New Firestone 4.00-12 Tri-Ribs....I'm Bummed

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

I needed a set of front skinnies for my '77, as the originals are shot. Still hold air, but no tread to speak of. Could keep using them, but they just don't look right. So I'm hunting around on ePay and I run across a guy selling a set of Firestone Tri-Ribs on implement rims. He claims they were bought new last year with the rims, but never installed and they sat outside since then. The pics were ok, but not detailed enough to tell for sure if they were un-used. But he only wanted $55 for the pair and he was shipping them from Minnesota to Maryland for free, so I figured I'd roll the dice. I was getting ready to buy some junk Chinese fronts anyway, because that's really all I could find for less than $100 a pair......so good ol' US of A Firestones sounded like a great deal.

They arrived today, a few days after I bought them, in a box that was a bit too heavy for my girlfriend, so I heard about it. Well, the tires are indeed unused. No cracks or gouges or any indications the tires ever touched the ground. I dismounted them and the tubes looked new as well and were also made by Firestone. The rims are also new, made by D.I.D Japan in size 12x3.00D, but hopefully somebody on ePay could use them. When I got all done I washed the tire black grunge off my hands, cleaned the tires, rims and tubes and took a good look at the tires. Wouldn't you know it..............Firestones made in Japan! UGGGGH! I'm bummed. I thought I scored the deal of the week and got a new set of AMERICAN tires for my Cub.......and I failed miserably. Oh the shame.

Well, regardless.........tomorrow baby gets a new pair of shoes. Japanese shoes.........but so be it.

regards,
bob

[Super A]

I like to by American, but If I could find a set of new Firestone Champion Ground Grips with the original tread like they had in 1948, I wouldn't care if they were made on Mars!

Al

[tst]

those are repros of the old firestone from Miller tire, he told me he cannot get USA companies to make these and other old tires so he is forced to go over seas, I do not like the foreign ones myself but if you want the old style he is the one that makes them along with others

[Frozenstate]

I wanted Firestone fronts a few years ago. Found out they were made in Mexico. I bought the Chinese crap ones at less than 1/2 the cost and couldn't be happier.
I needed a very strange size for my Mercedes 230sl and I had BF Goodrich, American made and wore those out.
Decided to try some Sumitomos, made in China with a higher speed rating, I needed 125 mph. They were $55.00 each. These are the best handling tires I have ever had.
I would buy Chinese tires again.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

I guress that as with most things in life there's good Chinese tires and crap Chinese tires. I put a set of "East-West" Chinese made Tri-Ribs on my '59 Cub a couple years ago.....both tubes that came with those tires started leaking on Friday. When I pulled the tires off I could see they were all cracked, thru the sidewall and in the ribs themselves. The tubes were both leaking at the base of the valve stem. So I wouldn't recommend buying THOSE Chinese tires (or tubes). When I looked for new tri-ribs last week there actually weren't very many choices to chose from.........but I believe they were all made overseas. I guess if you find good Chinese tires..........stick with 'em.

regards,
bob

[tst]

American farmer and Titan still make USA tri ribs

[rcupka]

I am really happy with my Super Kings although they are from India. Segmented outer ribs look very vintage.

[Matt Kirsch]

I've been happy with my "crap" tires also, so far. Can't remember if they were Deestones or Harvest Kings. I think Deestones because Miller sells that brand, and if they're good enough for Miller, they're good enough for me.

We're going to see how the Harvest Kings hold up on A REAL tractor, LOL.

[T-Mo]

All this talk about imported tires, for some reason, reminds me of the opening of the original WKRP in Cincinnati tv show where the ad playing on the radio claimed, "real, imitation plastic!"

[Gary S.]

Well Firestone is owned by Bridgestone.....

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Removed the tires from my '77 this afternoon and found that the original tires, tubes and rims were all made by Firestone. I'll get some pics up in a separate post later tonight. The other interesting thing is that the rims were originally white and sprayed red when the tractor was sprayed, as the area behind the spindle is still white on the rims. I'm guessing that since they didn't make all that many red ones late in production they simply used the white rims, which they had tons of. Also a pretty crappy paint job, as the white is showing thru where the red was very thinly applied on what would have been the lower side of the rim when on the tractor........but at that point production was dropping rapidly, so who cared?

regards,
bob

[Barnyard]

Bob, you are just a short 10 hour drive to the Barnyard Bash, Load that Cub up and get on up here so we can take a look at it. You are closer than most if the others who will be here.

[w30bob]

Hi Barnyard,

Would love to come to the party.......but I'm thinking those short 10 hour drives may be a thing of the past. Maybe when a Cub-fest comes a little closer to the East Coast we can meet up. There are Cubs further east than Ohio.....aren't there?

regards,
bob