Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

[Michael J.]

I have decided to bite the bullet and gain some points by installing Firestone SS Gold stripe tires (with proper DOT stamp) on my '66 coupe which has the knock-offs. Since I have never had the wheels off (lead hammer still pristine), let alone had tires changed on them, I am looking for some pointers when I take it in to my local tire shop for mounting and balancing. I understand the cone is attached with an adhesive strip, after it comes off so the wheels can go on the tire mounting machine, how does it go back on? I am pretty sure the shop can handle the wheels and tires, they have changed the huge MB and Porsche tires for me in the past. Anything else I should look for to help the mechanic? Thanks.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

No need to take the cone off.

[John H.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

(lead hammer still pristine)

Michael -

Leave it that way- it's for one-time roadside emergency use only, and removing/installing four wheels will destroy it. Get a REAL lead hammer; Google "M u t h e r -Thumper" (spaces inserted so the censor robot doesn't get involved) and you'll get sources. Imperial Hammer in Rockford, Illinois also makes REAL lead hammers, but I don't think they sell retail any more.

[John D.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Would 66 tires have a DOT stamp ? I thought it wasn't added until some time in 1967 ?

[Jay G.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Make SURE the tire people know what the'yre doing. MAKE sure. Stand over and direct. My 63 L-76 Ragtop Vette in 93 had all the insurances they knew how to install knock-offs. (Repos) The tire dealer was Discount Tire. On way back to Evergreen Colo. front wheels came off at 55mph on Hwy 74. Did a 360 , then a 180 wound up in the ditch. They paid for all repairs. Since then you can't be either too sure or swear off knock-offs. STAND over em on install.

[Michael J.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Would 66 tires have a DOT stamp ? I thought it wasn't added until some time in 1967 ?

Well, I don't know, but the description at Corvette Central says this:

1965-1966TIRE - 775-15 FIRESTONE GOLD LINE (ND) HAS DOT RATING 642120

[Michael J.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Make SURE the tire people know what the'yre doing. MAKE sure. Stand over and direct. My 63 L-76 Ragtop Vette in 93 had all the insurances they knew how to install knock-offs. (Repos) The tire dealer was Discount Tire. On way back to Evergreen Colo. front wheels came off at 55mph on Hwy 74. Did a 360 , then a 180 wound up in the ditch. They paid for all repairs. Since then you can't be either too sure or swear off knock-offs. STAND over em on install.

Wow!!! That's a scary Halloween thought. Maybe I should get one of those triangular torque gizmos they sell for these wheels?

[Donald T.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Well, I don't know, but the description at Corvette Central says this:

1965-1966TIRE - 775-15 FIRESTONE GOLD LINE (ND) HAS DOT RATING 642120

Original C2 tires would not have DOT markings. All modern tires are required by law to carry DOT markings, so the repros all have them. DOT markings came about in the early 70's.

[Paul D.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Well, I don't know, but the description at Corvette Central says this:

1965-1966TIRE - 775-15 FIRESTONE GOLD LINE (ND) HAS DOT RATING 642120

I think that catalog description is advising you about the DOT marking being present when it was not on original '66 and older tire. They're not BRAGGING, they are WARNING. Chip.

[Michael J.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

I think that catalog description is advising you about the DOT marking being present when it was not on original '66 and older tire. They're not BRAGGING, they are WARNING. Chip.

Oh, so that is why they are so cheap
But seriously, if they have a DOT then I will lose points, maybe as much as just leaving the Coker Classic Radial Gold Stripes on? Does anyone sell the Firestone SS Gold stripe bias ply without those markings? If all repops have them then everyone loses points without 44 year old rubber on, right?

[Donald T.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Oh, so that is why they are so cheap
But seriously, if they have a DOT then I will lose points, maybe as much as just leaving the Coker Classic Radial Gold Stripes on? Does anyone sell the Firestone SS Gold stripe bias ply without those markings? If all repops have them then everyone loses points without 44 year old rubber on, right?

The repos will likelly have a small deduction because of the DOT markings. However, the bias ply repos will score better then your radials, because they are closer in configuartion to the originals.

[Dick W.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Would 66 tires have a DOT stamp ? I thought it wasn't added until some time in 1967 ?

I believe DOT mandated 1-1-68. Early '68 production cars have been documented with DOT information labels attached to the tires

[Jack H.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

YES! To reinforce what Dick said, the official date for DOT compliance was 1/1/68. Then, each mfgr 'made up' their own sequence which embedded the information required by DOT and treated it as proprietary.

The 4/71 date is when DOT standardized the specific sequence across all mfgrs and that's still in use today.

The 'stick-on' label was a rare birdie. What did you do as a tire mfgr with WIP (work in progress) in December of '67 as you approached the magic 1/1/68 effective date? IF that WIP was made before there were inserts to the molds available to emboss the rubber, stick-on labels appear to be the work around used by some mfgrs...

I saw one on a '68 car from Belgium that we judged in London England back in 1998. The owner had never dropped the spare tire tub and judges had to kindly/gently help him out. That car's VIN based build date was approximately mid-Jan, 1968 and the tire was a Goodyear.

I can't say how long the stick-on label method persisted or if that technique was done by other tire manufacturers. But, that's probably the rarest of the rare as far as mass production tires go!

[John H.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Wow!!! That's a scary Halloween thought. Maybe I should get one of those triangular torque gizmos they sell for these wheels?

Not necessary - all you need is a good lead hammer. The potential issue with tire stores is that they don't know that there are ten ways to orient the KO wheel on the adapter hub, and five of them are wrong and will definitely result in the wheel coming off, especially if you don't have the special "long" lug nuts on the adapter hub that prevent the wheel from being oriented wrong.

Stand there and make sure the wheels are installed correctly, and take your (new) lead hammer with you - they won't have one.

[Michael J.]

Re: Changing tires on Quick-take-off wheels

Thanks to everyone for all the great info and advise. I have looked around other threads on this topic and they mention locking pins on the spinner of the KO wheels. Mine don't have any. Do they make KO wheels without locking pins you can see on the spinner?