Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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My 1936 has TIRES that are
525/550 - 17"

The TUBES that Coker sent me last year were labeled:
525/550-18
600/650-18

Although, in their catalog they are listed as:
525/650-17/18

So, it appears that they are using a fairly loose description of which tubes can be used in which tires.

----
Now, I have a flat on one of my brand new tubes.
And, I have a couple of extra new tubes identified as:
450/500-18/19 stressed

Can I use these in my 525/550 - 17" tires?

Reference: Coker Tires & Tubes for 1936 COker

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I see two options. 1 - Call Coker and ask. 2 - Try the tubes you have and see what happens. If it were me I would do both.


How Sweet the roar of a Chevy four!
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Do not use the 19" in a 5.50X17.


Gene Schneider
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I have free tire maintenance at Discount Tire... they called Coker Tires this afternoon, and they don't have any replacement tubes for my tires anymore.... !?!?!?

I hadn't found my spare tube by then, so I didn't get to ask them if they would work.

I think a third option might be to wait until I pull the tube out and find where the leak was... then figure out how to patch it. I already asked DISCOUNT and they don't do "hot patches" any more. Actually I suspect that the guy at the counter didn't really know what a "hot patch" was. Ha ha...

Got an appointment at 8 am Saturday - so I'll know more after that.

Thanks for the comments.

Oh, Gene, I had come to a similar decision, that the tire diameter might be the determining factor... A 19" in a 17" tire seems too sloppy.


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I ordered tubes for my 32 last year from Coker and rec'd the
450/500-18/19 size for my 525/550-18 tires. At first they said they didn't have any that would fit as they only had center stem tubes. Duhhh! That's what fits my car. I no longer have much faith in Coker and realize I must rely on educating myself from more than one source. Perhaps a smaller size tube in both dimensions would work as they will expand quite easily, but a larger tube will pinch. Maybe a 450/500-16 if that exist.


Steve D
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/525-550x17-...=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyre_Trim
It might be worth a try ? I won't deal with Coker anymore as
they have lost there quality control. And as you know they will sell you the closes thing to what you really ordered just to make a sale. patriot It's the American way........


p.k.

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I only buy from Coker as the last resort. I agree that they have lost quality control and customer care. Wonder if Corkie knows that the reputation of his firm is eroding fast?


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Quote
Wonder if Corkie knows that the reputation of his firm is eroding fast?

Corkie either doesn't know or he doesn't care since he is now becoming famous on TV.

laugh wink beer2


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Hope he enjoys his 15+/- minutes of fame and take it to the bank. His business is going to suffer except where he is the only option. May suffer there too as shipping wrong stuff costs both ways.


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Inner tubes from Coker are over priced, anyway. Last time I sent an email to Coker for info, they didn't even bother to write back...Looking for where I bought my last tubes...Great tubes, about $6 bucks cheaper than Coker and they send 3 at the same shipping rate...What was their name...in the mid-west..started with a "T"...I know...Lotta help I am... laugh


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I have always had good luck and service from Lucas Tires in the LA, CA area. When I got my new tires there was a leak in one of the tubes, when I called them I had a new tube in two days.


Sal Orlando
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Wow... I didn't realize that this would uncover such feelings... I guess that I posted it in the right category. It's become more of a "vendor" topic instead of a "technical" topic.

STATUS: I took my tire to DISCOUNT this morning. They pulled the tube, found a small pin-leak. They suggested that I NOT replace it with the new spare tube that I had (18/19 inch). They volunteered to patch it at no charge and mounted it for free. I went that route. It's now home and on my car. Naturally it's holding air just fine - but I haven't driven it yet, since it's friggin' snowing outside. ha ha.

So -- My lessons learned in this event is two-fold:

1) I am not going to trust ANY tire vendors any more about older style tires. Do your own research and listen to the knowledgeable guys on this forum. Use common sense as to which combinations of tires and tubes should be used -- NOT what a vendor has in-stock and tries to pawn off on you.

2) I'm so impressed with DISCOUNT. They went to all of this effort, and I didn't buy the tires NOR the tubes from them!!!! I would have to give them FOUR STARS!!!

3) As for the leak, it was a tiny pinprick. When I surveyed the tire after taking it off the car, I found 4 little, tiny rocks in the tread grooves... Two of them were flat and smooth and came out very easily. The other two had small points facing toward the inner-tread. (They were all just a little bit larger than a grain of rice.) When I popped them out with a screwdriver, the rubber under them was indented and appeared to be punctured, but very, very slightly. I was surprised that the rubber was so soft that the tiny little rocks would make indentions (or punctures) in them. My conclusion is that the rubber used in SOME of the new "old style" tires is not very sturdy... Maybe they have followed the original manufacturing process too closely - and make the reproductions too weak. In any case, they aren't steel-belted radials like we're used to now days.

Thank for the comments. I'm not being critical of COKER in any way. My experience with them has been satisfactory. As far as I know they gave me appropriate tubes last year when I bought all of my tires. I'm surprised that they're "out of stock" right now. And I'm surprised that their numbering system allows such a wide range of sizes to be intermixed. So -- the lesson, once again, is "caveat emptor".

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Those sharp rocks worked on the tube with each revolution of the wheel/tire.

FWIW, I fixed a lot of flats (with tubes) in a service station '52-'55. From '52 to present, anytime I put a tube in a tire I use a lot of talc as to lube between the tire and tube to prevent the tube sticking to the tire. Also, I air to desired pressure, making sure the tire seats on the rim. Then, I remove the valve core and release all air that will escape. This allows the tube to "relax" and any folds to unfold. Then I put the core back in and air to desired pressure a final time. Works for me - - -



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