Re: [Chrysler300] Coker Tires way past 'best before date'

I just looked back in my email archives and I note that I was in conversation with Bill Chapman, the owner of Diamond Back, over five years ago regarding big 14" tires. Bill assured me their Thailand production and market debut was just around the corner, and with just a little patience we would soon be able to order them. I would occasionally contact Bill to check on progress.

Not long after that, political turmoil in Thailand was said to be thwarting current chances for production. Then the politics settled down there, but one reason and another always held off production just a little longer, yet I was assured that truly these 27.5" D - and eventually even the 28.5" D tire we really lust after - would soon be in stock at Diamond Back. Just please be patient a few more months.I finally grew weary of the same story over and over, and I haven't called for Bill in maybe a year now. Sounds like the story line has now been passed to James. So many of us wish it could be believed, but I no longer believe it to be a possibility worth waiting at all for.

It might be more fruitful for a for a posse of 14" tire fans to approach Corky Coker and lay out the problem to him in very serious terms. Is the Coker Tire Co. aware their tires fail so often and so catastrophically? Do they understand the reason they do and what in their production process can be corrected? It seems a little incredible to me that Coker would actually be satisfied with offering a poor product that simply looks good - but is an utter failure in serving its intended purpose. Would they be willing, for a price, to step up their game and produce a well-built tire that could perform safely at highway speeds?

Does anyone in our 300 Club have a connection to Corky Coker, or anyone else in a managing position at Coker Tire, that could be used to begin a conversation with them on the subject?

Keith Boonstra

On Tue, May 8, 2018 at 6:54 PM, Noel Hastalis cpaviper@xxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Spoke with James at Diamondback today - still no good news from his shop for those of us running 14" tires - again he said "Hoping for next spring" so I'll keep running my 8 year old Diamondback tires with 45,000 miles on them for at least this year. He said American Classics are manufactured by the same folks who manufacture Coker Classics - at locations in Indiana and in Mexico. I'll be curious to hear your experiences with these tires over extended trips of highway driving.

Noel Hastalis
F Coupe

Sent from my iPhone

On May 8, 2018, at 4:38 PM, Lindsey lindsey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Do we have any new updates on the Coker 14" whitewalls that have been coming along for several years? I have had good results from my last set after having the rims balanced first. Have to check when back home, but probably well over 12,000 miles and most at highway speeds up to 95 mph. Usually 75-80 on your nice midwest interstates. I was not happy until Coker suggested getting the rims balanced. New ballgame after that.
High 80's in Winnipeg area yesterday!

Sent from my iPad

On May 8, 2018, at 12:10 PM, Gary Gettleman gary.gettleman@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

   Harry,

              Thanks for your updates on the F tire project.

              Have you had a chance to run them at speed. How about the balancing process.

              gary gettleman



On 5/1/2018 3:17 PM, Harry Torgeson torg66@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] wrote:

I just installed American Classics and are happy so far, but have not got on the freeway yet.

Harry