sure they're true. I've got one wheel that was a bear to balance - Turns out the rim itself wobbles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 If you are running tubes in your tires it is also a good idea to carry a spare tube with you. I have a friend here in town with a 37 Plymouth. While on the way to a car show on a Sunday morning he had a flat and discovered his spare was also flat. You can imagine the problem trying to find a tube on a Sunday morning. Not a bad idea to carry tube patches too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james curl Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 If running radials and tubes you have to use radial tubes as bias tubes will wear a hole in the side of the tube from the sidewall flex. I once had a Triumph TR-4 with spoke wheels and switched from bias ply tires to radials and the shop used my old tubes. In no time I began to have flats until I took the car to an independent tire dealer and he told me about the radial tubes. We replaced all four tubes an never had another flat after that. This was in 72 and not to many people were familiar with radial tires, it was my first experience with radials as I had been using the old glass belted series of tires.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hey thanks for the reminder Dan, i was there standing with mark aucbuchon when he was having his tubes replaced! A suggestion from following the adventures of the Forum members that went to the WPC meet a couple years ago - if you use tubes, make sure that any stickers on the inside of the tires are removed. Apparently those will wear through the tubes in short order, which as BigDaddyO points out, tire shops that aren't used to tubes might not be aware of. I'd also spin the rims before you mount the tires to make sure they're true. I've got one wheel that was a bear to balance - Turns out the rim itself wobbles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 No tubes for this kid, local old time tire shop agreed to do the job, and says I can run without them. Dropping them off tomorrow, and will have them back on the car by 6pm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 RRRRRRRoad TRRRRRRip!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1941Rick Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 What rims are you running? When I swapped mine over to radials we had to find valve stems to fit the oval hole in the rim....appearantly tube rims have a different hole from non tube......just something to be aware of...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Several years ago, I had a flat on my car. Removed the tire and took it to our local Firestone store. The tire had a tube..... and there was only one guy in that store that knew how to patch it. They just don't see such things much anymore. I normally deal with a smaller area company called Grande Tire. Those guys know how to do everything.....so no problems when I go to them. You need to check the inside of your wheel for rust.......which might prevent the tire from sealing good. It can be wire brushed if necessary. Then apply some mounting goop the store should have on hand. Looking forward to a picture of your car with the new shoes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I do not understand why anyone uses tubes unless the original rims will not support tubeless. Our old friend Norms Coupe was all about tubes. As much as I and many others wanted to convert him to tubeless he stood his ground. But Norm was good at standing his ground and I sure miss him. Several years back a forum member (Mark Cross who I have not heard from for a long time) stopped by my house for a visit in his 50 Plymouth. Had a good visit and he hit the road. Half hour later he called me and told me he had a flat and his spare was also flat. No problem I told him. I asked if he was tube or tubeless and he did not know. So I loaded up my tubeless (plugs) repair kit, tank full of air, and for good measure the spare from my car and floor jack. Had he been tubeless I could have had him back on the road in a short time. As he had tubes it took a lot longer to change his flat and install my spare. Two weeks later he brought my spare back but that was not a problem as my car was sans drivetrain at that time. But it cost him another trip to return the wheel and tire. My point being that tubeless is the way to go. Here are some pictures of Marks car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveplym Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I ran tubeless radials with my original wheels for about 5-6 years or so. Upgraded to new smoothies for a different look, but I agree with Don. Best to go tubeless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Rick - I'm installing new bolt in stems with the tires. I had a good look at the valve stems in the originals last night and upon close inspection they appear to have tubes in them. I will ask for those to be salvaged, they'll make good floaties for the lake. I went to a local cruise at the airport last night and was the highlight of the show. Most of the guys there hadn't seen my car in the area and just couldn't get enough of the sound coming from my smithies... but by 8pm her sneakers were in the back of my truck and this morning I'm dropping them off on the way to work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Ruby gets new shoes............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Well here she is with her new sneakers on. The blue stuff came off the white walls with a brush and the hose. Then the new rings went on. One tire has a tube in it due to it having an oval slot. Must've been a replacement rim at some point. I'm gonna check the spare and if that's got a regular hole, I'll swap it out and get rid of the tube. When the tire guy told me about the tube I was sure to ask to make sure it was a radial tube. I just hope he took the stickers off which gave mark Aucbuchon all the troubles in st. Johns bury. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveplym Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Car looks awesome Mark. I thought you wanted to quiet down your exhaust? Those dual smithy's do sound pretty sweet going down the road. I still enjoy the ones on my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Yeah Steve, I bought thrush replacements, their sitting on the bench in the garage at the moment, just too many other to-do items on the list. For the time being I'm enjoying the braaaap of the smithies. But if I intend to have the wife by my side at all, then it'll need some quieter pipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 I believe you can get a screw in stem for the oval hole. Do a forum search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Two Words Ear Plugs...................... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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