BFG Silvertown Redlines - Decent Tires?
10-11-2007, 05:52 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
BFG Silvertown Redlines - Decent Tires?
I searched the archives and found many positive reviews on Diamondback tires and many negative reviews on Coker but found almost nothing on BF Goodrich Silvertown.
Poking around It seems like Coker actually makes them. Not sure though - anyone have firsthand experience with Silvertowns? Supposedly they are made in the USA.
Thanks,
Brian
Poking around It seems like Coker actually makes them. Not sure though - anyone have firsthand experience with Silvertowns? Supposedly they are made in the USA.
Thanks,
Brian
Last edited by Allcoupedup; 10-11-2007 at 10:59 PM.
10-11-2007, 06:51 PM
#2
Race Director
Don't know who makes them, but there are only approx 4 tire makers in the U.S. A large portion of the "odd *****" (re-manufactured old models) are made by McCreary Tire & Rubber. Coker is not a manufacturer only a re-seller. Diamondback purchases regular brands and vulcanizes the whitewalls onto them.
10-12-2007, 01:25 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I called BF Goodrich just now and Coker is manufacturing the tires using BF Goodrich molds. BF goodrich really has nothing to do with the tires.
It also sounds like all of the problems with Coker were on their Coker "classic" line of tires.
rating is
97S
540 temp B traction B
Anyone riding on BFG (Coker) silvertowns?
Thanks,
Brian
It also sounds like all of the problems with Coker were on their Coker "classic" line of tires.
rating is
97S
540 temp B traction B
Anyone riding on BFG (Coker) silvertowns?
Thanks,
Brian
10-12-2007, 05:26 PM
#5
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I called BF Goodrich just now and Coker is manufacturing the tires using BF Goodrich molds. BF goodrich really has nothing to do with the tires.
It also sounds like all of the problems with Coker were on their Coker "classic" line of tires.
rating is
97S
540 temp B traction B
Anyone riding on BFG (Coker) silvertowns?
Thanks,
Brian
It also sounds like all of the problems with Coker were on their Coker "classic" line of tires.
rating is
97S
540 temp B traction B
Anyone riding on BFG (Coker) silvertowns?
Thanks,
Brian
I have a set I recently put on my '65.
10-12-2007, 09:43 PM
#6
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Coker is a MAJOR manufacturer, and makes almost all the tires they sell, although none are made with modern equipment. I had a set of their BF Goodrich Silvertown 6.70-15's as my "judging tires" on my '57, and they were fine (if you like driving on bias-ply tires - I don't). I bought a set of their 205/75-15 Coker Classic whitewall radials (made in Mexico in old-style segmented molds) as my "driving tires" for it, and they were VERY difficult to balance and weren't round. When I bought my '67, it had a brand-new set of Coker Classic 205/75-15 redline radials on it (also made in Mexico in segmented molds) - they wouldn't balance either and were also out of round, and one sidewall was starting to show cracks. I left them at the tire store when I had my Diamond Back Supreme redline radials mounted shortly thereafter.
Their bias-ply tires may be OK, but no more Coker radials for me.
Their bias-ply tires may be OK, but no more Coker radials for me.
10-13-2007, 02:52 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
If your interested in bias ply redlines try Lucas tires in Michigan. I bought 775x15 Firestone redlines for 99 dollars a piece about 3 months ago,and I'm very happy with them.
10-13-2007, 04:18 AM
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St. Jude Donor '07
It would be interesting to see radial tires made with sidewalls that match some of the classic vintage tires, like the BFG Silvertowns and the Firestone Wide Ovals.
10-13-2007, 12:17 PM
#9
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My redline radials are from Diamondback and I had the impression they made the tires with Firestone molds under license from Firestone, probably the same as Coker does with B.F. Goodrich.
10-13-2007, 02:52 PM
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Last edited by JohnZ; 10-13-2007 at 02:56 PM.
10-13-2007, 04:59 PM
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Nope. Diamond Back doesn't manufacture any tires. They buy their tires direct from the manufacturers (new high-volume production radials, made on modern tire manufacturing equipment), and they "customize" the sidewalls. See my photo-illustrated tech article on exactly how they do it in the September '07 issue of "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine.
Learned something today. 
Now, I can take the rest of the day off. 
10-14-2007, 12:40 AM
#12
Race Director
Coker is a MAJOR manufacturer, and makes almost all the tires they sell, although none are made with modern equipment. I had a set of their BF Goodrich Silvertown 6.70-15's as my "judging tires" on my '57, and they were fine (if you like driving on bias-ply tires - I don't). I bought a set of their 205/75-15 Coker Classic whitewall radials (made in Mexico in old-style segmented molds) as my "driving tires" for it, and they were VERY difficult to balance and weren't round. When I bought my '67, it had a brand-new set of Coker Classic 205/75-15 redline radials on it (also made in Mexico in segmented molds) - they wouldn't balance either and were also out of round, and one sidewall was starting to show cracks. I left them at the tire store when I had my Diamond Back Supreme redline radials mounted shortly thereafter.
Their bias-ply tires may be OK, but no more Coker radials for me.
Their bias-ply tires may be OK, but no more Coker radials for me.
John - Coker might own the molds, but do they own the plant in Mexico that makes the tires?
10-14-2007, 01:56 AM
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I have a set of Silvertowns on my 67 and I haven't had any problems with them yet. They were on the car when I bought it a year ago and not sure how many miles are on them, but they hold air and apparently balance out well because no noticeable out of round or vibrations. I don't have much highway/high speed time on them, so can't really comment there. People love the look of them though, as I've had several comments.
10-14-2007, 07:53 PM
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I just got photos yesterday from a friend in Florida who has Coker Classic radial redlines on his '67, and his severe tire "thump" that started last week turned out to be a belt separation
; his Diamond Backs will be shipped next week.
10-14-2007, 08:10 PM
#15
Race Director
I don't know for sure, but when I complained to Coker about the redlines, they said the tires should be perfect because they were made in a Michelin plant in Mexico.
I just got photos yesterday from a friend in Florida who has Coker Classic radial redlines on his '67, and his severe tire "thump" that started last week turned out to be a belt separation ; his Diamond Backs will be shipped next week.
I just got photos yesterday from a friend in Florida who has Coker Classic radial redlines on his '67, and his severe tire "thump" that started last week turned out to be a belt separation
; his Diamond Backs will be shipped next week. 