Projects Radial or Bias Ply on a full-fendered A?

Like you said, it can be a can of worms, but I’m running the bias look a likes from Coker. Used the alliance discount to get them. 15” and they look and ride good. Currently rocking the original banger, but my 8BA will be going in hopefully this month (just tore it down to paint this weekend.)


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OK, so maybe we start with clarifying things. I worded my post poorly, it's not like the old chassis' were designed specifically for bias ply tires, or that newer chassis' were designed specifically for radial tires, but the 2 technologies progressed along a similar time line. So prior to the 65 time frame we're dealing with here on the HAMB, chassis & suspension design was primarily based around leaf spring suspension, both transverse and parallel, along with minimal to no anti-sway technology, rubber bushings, lever and primitive tube shock absorbers, elevated centers of gravity, non-power steering and the like. Tire technology was based almost entirely on bias ply designs, narrow widths, tall sidewall profiles, etc. Gradually, as suspension technology transitioned to more independent suspensions, coil springs, improved shock absorbers, and lowered centers of gravity, spring rates were soft, and cars floated down the road, and they rolled a lot into corners; tire widths expanded and sidewall profiles decreased, rubber compounds used in the tread designs increased traction, but the tires matched up well with the chassis design. Eventually radial tire technology gradually became dominant, widths increased even more, especially in the front, and sidewall profiles shrank even more, and we got a lot more choices for wheel offsets and we shortened rear axles where needed or tubbed the wheel wells, and we were able to stuff wide, short sidewall tires under our cars; and hot rodders responded by lowering their cars even more, adding increased spring rates, if anti-sway bars were not OEM equipment by then, we added them. If they were OEM, we swapped them for larger diameter bars. We swapped the soft rubber bushings for hardened rubber with increased durometer ratings, even polyurethane. Most of the cars had power steering and power brakes, or we added them. Old school tubular shocks were swapped out for adjustable gas charged shocks. All of these things tightened up the suspension and reduced body roll significantly. But we've left the era of HAMB friendly cars and hot rods now. Most of all this later development all happened well past the mid 60's.

So now we take tires designed for post HAMB era cars/chassis/suspension, and we stuff them on those earlier cars, and it's not a great match. The lower profiles and the traction coefficients result in tires that respond out of sync with the chassis, upsetting the chassis and inducing a lot of body roll, leading to less predictable handling. I think that it just doesn't work well to just add the advanced tire designs without all the other advancements in chassis designs too.

Now, I'm pretty sure I didn't tell you anything you didn't already know. But you asked, and there it is. And you could've arrived at the same point yourself without me typing all of this, if you just thought about it a little.

Beaner, how'd I do?

 

Can't hardly tell they are Radials tucked under the fenders of my A

 

Bias ply. Nothing else should be considered no matter the circumstances.

From The Desk Of
Ryan Cochran
.......................................................

 

Bias plies...550/16 and 700/16s. Keep em aired up properly and they work nicely and look way cool.

 

On the Traditional Forum (where your question is posed) there is only one choice otherwise its inspired...and even if they completely match the look and profile which they haven't they are still inspired. This question should have been asked in the The Hokey Ass Board Forum.

There is tolerance here for the Inspired Bias and Non Bias Look (because some aren't even close) Radial but the true answer...whatever type of Hotrod/Custom vehicle graces the Traditional Forums is Bias Ply only. Thats your answer plain and simple. This also highlights the importance of where a question is posed. Its just a matter of principle and respect to the board and the members who make every effort to be truly Traditional.

In an inspired Hokey Ass way if you gotta go radial get something as close to the ones shown that closely mimic the original Bias.

Grandpas car deserves at a minimum this if radial is chosen...I just realized there is no Grandpa...

 

My apologies, I still miss the tech forum.

~ Carl

 

looking for an answer, can I run 16" wires on stock Model A drums? do I need that support ring? thanks, mike

 

sure can! I didnt use the ring,but some need to.


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Right, no flat spots from being parked a couple months.

 

Even radials will flat spot if parked long enough. My OT truck waited 10 months for a new transmission. The nice almost new tires flat spotted, but have returned to almost round now that it's a driver again.
It's hard to beat the looks of bias ply tires on an old car.
-Dave

 

'35 and earlier wire wheels on '28-'35 drums never need adapters. Only needed when putting '35 and earlier wheels on '40 and later drums.

Dave