Excelsior Radial Tires

[inex01]

Two weeks ago I hit pot hole and destroyed one of my wheels which started a very expensive wheel and tire up-grade. All my wheels were not very healthy to begin with and I did have plans to either replace or have trued up. Hitting that darn Pot Hole has actually bought me a positive result.

My friend John told me he had some extra wheels in his barn some where and I would be welcome to them. Well he did have and they were/are in PERFECT CONDITION! these wheels were still the original color and the paint was only dulled the holes where the lugs go are also perfect they look like new. So I paid John $50.00 per wheel which he did no want to accept! brought them home sanded them down and gave them a fresh coat of "Apple Green" (Rustolium FERN) and wow do they look great!. I have been hearing how great the new Excelsior Radial Tires were.

A person I met at one of our local car shows had them on his sedan and told me he would never go back to bias ply because the car was tracking and handling so super. So I bit the bullet "was saving up money anyway" and bought a set. On Saturday it was raining so I mounted all the tires on my new rims and also installed "Balance Beads".

Yesterday my Wife and I took the car for a drive and guys I just do not have the ability to describe how much better this car is now. It does not wander, has a more solid ride and handles so darn well. If you are considering new tires drive someones car before you purchase and you may want to spend the extra bucks. My total tire cost was $1,174.00 with tubes from Mac's

[Pat Martone]

I too, use the Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tires from Coker.
For me, they provide a more stable, enjoyable, and safer ride.
Yes, they cost almost twice the price of a Model A type bias ply tire, but they are supposed to last twice as long as a bias ply tire, according to what a Coker salesperson told me. The tires are rated for inflation up to 44 psi and Coker told me to inflate them to 44 psi, but after experimenting, I keep mine at about 38 psi.

[denis4x4]

I have the Excelsior bias ply tires (good up to 144 MPH) on my roadster. Coker was selling these at a deep discount when they switched over to the radials. They are superior to anything I've had before and will go to the Excelsior radials on the next go around.

[JohnLaVoy]

We have the Excelsior radials on a couple of cars, there will be an article on them in the next issue of the Times. We really like them for ride and handling, plus you get a lot more miles out of a set than the other brands. The picture is on a 1929 Fordor with 21" wheels.

[1931 flamingo]

Depending on the age of the tires replaced, any new ones will be an improvement............
Paul in CT

[mhsprecher]

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I am ready to pull the trigger on some new tires and plan to go with the Excelsior radials. Checking with MACs and Coker, neither offer the radial tube with a metal valve stem. Coker will add them for an additional fee. My car is not show quality, but I like it to be as original as possible if I can. What has others' experience been when buying tubes? Coker is a tad more expensive, but that is with the metal stemmed tubes.

[CarlG]

I almost pulled this same trigger this past weekend. I'm still going to do it, just had to re-prioritize things.

The question that still lurks in my mind is what size to get? I'm leaning toward 550 x 19 for my Pickup. Also don't see matching radial tubes on their website. Metal stems would be nice, but everything I have now has rubber stems.

Freight is the killer coming to Alaska. Coker only wants to ship FedEx 2-day air to Alaska, which is a real big deal $$wise.

[mhsprecher]

Wow, Carl. See what Mac's will do. I would hope that Coker would negotiate on that one.

I have found them and not found them on Coker's web site, so I just called. I did not find them on Mac's web site, so I called. I also read that Summit has them, but I did not find them on their web site. I have not called. Coker recommended the 500 x 19.

[CarlG]

I'm working the freight thru a forwarder in Tacoma. I'll see how that shakes out. Coker does have a warehouse on the West Coast also.

I was only thinking of 550x19's because it is on a Pickup.

[Fullraceflathead]

"I have the Excelsior bias ply tires (good up to 144 MPH) on my roadster".

That's one Helluva Overdrive and Healthy Squirt of Nitrous Oxide in a Model A!!!

Yes I know I took the Quote completely out of context, lol!

[Patrick L.]

I have been thinking that very thing so I'm glad to read these results. I too was wondering what size to get, I don't use side mounts.

It also seems to me that I remember a mileage guarantee, 50K seems to ring that bell. That would kinda make them worth while.

[prpmmp]

Check out Jegs and Summit!! They both carry Excelsior Tires and I believe they come under Free Shipping Policy!! Get the tire numbers from Coker sight then search the Jegs and Summit catalog. Pete

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by prpmmp

Check out Jegs and Summit!! They both carry Excelsior Tires and I believe they come under Free Shipping Policy!! Get the tire numbers from Coker sight then search the Jegs and Summit catalog. Pete

Jegs sez:
Free Shipping & handling is valid on most orders $30 and over shipping via ground service within the contiguous United States only. Alaska doesn't count. Plus, tires have a $10/ea FedEx surcharge anywhere.

Summit is pretty much the same.

[1931 flamingo]

Maybe you could get them shipped via FASTENAL?? Are there any FASTENAL stores anywhere near you??
Paul in CT

[denis4x4]

Went from Excelsior bias to radials last fall. From a visual standpoint, the bias tires look better on the roadster, but the radials sure do perform better. Mine is the #3 car at the Georgetown Hillclimb last fall

[pat in Santa Cruz]

one fellow in our club replaced his 19'' bias with 19 inch Excelsior Stahl Sport Radials right after they became available. He has driven almost 30K miles on them before replacing them. They still had some meat left, but he's going across the country to the Lobsters and Lighthouses tour and did not want to change them on the way back. He figures they would have made it to 30K. I rode with him down the freeway right after he bought them. We were changing lanes at 65-70 in a '30 phaeton, and the car stuck like glue. I was amazed. When I wear out my Coker Classics, I will get Excelsiors.

[Synchro909]

Correct me of I'm wrong but aren't radial tyres only available in 19". Post 4 suggests they are available in 21" too.

[CarlG]

https://www.cokertire.com/tires/bran...rt-radial.html

Says they have 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21 inch tires

[barkleydave]

$1,500 bucks for 5 21 inch tires.... OUCH!

[dpson]

I want to say thanks for starting this post, I didn't realize they made radials for Model A's, so I've learned something today!

[mhsprecher]

I just ordered mine from Jegs. Interesting business model. They order from Coker, who send them to Jegs who then reship them to me with free shipping. From Coker to me, there is a shipping charge. I assume Jegs gets an order by truck with a lot of other items, plus a wholesale discount, so it all works out. I will order my tubes with metal stems from Coker, as it appears that no one else will make metal stemmed tubes for radials.

[Karl]

They are great -The only concern I have is what tubes I should use I'm using new tubes but they are not rated for radials -Is it really a big concern- Karl

[theHIGHLANDER]

Every belted tire equipped car that comes through my shop, with the complaint being how the car wanders, I've found that they're either in need of front suspension service or the tires are over-inflated. 30 cold was the norm on old tires but we've all been "conditioned" by the rubber band tires now found on everything past about 1993. Routine inflation is about 35 PSI. So what would that be once the tire is hot? Probably near 40 PSI easily. My big ol slicks on the racer would gain nearly 2 PSI after the burnout, but the volume is so much less on vintage tires. WAY less on Model A 19" and 21" tires. They fill almost as fast as bicycle tires! Ok, not that fast but you get the point. Radials have merit, no doubt about it, and if you do clock 5 figures a year in your A they might be worth the jack one has to pony up to run em. I don't see my truck ever going 50K miles in my tenure with it. I'd love to see that but the reality is that she's a toy rather than a routine transportation appliance. I guess I might even envy those who drive from state to state every year but running a business and life in general simply won't allow that to happen for me just yet. Some of the folks running the big classics have reported good results too and the ability to travel interstates at 65 MPH. And yet again, for me at least, I'm not sure I want to be rolling a 5K lb classic Packard through freeway traffic. No sway bars, mechanical brakes, punk kids texting. Just an observation FWIW...

[mhsprecher]

Highlander you make some good points. Most of us won't drive enough miles for it to make much of a difference, so the cost/benefit is not there. If I can get some better handling out of the car, it may be worth it. I am getting ready to drive my car to the MARC meet in Canada, so it will be a pretty good trip. My old tires are not up for that kind of a trip, so I am going large with the radials. We shall see.

Safety is another factor to consider, too. Radials grip the road better. What we were told when they first became widely available was that the tire tread had more contact with the road, that you got better gas mileage due to less rolling resistance and shorter stopping distances due to more tread contact with the road.

[pgerhardt]

Interesting thread! I have a question. What is the difference between regular tubes (I put all new ones with metal stems on my tudor last year.) and tubes for radials? If it is just marketing hype I stick with the ones I already have.

[steve s]

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Brand: Excelsior
SKU: 789651
GTIN UPC: 00842199101881
DOT Approved: Yes
Product Size: 550/600R21
Rim Diameter: 21
Tread Width: 4.00
Section Width (Actual): 5.80
Overall Diameter: 32.10
Load Index: 94
Speed Rating: S
Max Load Capacity: 1477@44PSI
Recommended Rim Width: 4.00 - 5.00
Tube Type or Tubeless: Tube Type


Here are COker's specs on their 21" radial. I think it's wayy too big, which is why I got a set of 19" wheels for my 1929 Town Sedan when I wanted to switch. Everything anyone has said about their superiority is true. I got the 550R19; it seemed clear that the smaller ones were going to mess with my speedometer calibration. Here are some photos of how they stack up and look when mounted. I'LL NEVER GO BACK.

THe tubes are $44 and heavier rubber. Also, the stems are too big. IF I had it to do over, I would order smaller custom stems from Coker, and pay the shipping, rather than Summit and free shipping.

[old31]

I am also ready to get new tires but I wish someone would hurry up and add some whitewalls to the radials. I will try to hold off until that happens.

[Synchro909]

I have a friend who runs these radials and he is not impressed. He gets no longer life out of them and they wear unevenly. A couple of them have worn smooth for about 15" while there is still tread elsewhere. Backup was nonexistant.
We travelled together for about 1,500 miles on our recent National Rally and he had 3 flats. An inspection of the inside of the tyres showed why. They are VERY rough and lumpy.
I'm in no hurry to buy a set any more!

[steve s]

Originally Posted by JohnLaVoy

We have the Excelsior radials on a couple of cars, there will be an article on them in the next issue of the Times. We really like them for ride and handling, plus you get a lot more miles out of a set than the other brands. The picture is on a 1929 Fordor with 21" wheels.

John,
One issue I hope you'll address in your article is rim width. I believe MOdel A wheels are 3". Model A tires recommend 2.5" - 3.0". Coker's radials recommend 4" - 5". Is there a safety concern?

I originally was leaning toward the 500R19 because it seemed like it was the least risky in this regard, but I could find no references to satisfied users for that size and lots for the 550R19, so I crossed my fingers and went with the even more oversized ones. I'm surprised to see your use of the 550/600R21. Do they really clear under the fenders?

Another reason I liked the 19's, is they can be balanced with the usual clip on weights.

[burner31]

Firestone 4.75/5.00 X 19" Whitewall 1930-31
4-tires
4-tubes
4-rim liners
$984.10 total includes shipping
Anyone know of a better deal out there
This is thru Synder's

[wensum]

I'm fascinated by the term "radial tubes" When I fitted radials to my A, I simply re-used the old tubes and have had no issues.
Radials on modern cars appear to have notably soft walls and this is visually obvious. However the radials on the Model A appear to have relatively stiff side walls and I can't see the need for specialist tubes? I run mine at 35lbs and so far have had no issues at all and indeed love the improvements they have brought.

[Gil Sissons]

I bought Firestone bias ply from Summit this past Summer.
Tires only....about $650 free shipping and no tax.
Had the tires here within 24hrs.
Summit Racine also has radials.

Gil. NoCal

[john in illinois]

X2 for Summit. They handle all Coker tires. Here are their Firestone model a whitewall. free shipping.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cok-729610/overview/

John

[Dave in MN]

Greetings Guys,
I have been reading the previous posts and all comments except #28 (Synchro909) are positive. I delayed commenting on the Excelsior Stahl Sport Radial Tires until I could obtain photos and speak directly with a friend who has had less than satisfactory results with these tires. Look closely at the photos of the tires...Maybe the tires in the photo are not the same tires as those that are being spoken of so highly in the previous posts.
He purchased 5 of the 5.00R19 84S in 2016 mounted them when he received them and since then has logged about 19,000 miles on them. Early in the life of these tires, he had one develop a flat wear spot and asked for a warranty replacement. Coker did replace one. From the time the replacement tire was installed to now, all of the tires have developed the same wear spots to some degree including the replacement.
The owner reports that with the flat spots, the "out of round" can be felt when at speeds below 25 mph.
The max. pressure rating for these tires is 44# and stated so on the tire. The owner has been running them at 35#. At 35# the tire is holding profile and not looking flat near the bottom as a radial tire often will appear. Update: Coker suggests running these tires at the maximum rating of 44#.

I considered these tires last summer for my touring car, the Phaeton in my avatar, but reconsidered when the flat spot problems became apparent. I purchased a set of '35 wheels and mounted Coker Classic Radials just before we started on our East Coast road trip. I am well satisfied with the ride but they don't look "Model A".

I don't like bashing anyone's product..I am not posting to be negative. I just want a prospective buyer to be aware and to have the "Rest of the story" Good Day!
See attached photos:

[steve s]

I wonder if I ( and most other folks, who bought the 550R19 tires) dodged a bullet. That looks like the same tread pattern (cf. post 26) . Maybe other things are different?? There sure are a lot of satisfied 550R19 users; can anyone else who's used the 500R19 report?

On the other hand, 19,000 miles ain't bad!

One concern I did have about the tread proved unfounded: It looked really clunky and I was afraid it was going to be noisy as snow tires. Amazingly, they are distinctly QUIETER than my FIrestones had been!!

[denis4x4]

As I stated in my original post, I had the Excelsior bias tires and replaced them with the radials. Mine are 16" and I've zero issues with either style. For the record, I'm not running the radial tubes. Can't help but wonder if the storage of the car with lower than called for tire pressure may have contributed to his problems. Tire wear in the photo looks like an alignment issue. Finally, when I have my wheels balanced, I also have the brake drums balanced separately and then as a total unit. This means that I have to install the wheels on specific drums and indexed to the studs.


These tires are mounted on my A powered hot rod and have been used for hill climbs, tours, dyno runs and higher than normal speeds.


There has to be more to the story.

[steve s]

I was interested to notice at the recent MIchhigan Model A Roundup I saw three cars with the 16" radials--all from different manufacturers: General, Goodyear, Firestone as I recall. One other guy had the 550R19's. Unfortunately, didn't get to talk with any of them. If 16 inchers are your thing, you certainly have lots of options.

[steve s]

...... Tire wear in the photo looks like an alignment issue........[/QUOTE]

Denis,
Looks like camber problem to me. What else are you seeing?

Dave,
Did your friend have the same problem irrespective of where the tires were mounted on the car?

Steve

[steve s]

Originally Posted by old31

I am also ready to get new tires but I wish someone would hurry up and add some whitewalls to the radials. I will try to hold off until that happens.

SOmebody reported talking to Coker about this and they said there were no plans for whitewalls. I agree with your sentiment, but life is short and I am already old.

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I have a friend who runs these radials and he is not impressed. He gets no longer life out of them and they wear unevenly. A couple of them have worn smooth for about 15" while there is still tread elsewhere. Backup was nonexistant.
We travelled together for about 1,500 miles on our recent National Rally and he had 3 flats. An inspection of the inside of the tyres showed why. They are VERY rough and lumpy.
I'm in no hurry to buy a set any more!

Is your friend using the 500R or the 550R?

[steve s]

oops

[Dave in MN]

Originally Posted by steve s

...... Tire wear in the photo looks like an alignment issue........

Denis,
Looks like camber problem to me. What else are you seeing?

Dave,
Did your friend have the same problem irrespective of where the tires were mounted on the car?

Steve[/QUOTE]


I just spoke to him on the phone for the third time in two days to clarify and gather more info:
The worst bald spot showed up when the tires were on the rear of the car. The replacement tire he received from Coker has only been run on the front and it is developing the same flat spot at between 5-6000 miles.
Coker suggests that these tires be run at the maximum rated tire pressure of 44#. The tires with the bald spots are being run at 35#. The owner said that if he would run these tires at 44#: "It would shake the car to pieces".
Obviously this owner drives his car often and far; he as put on about 19K miles over the past 3 summers.
Good Day!

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Dave in MN

Denis,
Looks like camber problem to me. What else are you seeing?

Dave,
Did your friend have the same problem irrespective of where the tires were mounted on the car?

Steve

I just spoke to him on the phone for the third time in two days to clarify and gather more info:
The worst bald spot showed up when the tires were on the rear of the car. The replacement tire he received from Coker has only been run on the front and it is developing the same flat spot at between 5-6000 miles.
Coker suggests that these tires be run at the maximum rated tire pressure of 44#. The tires with the bald spots are being run at 35#. The owner said that if he would run these tires at 44#: "It would shake the car to pieces".
Obviously this owner drives his car often and far; he as put on about 19K miles over the past 3 summers.
Good Day![/QUOTE]

That's an important clue: the smaller tires would require more air pressure, but I'm surprised they would recommend teh maximum! Not a lot of margin of error or for occasional heavy loads.

DOes not sound like an alignment issue.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by steve s

Is your friend using the 500R or the 550R?

His were 5.00RX19 tyres. They all ended up showing this uneven wear pattern, even the rear ones. From reports here, it seems his experience is not uncommon. I wonder if the manufacturer has improved the product. I'm now inclined to go with 16 inch wheels rather than use these.

[steve s]

All of the bad reports are for the 500R19, and all reports for 550R19 have been good--I think.

[CarlG]

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I have had no problems with my 550R19's. Close to 10K miles on them now.

[Dave in MN]

Originally Posted by steve s

All of the bad reports are for the 500R19, and all reports for 550R19 have been good--I think.

I agree. Good Day!

[Synchro909]

Seems Excelsior need to bring quality up to scratch on the 5.00 X 19 tyres!

[Benson]

Maybe the mold used to make the 500-19 is defective and the depth of the bottom of the tread varies so it appears that the tire is wearing unevenly?

Maybe some measurements of distance from center of tires to bottom of tread on tires with little or moderate wear are in order?

Additional changes made to original post.

[wensum]

I have Excelsior 5.00 19s on my Speedster and when fitted required relocating on the rim and in one case quite a lot of balance weights to get them properly balanced.
However, I have had no problems since and the improvement to the steering is simply wonderful!