Tire age is a tricky subject at Coker Tire, because we manufacture NEW tires that look like old tires. There can be some confusion in regard to tire age, and that's why we wanted to put together this guide to decoding your tire and therefore determining the tire's age. The tire industry has some loose guidelines on tire age that call for tire replacement after 6 to 10 years of service. On a daily driver, you'll likely wear out the tread before the 6-10 year window, but on a collector vehicle, the tire could expire long before the tread is worn out. Even if a car is stored inside and the tires pass a visual inspection (no cracks, dry-rot or other visible deterioration) we typically suggest replacement after 10 years if you plan on driving it.
Tire sizes can be a bit confusing, as the size designations changed a lot over the years. From standard bias ply sizes such as 6.70-15 to Alpha Numeric sizes like F70-15, all the way up to modern P-Metric sizing, such as 205/75R15. Even the most savvy car guys have trouble decoding certain sizes, so take a look at this handy chart, and it should help you figure out the bias ply and radial tire size cross reference!
Wheel bolt pattern is all over the map for collector vehicles. Even if you have a basic five-lug pattern, what is the bolt circle, and what wheels fit? We have spent countless hours researching the subject and we're always willing to help customers figure out the bolt pattern on their classic car or truck. Most of the time, it's as simple as one of our Sales Representatives looking through our bolt pattern database, but sometimes it requires measuring the car or wheel to determine proper fitment. Our database includes many four-lug, five-lug and six-lug applications but read the article linked below for a full explanation on how to measure your bolt pattern.
A tire's aspect ratio determines the height of the sidewall, which ultimately determines the overall diameter of the tire. The aspect ratio is a percentage of the section width. So if you have a 70-series tire, that means the sidewall height is 70 percent of the tire's overall width. Aspect ratio for most bias ply tires is somewhere around 80 or 90 percent. Numeric sized tires (such as 6.00-16 or 6.70-15) that end in zero feature a 90-series aspect ratio, while numeric sizes that end in five (such as 6.95-14) feature an 80-series aspect ratio. Alpha numeric sizes (such as F70-15 or G78-14) have the aspect ratio clearly stated in the size.
The first place to look is our product listing to see if the tire is designated as a "tubeless" tire. We always list this on our our website product page, or in our catalog. If our tire is listed as a tube type, that means you must also buy tubes for it. This sounds logical, but we do run into cases where a customer buys tires and forgets about the tubes. Also, any time you buy new tube-type tires, we suggest buying new tubes...that's not a sales pitch, it's the right thing to do. Tubes wear out and deteriorate just like the tires, so it's cheap insurance against a tube failure. For a more comprehensive look at tubes, follow the link below to a full article.
The decision of bias ply versus radial affects the authenticity of your vehicle and it affects the ride quality of your vehicle, but we have found ways to get the best of both worlds. Coker Tire offers both bias ply and radial tires in its massive product selection, but it now offers a radial tire that features the pie-crust shoulder and narrow tread profile of a bias ply tire. So, what's right for your ride? Keep reading to find out.
Classic car enthusiasts have always had to choose between bias ply and radial tires. The restoration guys prefer the authentic construction and appearance of bias ply tires, while many folks would rather sacrifice the vehicles authenticity to have the ride quality of a modern radial. Previously, we have offered both styles of tires (bias and radial) in whitewall form, but now we offer a tire that blends the best of both worlds. It's the new American Classic Bias Look Radial, and it's the first ever radial whitewall tire with an authentic bias ply look.
