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History Bias versus radials...Oh noo!! Not again!!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hotrodmano, Nov 7, 2017.

  1. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Bias ply tires generally are not available at tire stores, these days. Mostly you have to get repops, such as made and sold by Coker. They are expensive. There are some quality issues, but I've heard they will replace them if there's a problem...but shipping might be an issue, still.

    You can't see that stuff, mostly. But on a hot rod, especially without fenders, tires are front and center in "the look".
     
  2. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    Aren't most of those hwy's you're running on non-grooved asphalt paved? The only problem I ever have with bias ply tires is on on rain grooved concrete fwys, and then it's not really a problem, you just kind of "float" about over the grooves. It's never been a safety issue in my experience. 80 - 85 is a piece of cake on bias tires. What's the issue here?

    So I'm curious how you feel about disc brakes, non-collapsible steering columns/linkage, non-padded dashboards, shoulder belts and other common features of modern cars that have evolved for safety reasons. How do those fit on to a traditional hot rod?
     
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  3. Hey Mods!
    Can we get this thread merged with the 2door Vs 4door discussion?
    Then we would have two threads on the same dead end street....
     
    117harv, hotrodmano and Old wolf like this.
  4. Rand Man
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 4,860

    Rand Man
    Member

    I think most any member of this board would agree that bias-ply tires look better on a traditional hot rod. The great thing about message boards; if something doesn't interest you, you can simply scroll down.

    A guy just sent me a photo of his '32 Ford with the new "bias-look" radials. I think they look great! I suppose I would have never guessed they were radials, unless I were to stare at the car from all angles. He says it rides and handles fine. I agree that anybody that's actually in the market for tires would appreciate any first-hand reports and pictures of "bias-look" radials.
     
    BigDogSS likes this.
  5. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Why do the real thing, when you can fake it?

    :)
     
    49ratfink, Fordor Ron and Old wolf like this.
  6. 28dreyer
    Joined: Jan 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,166

    28dreyer
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I believe a bias looking radial is laid up with radial cord and belt elements in a bias mold (think clam shell) with a bias profile/tread pattern and expanded out to the mold and vulcanized. The pictured tire clearly shows the flash line from the mold opening circumferentially around the center of the tire.

    A radial tire mold is segmented like a pieces of pie and is closed into the laid up tire so as not to stretch the cords and belt, and vulcanized, leaving tell tale radial flash lines from the mold segments. That's how you identify a true radial tire.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2017
  7. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    see how thick the rubber is on the sidewall, next the tread. They look kind of heavy, to me
     
  8. I knew where there was a tractor tire that had been holding air since the '60s but the guy wouldn't let me have the air from it. :rolleyes::D
     
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  9. Stock Racer
    Joined: Feb 28, 2010
    Posts: 1,070

    Stock Racer
    Member

    I prefer the look of bias tires but the bias look radials are pretty decent. I believe everybody needs to do what they like. What sends me over the edge is when someone starts busting balls on someones thread that this isn't right and that's not traditional. Then you see a pic of their car and it has those awful radial looking radials.
     
    hotrodmano likes this.
  10. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,059

    1946caddy
    Member
    from washington

    Know what you mean, those "air hoarders" are the worst to deal with.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2017
  11. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    It's weird to me that people argue about this kind of shit on the internet. It's almost as bad as politics.

    I mean, I won't ever run radial tires on my hot rod... and no one is gonna change my mind on the topic by presenting their own reasoning or by calling me a fool.

    Along the same lines, I have no interest in changing someone else's mind about the topic either. I mean, I just don't care... at all...

    Hell, I'm kind of down on myself for even replying to this thread.
     
  12. And now you have replied 3 times.:confused::D
     
    cactus1, pat59, Stogy and 1 other person like this.
  13. I hardly ever buy new tires. And I have better luck with used Bias ply than I do used radials. And I certainly don't drive 80 & 85 MPH on the public roads. I like to drive about 58 MPH no matter if the speed limit is 55 or 75MPH. I use a bubble balancer to balance my tires. I also have a few tire machines and mount all my own tires and fix my own flats. I also run a lot of the old split rims and fix them myself. Try to find a long valve stem radial truck tube and liner? So lots of things are not my cup of tea. I haven't any desire for things like overdrive transmissions or power brakes. Heck my daily driver 66 GMC doesn't even have a working heater. The local highways are so beat to death by Chicken Haulers that they are washboarded potholed and patched on you couldn't tell any difference between radials or bias or a out of round tire and a perfectly round one. We reciently drove on US 412 to Salem Ar. The 412 highway between Ash flat and Salem was washboard the entire distance.
     
  14. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    As trivial as it is it is a part of the package that represents the Hamb related content. You have spent alot of time shaping the molds and have pretty clear dividing lines that we should respect.

    The World of Vintage Hotrod is an experience I have had to grow into in reverse. I missed it growing up as I was to young.

    Part of that is this discussion. Where does it all fit and clarifying...you help put these things into context. Thank you and the others for giving this situation some boundaries.

    I applaud the manufacturers trying to mimic the old in a blend but I shall never tire of the old.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2017
  15. Was it old air or the new fangled stuff?
     
  16. Yes you can run bias plys till they where so thin if you run over a sharp marshmallow you get a flat.
     
  17. i had a bias ply tire worn so thin, you could see the air on the inside.:D;)
     
    Stogy likes this.
  18. 28TudorAZ
    Joined: Dec 29, 2016
    Posts: 114

    28TudorAZ

    This is a really dumb topic. I actually feel more dumber for reading some of it. Carry on if you must.
     
    flynbrian48 likes this.
  19. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    ^^^^Will the spare tire on your avatar pic fit under it's front fender?
     
  20. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    Blades or cavity backs? :eek:
     
  21. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    I like the tradition look, always have but is does seem odd that the traditional guys would downsize the ever shrinking pool of trad rodders...
    we are grey haired...the rate of getting new rodders involved isn't replacing the grim reapers conquests...
    IMO..... if a young guy shows up with radials on a fenderless A roadster... I will not slam him for his tire choice... just glad to have him join us...
     
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  22. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Was it period air by chance Beaner is lookin for some...

    I posted one of them in a thread a while ago...its funny when I saw this thing I thought it was a slick but naw I thought that the farmer whose farm I was visiting for a photo rust adventure was pretty removed from that stuff.

    Baldie.jpg

     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2017
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  23. models916
    Joined: Apr 19, 2012
    Posts: 379

    models916
    Member

  24. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I don't think its dumb at all. It represents decisions we make with the vehicles and where they fit in here...ya got three choices...Forums that are all linked in Virtuality.

    1) Bias Plys 1965 and down Repro and original = Traditional

    Traditional Hotrod/Traditional Custom

    2) Radials retro look or not = Inspired and not really inspired as some don't look remotely close to vintage

    Hokey Ass Message Board

    On a related note and mentioned here and often raising Traditional banter is mechanicals i.e. Vega boxes same...not Traditional = Hokey Ass Message Board.

    I respect it and the times have changed here several years ago being Forum Structure and you have to fit your ride accordingly and you know whats in and out better than anyone but we all have eyes...very sharp ones at that and its best to do the right thing. Your no less a Hamber being in the proper forum.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2017
  25. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    It was OK the first 687 times..........
     
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  26. hotrodmano
    Joined: May 3, 2011
    Posts: 412

    hotrodmano
    Member
    from Norway

    Jupp. I met them too. They are so "bloated".

    Sent from my SM-G930F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  27. hotrodmano
    Joined: May 3, 2011
    Posts: 412

    hotrodmano
    Member
    from Norway

    Then I would slowly d i e in a dark corner

    Sent from my SM-G930F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  28. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I thought @a boner said 87 did he miss a 6...:p
     
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  29. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER


    0_20161031_151828.jpg
    Bias Ply Breakfast

     
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