A new thread!! Firestone Bias Ply Tires

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by OldGold360

It sounds funny to me to hear some folks say they prefer a radial tire because it produces a better ride on their 90 year old vehicle.

It won't sound FUNNY once you actually experience driving on BIAS tires, then changing to RADIAL tires on the same vehicle. Night & day difference.

Coop

.

[ct1932ford]

I have used Firestone bias on many cars over the years. I have them on my two 32 Fords I own now. They have been very good. I do not use the tubes from Coker however. I get the tubes from my local tire shop. They are heavier.

[OldGold360]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

It won't sound FUNNY once you actually experience driving on BIAS tires, then changing to RADIAL tires on the same vehicle. Night & day difference.

Coop

.

I’ve driven on both and I prefer original style bias-ply tires on my classics, and yes I drive them past the coffee shop, but this wasn’t my point. All I was saying is that there are so many “upgrades” that can be done to these 90 year old vehicles. Why not throw a SBC in there as well and change to IFS? It was meant as a light hearted comment but the radial guys had to chime in on a bias-ply thread. 20 years ago, my daily driver had bias-ply tires and my commute to work was 40 miles one way on the freeway. Also, my offroad vehicle had 42” tall bias-ply tires. Try driving on these on a cold day after it was parked for a week. You’ll never complain about the OEM Ford bias-ply tires again.

FYI - I park on “Flatstoppers” and have found that they help for a smooth ride. Also, double check that the tires spin true when new. Every now and then one is slightly out of round and either needs to be replaced or shaved.

[d.conrad]

I've had several sets of Firestone bias ply tires, always with tubes. Has anybody out there put them on '40 Ford wheels without tube? I've heard it's been done.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

I'm inclined to agree with OldGold360 about bias ply tires. I put a set of Coker classic-look radials on my '36 pickup, which has an entirely stock suspension; after a seemingly never-ending series of pinch flats, despite heavy duty radial specific tubes and 40 psi inflation, I went back to Firestone bias tires. I have never had another pinch flat. My driving is a mix of freeway, in town, and country back roads; it tracks perfectly true on the freeway at 55-60 without any problems, and I really didn't see much advantage to the radials driving at reasonable speeds on curvy roads. I would never consider bias ply tires on any other car I own, but for the '36 they work really well. I actually wound up giving the set of radials to a local 'Barner when I switched back to bias ply.

Adam

[OldGold360]

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Originally Posted by Adam/Mill Valley CA

I'm inclined to agree with OldGold360 about bias ply tires. I put a set of Coker classic-look radials on my '36 pickup, which has an entirely stock suspension; after a seemingly never-ending series of pinch flats, despite heavy duty radial specific tubes and 40 psi inflation, I went back to Firestone bias tires. I have never had another pinch flat. My driving is a mix of freeway, in town, and country back roads; it tracks perfectly true on the freeway at 55-60 without any problems, and I really didn't see much advantage to the radials driving at reasonable speeds on curvy roads. I would never consider bias ply tires on any other car I own, but for the '36 they work really well. I actually wound up giving the set of radials to a local 'Barner when I switched back to bias ply.

Adam

Plus you can’t beat the look of a bias-ply.