Radial versus Bias ?

[Bob NH]

Just read opinions from a while back on here regarding two types of tires. It is time to replace those I have and I'm still up in the air which to go with ? I got pricing from Diamond Back for bias look radials and from E-bay selling Cokers . One will ship free and the other wants $102.00 to my zip code. Not so important as what will be best to install ? At 82 I may not be around when they need changing next time ! What say you guys ? Pretty sure there are many different answers out there . Looking for the average I think.

[34fordy]

Originally Posted by Bob NH

Just read opinions from a while back on here regarding two types of tires. It is time to replace those I have and I'm still up in the air which to go with ? I got pricing from Diamond Back for bias look radials and from E-bay selling Cokers . One will ship free and the other wants $102.00 to my zip code. Not so important as what will be best to install ? At 82 I may not be around when they need changing next time ! What say you guys ? Pretty sure there are many different answers out there . Looking for the average I think.

I dunno Bob--Just went to a 100th birthday party for an old friend--He still drives every day and very well I would say--You may need a couple more sets of rubber before you check out--Good Luck--Don

P.S. Beautiful car!! Like my first in 1962 for $100

[mike42]

Bob.....

I have a '40 Sedan and went from bias to Coker Radials. BIG-BIG difference in ride as well as handling. I bought mine from Summit and free shipping. Expensive, but I will only buy them once.

Good luck.

Mike

[Vic Piano]

If you drive your car regularly, I'd go with radial tires. I have the Coker 6.00x16 radial wide white wall tires on my '39 Convertible Sedan (I run them tubeless on the OEM wide five rims. I have radials on all my antique vehicles, except my '39 Lincoln Zephyr. On the LZ I run 6 ply Bias Ply 7.00x16 B.F. Goodrich wide white walls...

[blucar]

I have been using radial tires on everything I have owned since 1969, the list includes everyday vehicles, classic's, hot rods, RV's and work vehicles from 1/2 tons to 18 wheeler's. The only exception is my '36 Ford. I purchased new bias ply tires for my '36 in 1972. The car has not been driven much since '72, it spends most of it's time sitting on axle stands in the garage.
Last year my brother needed new tires for his '37 Ford so I had the tires removed from my '36, gave them to my brother so he could take his car to a car show. I am going to buy new radials for the '36, why am I going to buy radials for a car that is not driven much? I like how radials drive and ride. I learned a long time ago that your life is riding on a small rubber band, with that thought in mind I have always wanted the best rubber that I could buy between me and the road bed.

[expavr]

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I think the decision depends on what type of driving you will primarily be doing. If there will be more high speed (50+ MPH) freeway type driving I would opt for radials. If not bias ply are fine. I ran bias ply Firestone 7.00:17 tires on the tonner for two years and didn't care for their performance at speeds in excess of 50 MPH - they wanted to wander and the steering became too loosey goosey. I changed to Michelin Light Truck radial tires and the tonner steers like its on RR tracks at those same freeway speeds. The flip side of that is the radials offer more steering resistance when parallel parking or maneuvering slowly. IMO the decision boils down to your personal comfort level with the feel of the road and if you've been running bias ply tires and are used to them I'd say stick with them.
Les Williams

[tubman]

I have gone from bias to radial tires on two different cars, my '51 club coupe and my '67 Corvette. In both cases, the improvement in drive-ability was immediately noticeable. When I bought my last set of Coker Classics for the '51, I joined the H.A.M.B. Alliance for $50 that saved me $100 on the tires. That was before I was aware of the Summit no freight deal which turns out about the same. I drive my cars quite a bit, and the repop Firestone bias-plys on the '51 were showing a lot of wear after only about 12,000 miles. Radials go a lot longer.

[50fordcoupeman]

I also run radials. They just feel better on the road.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I've probably posted here 10 or 15 times on this same question, and all have been the same basic response.....Go Radial!!! I'm running a set of Diamondbacks and a set of Cokers, and I would never consider going back to bias ply tires.

[flatford8]

I tried an old set of radials on my '50. I also would not go back to bias.... Mark

[A bones]

I've said this before but its worth mentioning again. !971, folks were still new to radials, the tech publication I read said that one should not mix bias with radials. If at all necessary, radials may placed on the rear. Never should radials be used as a steer tire, while bias or bias belt are on the rear. Twenty two years I later managed to pull a pair of nice looking tires from my collection of keepers. I put them on the back behind a pair of radials. The result was the loss of the vehicle, and pain ( one of many ) in my back that still lingers today. The important thing was I did not die. As the mishap sent me through a guard rail and down a cliff.

I absolutely love the handling and performance that radials give. If one needs that old time look of bias ply, fine. Do not run bias behind radial, please and thank you.

[tubman]

"A bones", Boy, I hear you on that. When I put the radials on my car, I had gotten the fronts on and it was time for supper, so I left the shop to go home. It was like driving on glare ice. Luckily for me I made it home and back with no incidents, but it was a "white-knuckle" drive both ways. Fortunately, it was less than 3 miles each way. I had always thought that the not mixing tire types was an old wives tale for sissies, but it ain't!

[Bob NH]

Very pleased with the amount of replies from my question. I have sent an order to Diamond Back today. Now if I could just find someone to put some mandarin color on a couple of recently acquired wheels, I would be good to go when "spring time" comes to N.H. around July 2nd this year I fear ! Thanks to all for your input, appreciated .

[Dana Barlow]

I was going to write a note,but didn't need too,this covered
what I would of on the point.

Originally Posted by blucar

I have been using radial tires on everything I have owned since 1969, the list includes everyday vehicles, classic's, hot rods, RV's and work vehicles from 1/2 tons to 18 wheeler's. The only exception is my '36 Ford. I purchased new bias ply tires for my '36 in 1972. The car has not been driven much since '72, it spends most of it's time sitting on axle stands in the garage.
Last year my brother needed new tires for his '37 Ford so I had the tires removed from my '36, gave them to my brother so he could take his car to a car show. I am going to buy new radials for the '36, why am I going to buy radials for a car that is not driven much? I like how radials drive and ride. I learned a long time ago that your life is riding on a small rubber band, with that thought in mind I have always wanted the best rubber that I could buy between me and the road bed.