Bias Plys vs. Radials... Chime in folks!

What are you driving on and why?

Stacey

 

Not Cokers

 

Oh, boy. This is gonna be good...

 

Coker Classic Bias-Plys 'cuz they were on my car when I bought it... gonna be changing before too long to radials probably not Cokers after hearing th stories.

 

lot of question ey?? - welcome on board
just take a look at them and you'll know - one of them looks in style the other don't

 

Are there horror stories?

We had some experience with really bad and super dangerous tires on our Vespas.

My chevy has Sears Allstate Bias plys on it that are in good shape (but OLD), but I'm getting radials from Diamondback classics this week.

Stacey

 

Go back two or three days in the posts - you will find the longest thread of tire opinions in the world...

 

bias plys look way better- nobody can argue that, but i like drivin @ 100+ mph and fer that you can't beat radials- i just got a set of portawalls on my rod, and they look great, and my pontiac is gettin skinned with www radials i got off of tuck

 

You'd think someone would be able to get the look part sorted out (if it's purely an aesthetic difference). Would any venture to say that the bias-plys handle or perform better?

Am I opening a flat black primer vs. shiny paint can of worms kinda thing here.. hee hee

Stacey

 

Thanks, I will...!

Stacey

 

If anybodys runnin em, Could someone post a pic of the 16" "skinny"(6.00 or 6.50 equiv) radials, Id like to see how they look on a car, or how bad the "bulge" is

 

1940 GMC flatbed truck, 60's style "custom rod" with skinny white walls.

front - P185/70R14 Futura 2000 Radial LTE
Rear - P235/75R15 Futura 2000 Radial ATD

On (rusting from cat piss) chrome smoothies with baby moons.

I bought the tires in April of '98 and they still have about 70% of the tread left.
The tires cost, for all four, mounted, balanced, tax and license, total out the door, $235.01

Store, THE PEP BOYS, Manny, Moe, and Jack!

 

Stacey, go here and you be the judge

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=181642&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

 

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My chevy has Sears Allstate Bias plys on it that are in good shape (but OLD), but I'm getting radials from Diamondback classics this week.

Stacey

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can i have your bias plys?????

 

Just to clarify,

I finished reading the Coker thread. My question is more a type of tire question than a brand of tire question...

Advantages and disadvantages of each type with respect to wear, handling, etc.

Stacey

 

I think they've been promised to someone already...

I'll let you know if not.

Stacey

 

Love my firestone Bias ply tires, just stay out of the groove

 

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I'll let you know if not.

Stacey

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thanks!!

 

Stacey, alot will depend on the distances and speed you plan on traveling on a regular basis.

 

How about driving like an asshole? Is that an important factor?

hahaha

I'm probably going to drive some distances but with no disk brakes, I think I'll be keeping my speed down till I get a handle on driving the massive beast.


Stacey

 

If bias ply tires were worth a shit, the major manufacturers would still be making them. As tire technology advanced, along came radials to support the performance industry. I grew up with bias ply tires and porta walls, and my preference is still, and will always be, my Halibrands and huge big and little radials! I like solids and I'll always like the ageless American Torque Thrust wheel, but bias ply tires don't belong on a high performance "anything"! They belong in a museum!

Shoe

 

If bias ply tires were superior or even equal to the quality and road handling qualities of a radial, don't you think the major brands would still be making and selling them?

They are made by a precious few companies to put on "restorations" of cars that had them on their wheels when the cars were built, (or rebuilt, or modified, or hotrodded, take your pick of term there.)

(edit)
Guess John posted the same idea while I was typing!

 

Amen to that John, This is the same reason I put safety belts and turn signals on my vehicles.. certainly not for looks that's for sure. Now if I was only driving my rod downtown and not cross state. I might consider the better looking Bias plys.

 

Yes I do. I was just curious about why people still drive on bias plys if there's a better alternative. I didn't know if it was a looks, authenticity, or "experience" deal so i thought I'd ask...

Stacey

 

I've had the...uhhh...EXPERIENCE of driving on both over the years, and I can honestly say that my last set of bias tires was my LAST set of bias tires!

On the plus side, bias tires look more period-correct on nostalgic rods and kustoms, and they slide a little easier...not to mention being supremely "smokeable" when the urge strikes! But...it's not worth the trade-offs!

After swearing up and down that the front end was FUCKED on my old 69 Mustang, I was getting ready to replace it all...from wheel to wheel. My Dad suggested new tires, and gave me the used radials off of his Maverick when he bought new ones. Just bolting them on cured ALL of the Mustang's handling ills! It stopped wandering all over the road and trying to follow every crack...and saved me lots of time and money on front end parts I didn't really need!

I suspect that many here who complain of ill handling and steering issues may be able to solve alot of their problems with even a cheap set of radials! For the record, those cheap $25 apiece Pep Boys radials are actually rated very good (Traction, Treadwear and Temperature ratings on the sidewall) and they drive beautifully! Thin white striped radials for $100 a set (plus mounting and balancing, of course!).

And FIRESTONES....they can't even make a good RADIAL...avoid them like the plauge! You will no doubt hear someone say how wonderfull they are...the ONE guy who hasn't had one disintegrate on him or blow apart on the highway...but having spent many years in the retail tire business...I learned long ago to avoid Firestone tires!

Bottom line...unless I find myself owning another Swamp Romper with 44" mudders...I'm THROUGH with bias tires! The only possible exception might be to run 'em on the BACK only...but for the added traction, control, safety and tire life, I'll stick to radials at all four corners from now on in most cases!

(Just to offer a quick note, though...radial tires have a softer sidewall that is not nearly as forgiving as a bias tire...for those of you who "park by braile" or bounce off curbs too often! Also, tire inflation is slightly more critical with radials than with bias....but those characteristics do not outweigh the advantages of radials in my book!)

 

By your arguments, John and DrJ, we should all be driving new Toyotas!! They stopped making all steel cars too.

 

I run the bias plys on the roadster because it has no fenders and it needs the look.
My 48 has www radials bcuase I drive the piss out of it and the tread of the tire is not seen as much on a full fendered car.
The bias plys on the roadster are a pain in the ass. Getting them balanced is hard and keeping them balanced is impossible. Plus the thing get squirrely in the rain above 55.
Clark

 

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I was just curious about why people still drive on bias plys if there's a better alternative.

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Could be the same reason someone would choose to drive a car practically made in the Stone Age when there are far superior alternatives available.

You really gunna keep that babit pounding stove bolt in there and expect it to perform as well as a modern motor?

Paul

 

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By your arguments, John and DrJ, we should all be driving new Toyotas!! They stopped making all steel cars too.

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HONDAS they should all be driving Hondas...(Wife works for Honda, Toyota is "the enemy next door")

Driving these old cars is a HOBBY!
When these cars were being customized in the 40's and 50s they were NEW CARS!
A parallel in the 40's would have been driving a horse and stylish buggy and discussing hard rubber of wrought iron tires!

 

[ QUOTE ]
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I was just curious about why people still drive on bias plys if there's a better alternative.

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Could be the same reason someone would choose to drive a car practically made in the Stone Age when there are far superior alternatives available.

You really gunna keep that babit pounding stove bolt in there and expect it to perform as well as a modern motor?

Paul


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pretty good points . I have Bias ply tires on all of my old cars and wouldnt use radial tires on them for any reason . In my oppinion radials handle like crap on an old car . they washout , feel mushy , and also in my oppinion look like crap . I have had them on cars that I have driven all up & down the coast , as daily drivers and never had any problems or complaints with looks or how they handle . of course I might be an exception to the rule . . . . but I also know ALOT of others who have simmilar stories .

I would say dont put radial tires on your car because they are ugly and handle poorly in comparison to biasply tires . I have also had a few old cars that had radials and they felt like i was driving on a bar of soap . if you have a modern front suspension , then modern tires will work better . if you have an old suspesnsion then you would want tires that were state of the art for the suspension on your auto .

I get my tires from Coker and have always had good dealings with them . the tires have stayed white , stayed on the car , and stayed together for the life of the tires . I will keep buying from them in the future . hope that helps somehow . . . welcome to the mess we call the H.A.M.B.