I just changed the third (and final) too big tube from the front of my roadster. Coker used to sell a FR-15 tube with their 500-16 tires...this last set I bought about a year back came with GK-16's. I thought it had to be a mistake, thats the same size used in the 750-16's...a huge tube, layin' there deflated its bigger than the tire! I called and was told that was now the tube to use....so I did. On my way out to bonneville last year I lost the first one at about 90 (flat REAL quick) just outside of Lovelock, I had a spare tube in the trunk and had it changed out in town. A few hundred miles later I noticed it was going down again and made the rest of the trip using about 3 cans of fix-a-flat. The other side lasted me almost a year...I just pulled the tire and swaped the tube out today. I thought I'd share the story and pictures of the tube I pulled today. The lines are where the tube was folded up inside the tire. I don't have a problem with Coker, I'll be ordering more tires from them soon (not tubes)...but this seems like an obvious problem and I'm sure I'm not the only one. -Jeff
Wow... I'd stick that in the "Not Good" category... someone should tell them that killing customers is bad for business.
No ****. The one that let go quickly at 90 took me right off the road into the soft gravel...I was puckered up tight. I feel like a fool for running 'em, it was just plain obvious they were too big. I don't know if that's still the tube size they're trying to sell with 'em...but I just wanted to share a little of my personal experience. A warning!
Thanks Ryan...Corky is on here from time to time isn't he. And I'm not trying to give Coker a bad name, We'd have a hard time building the cars we do without that company. I was driving 20 MPH over the limit on tires marked "for display purposes only" when it let go...the problem is just the tube size (its wrong). -Jeff
If it looks like a duck......................... You thought it was too big, but.......... From now on, pay attention to what you tell yourself when you're thinking.
They sent me M-15/16 tubes for the 500-15 ribbed front tires I ordered from them! They also looked way too big, so I talked to Corky at the car show held at the start of the HOT ROD power tour in Milwaukee last year, and he said that they were wrong and to not use them, and that they would send me the correct tubes. The correct size tubes they sent me were F-15/16. They looked correct, and work just fine. As it turns out the M-15/16 tubes are for their grooved REAR tires!
Now you guys got me all worried - I just had new tires put on, but never laid the tubes out as I ***umed the Coker guys would send me what I need - gave them to my tire man still in the box & he returned 'em to me mounted - didn't mention it. I had 7.50 x 16 & 5.50 x 16 w/ M-16 tubes & GK-16 tubes!! I'll ring up my tire guy & ask him if the tubes seemed too big...of course, they're used now, so I'm out a few bucks, but if they're dangerous, I'd rather have 'em right...
I bought my tubes and tires from Coker. The 7.00x18 tubes were on back order and they weren't going to ship the order till they came in. I called and cancelled the tubes and got my tires and front tubes right away. Good service. I then called all of the 'other' cl***ic tire dealers looking for the rear tubes. Nothing. All were 1-2 month out. Just for kicks I called my local Les Schwab dealer and they had 'em! Cheap too! Just a thought. Josh
We've been having trouble with tubes for years! You should always put some air in them and look them all over. Clean off the excessive flash and look for permanent wrinkles, and any other flaws you wouldn'd want to run at speed with. They are very good at exchanging them.
Yep, it doesn't take 32 years in the tire business to not learn that. NO WAY a "M" tube will inflate in that small a tire without creasing Even if you use the correct size tube (F), a good tip is to inflate it once, pull the core and completely deflate the tube, and re-inflate. It stretches the tube and lets it relax before taking a final shape. Also make sure there is some kind of vegetable base lube to ease the bead up on the flange. The white powder you see on tubes is a mold release use in manufacturing. Try to find RADIAL tubes. They have a stronger valve stem base, stronger splices and usually are heavier gauge rubber.
Yep, so you're making negative about OPs posts instead of reading the post? The man said. ".this last set I bought about a year back came with GK-16's. I thought it had to be a mistake, thats the same size used in the 750-16's...a huge tube, layin' there deflated its bigger than the tire! I called and was told that was now the tube to use....so I did. I was simply pointing out that if the tube looks too big, it is. Sorry if it sounded lame. b29 However; WTF are you? What is your thingie, deciding what's negative, and that it needs to be pointed out? Get a life.
The Jalopy Journal
