Why I'm going back to bias ply...

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

I've had 6.00x16 radials on my '36 pickup(with wide 5 wheels) for several years now. I've been very happy with the handling, but in that period of time I've had 6 flats. One was a nail, one a leaky valve stem core, but the others were tube related-all radial tubes from a well known supplier,tires inflated to 40 psi. One was chafed at the site of a manufacturer's ID tag inside the tire, one I'm not sure why it failed(the tire guy chucked it before I saw it) and the other two were simply tiny splits in the tube(on the tire side, not the rim side). As I understand it, radials flex more than bias ply and I wonder if that induces chafing and splits, despite keeping the tires at 40 psi.I doubt the quality of these tubes is all that great even though they're supposed to be for radials. I'm not willing to go tubeless on these old wheels. The last one lasted 200 miles then split; I'm now totally fed up and have ordered a set of Firestone bias ply tires. Any thoughts on this?

Adam

[Dick Webber]

I've been running Diamondback radials tubeless on my 39 Deluxe for 5 years or more. Absolutely no trouble. Only difficulty is not being able to find anyone to balance wide 5 wheels. Also have Coker tubeless 15" radials on my 49 mercury and 49 F-1 each more than 10 years. the F-1 currently has one slow leaker I need to look into. I'm well satisfied with the radials. Didn't like the bias ply wander.

[Bassman/NZ]

Originally Posted by Dick Webber

I've been running Diamondback radials tubeless on my 39 Deluxe for 5 years or more. Absolutely no trouble. Only difficulty is not being able to find anyone to balance wide 5 wheels. Also have Coker tubeless 15" radials on my 49 mercury and 49 F-1 each more than 10 years. the F-1 currently has one slow leaker I need to look into. I'm well satisfied with the radials. Didn't like the bias ply wander.

Try DynaBeads in your wide 5s.

[Old Henry]

I'm on my 3rd set of B.F. Goodrich Silvertown bias ply tires from Coker (Here: http://www.cokertire.com/600-16-bf-g...wall-tire.html) and like them. Have never tried radials - too much of a "purist" I guess. Gotta have the authentic ride including the "bias ply boogie."

[Brian]

Adam, You've asked for comments. To each their own I say. I've personally run radials on my well travelled 35 for about 30 odd years now, and I would never consider going back[ward] to bias ply! The vast improvement in ride, steering and braking, [as well as the lower price] that radials give, has convinced me of that.
I seem to detect your major issue with radials appears to be with the tubes, not the tires. Whatever floats your boat, buying a set of tires, irrespective of their construction, still becomes quite spendy, and after weighing up all the pros and cons, only you can make the decision that will ultimately be right for you. Good luck, Brian

[Brian]

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Reading more into your original post, I feel that inflating your tires to 40 PSI, is too much. I run my '35 at 36 PSI, and don't really have problems. Does 4PSI make a difference?- dunno, but I've found that pressure gives me a good ride and even tire wear across the whole width. fwiw, Brian

[Old Henry]

Just curious. Do radials require more air pressure than is recommended by Ford for the bias ply tires? You all are talking about way higher pressures than the 28 psi Ford recommended for my '47 Fordor. If radials take more air pressure, why, and how do you decide how much to put in? Just wondering.

[31chevy]

I have radials 215-70/r16 on my 34 pickup without tubes for 2 years now & no leaks or problems. They are spoke rims.
Gary.

[Vic Piano]

I run 40psi in the radial 600x16's on our '39 CS, the higher psi makes steering easier in my experience. I've got radials on all of our Flatheads except the '39 LZ which has 8 ply B.F. Goodrich bias ply 700x16's, (as original equipment). I’m fine with the bias ply on the Zephyr but I much prefer the ride and handling provided by the radials on our Ford Flatheads. I will say that I’ve had a few flats on the ’39 resulting from radial inner tube failure (I usually keep two extra tubes in the trunk, just incase). All the other radial tires on our cars/trucks are tubeless.

[alv]

if you read the instructions on the tube you must remove all labels from the inside of the tire as the will chafe the tube and it will get a hole in it.

[J & D]

I have run my Excelciors from Coker 15 thousand miles without tubes, they are great tires, I don`t trust the tubes, or the people who install them.

[A bones]

For my 2 pennies I must refer to the one time it rains, the road is slick, we fail to properly slow for a curve or turn.... It doesn't take a lot to break traction on a front bias tire while turning if the brakes are used. Now please don't think I'd accuse anyone of being reckless with their treasure but years of radial riding gets one accustomed to traction in the wet that is not there with a bias ply casing. If one just likes to toodle around town or do parades, great... The kind of driving where we want keep up with traffic, and not "get in the way" could lead to a place no ones want to be.
Also at this point I should bring up a rule that I read forty five years ago about mixing radials and bias tires: Radials can only be mixed with bias if the radial is used on the rear. Never is it safe to run with radials up front and bias in the rear. The result of this combo is that radials will make path (on a curve) that the bias tire cannot cope with, causing a loss of rear traction, and the threat of spinout. Twenty years ago I proved this to my self, The results of the "test" weren't pretty. Enjoy your day!

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Dick Webber

I've been running Diamondback radials tubeless on my 39 Deluxe for 5 years or more. Absolutely no trouble. Only difficulty is not being able to find anyone to balance wide 5 wheels. Also have Coker tubeless 15" radials on my 49 mercury and 49 F-1 each more than 10 years. the F-1 currently has one slow leaker I need to look into. I'm well satisfied with the radials. Didn't like the bias ply wander.

http://dickspadaro.com/wheel_adapter.htm

$75 is a little steep but it's necessary to balance your wide fives anywhere.

Speedway sells one for race cars. The lugs studs on that one are much larger and the nuts that come with those are not tappered.

[flatjack9]

I have been told that a radial tire should be replaced after around 7 years of service. I have a friend who had a blowout on a Coker redial that was 10 years old but only had maybe 15,000 miles on it. They told him it should have been replaced due to it's age. Mine are 15 years old and still look to be in good shape, but it's got me a little worried. Any comments?

[V8 Bob]

Originally Posted by Adam/Mill Valley CA

but the others were tube related

I'm not willing to go tubeless on these old wheels. The last one lasted 200 miles then split; I'm now totally fed up and have ordered a set of Firestone bias ply tires. Any thoughts on this? Adam

Your problems mainly were tube related, so why switch to poorer riding/handling bias tires and tubes?

If your wheels are in that questionable shape, it's really time to buy new ones. Then check out Diamond Back's tubeless 16" radial replacement 600-16 tires. All DB tires are radial, and tubeless.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

Appreciate the comments. 40 psi is what Coker recommends for radials.I do think the radials give better handling, but I'm really tired of going out to the garage only to find yet another flat.I drive my truck a lot, I'll see how it does on the bias ply(had those on it when I first got it but they were in poor shape). "Spendy" for sure but I'll give it a try. As far as I can see, radials are more expensive (about $200/tire vs $165 bias ply). In any event, the amount of time and bucks spent fixing all these flats has been considerable for me!

Adam

[39coupe]

I have Diamondbacks on my coupe and asked them about tire pressures. They said,for my car, run 40-44 in front and 35-40 in the rear. After some trials, I now run 40 front and 39-40 rear. Tires are wearing well and it handles great.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

V-8 Bob, my point was that (I think) radials naturally have a lot more sidewall flex than bias and thus may be more likely to cause tube failure; as I understand it that's why radial specific tubes are supposed to be tougher. At least theoretically I could see that leading to a higher likelihood of failure. The wheels are fine, I've decided against tubeless out of concerns raised about retention of the tire bead on rims not designed for tubeless in some extreme situations-again, just from what I've read, I don't know how to find definitive truth on this

Adam

[Mart]

Would it be worth trying a set of top quality tubes before changing the tires?

Mart.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

Mart, I would love to but I don't know where to find them. The replacement tubes have been from China and Korea. The last time the tire shop owner said he got the tube from a big commercial supplier because he was then sure they hadn't sat on the shelf too long-the first one he put on, brand new, wouldn't even hold air; the second lasted 200 miles.

Adam

[1931 flamingo]

Motorcycle tubes??
Paul in CT

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by Adam/Mill Valley CA

V-8 Bob, my point was that (I think) radials naturally have a lot more sidewall flex than bias and thus may be more likely to cause tube failure; as I understand it that's why radial specific tubes are supposed to be tougher. At least theoretically I could see that leading to a higher likelihood of failure. The wheels are fine, I've decided against tubeless out of concerns raised about retention of the tire bead on rims not designed for tubeless in some extreme situations-again, just from what I've read, I don't know how to find definitive truth on this

Adam

I've been running my tubeless radials for over 15 years now on 50 Merc rims. No problems. Except now the age is beginning to worry me.

[Ken Henry]

I have 15 inch rims on my '51 so no tubes. I recently switched from 10 yr old radials to new bias plies and all I can say is the ride is much less jarring. I don't know if its the difference in construction, the lower pressure used in the bias tires, that they are new or what. They don't corner as well and complain more if I take a corner too quickly (but my wife does that anyways). I hope you are happy with your new tires. Ken

[36 flathead]

I think your suppose to use talcum powder on tube to stop the chaffing . I have radials on three old cars and I have had no problems.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Reading this one has me more interested.
I have used Coker Bias Firestones on my hot rod Model A for the last seven years of driving.
Kelsey hays wire wheels , powdercoated with tubes . Have been thinking about replaceing them based on age with they look really good and i just in the last month had my first flat tire ( after a trip setting in the garage) I run 7:50 x 16 in the rear and 5:50x16 in the front. Another concern is that my last road trip i picked up some bias ply front bounce at certain speeds.......

[jrapose]

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I am looking at the radials that are being used on the Prius ...16" 185 R AND 195 with an aspect ratio of 80.... that would be a tall sidewal tire with about 5" tread wiidth... and made by lots of normal manufacturers...advertised as low rolling resistance
I have seen them for $130 each....might be worth a look 185 80r 16

[L78CHEVELLE]

The thing to remember about the life span of a steel belted radial tire compared to a bias ply tire is the steel belts in most radial tires. The manufacturers told us, at my local tire shop. the steel belted tires have a safe life span of only 5 years. The belts will rust and break in side the walls of the tires. The bias ply tires do not have steel belts and can last for decades. I know on my roll back I replace the tires every five years. I went seven years one time and lost two tires in a very short time with hugh blow outs from the side walls of the tires.

[V8 Bob]

Originally Posted by BUBBAS IGNITION

Reading this one has me more interested.
I have used Coker Bias Firestones on my hot rod Model A for the last seven years of driving.
Kelsey hays wire wheels , powdercoated with tubes . Have been thinking about replaceing them based on age with they look really good and i just in the last month had my first flat tire ( after a trip setting in the garage) I run 7:50 x 16 in the rear and 5:50x16 in the front. Another concern is that my last road trip i picked up some bias ply front bounce at certain speeds.......

I've been running the same tires on my '32 for the last 5 years, and my biggest complaint is not attaining/keeping a good balance on the fronts. As soon as DB comes out with a 525/550X16 I'll switch, as they already offer a 750X16 replacement.

[sturgis 39]

I have used both types of tires on my Model "A". The wheels are 35 Ford 16". The bias tires are my favorite. They are Cooker Firestones and they make driving a pleasure compared to the radials. They also look better than the radials.

A lot of the hype about radials was generated by the tire companies. The radials are cheaper to manufacture than bias tires. To introduce a new cheaper to produce product they think of all kinds of imaginary slogans. I think marketing influences a lot of people and after hearing a bunch of propaganda people start beleiving what they hear over and over.

When radials first arrived on the market a lot of cars had wheel damage because the wheels were not designed for the forces that radial tires applied to the wheels. This was a cause of a lot of wrecks and law suits. I think a lot of the cars in the 60's had the problem wheels.

Remember the red dot on bias tires goes on the same side as the valve stem and located at the valve stem. This last statement usually gets some negative comments.

[Marv]

As far as i know they still put the dots on the tires, but maybe not red. That is the light part of the tire and supposedly the weight of the valve stem will help with the amount of weight needed to balance the tire. When the radials first came out they was recomending low air pressure. It has been too many years , but i think it was 26 lbs. I personaly think the rim failures were on the Ford and Chevy rims with the deep dish. Anyone else remember any more about this? Marv

[Ian NZ]

I know of a person who owned a 1937 Dodge car and he had fitted radial tyres replacing old bias tyres which were worn out, and he was having problems with the rims splitting with the radial tyres fitted as they flexed more, which did not happen before, so he was going back to fitting bias tyres.

[37fordpickup]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

I have been told that a radial tire should be replaced after around 7 years of service. I have a friend who had a blowout on a Coker redial that was 10 years old but only had maybe 15,000 miles on it. They told him it should have been replaced due to it's age. Mine are 15 years old and still look to be in good shape, but it's got me a little worried. Any comments?

A few years ago I bought a camper and replaced the tires. They were 8 years old. Every RV magazine I have read recommends replacing tires every 7 years regardless of miles. I did the same thing with my Chevy Suburban which had low mileage and was 8 years old.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

31 flamingo, have you actually used motorcycle tubes in automotive tires, or know anyone who has? I use super heavy duty tubes on all my motorcycles(which have spoked wheels) but those tires are all bias ply

Adam

[34pickup]

Originally Posted by 36 flathead

I think your suppose to use talcum powder on tube to stop the chaffing . I have radials on three old cars and I have had no problems.

Way back in the 60s we always put powder in a tube tire to prevent the chaffing. I thought everyone knew this.

[wga]

Adam - regarding radials - ref. my '49 wagon, I had used radials on the stock rivited wheels, and last summer on a road trip (1000 miles) had a problem with the right front wheel. Thought it was wheel bearing related. Found a old school shop and we determined it was the wheel flexing due to the bead pressure of the radial tires I am using. (checked balance, toe in, etc) Changed to Wheel Vintiques steelies (now no tubes) and what a huge difference. The last of the vibration at certain road speeds is gone, and overall road manners are improved.
ps
Nice collection in the stable.

[JT FORD]

Diamond Back does not recommed tubes with there tires......So way pay for something that is not needed and can cause trouble???

[A bones]

Just wondering, where do people in Germany get their tubes from? I can't imagine a Michelin or Continental (if they are still in business) with an Asian made tube.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I know i would never personally change back to bias ply tires. I have a set of DB big/little radial tire with tubes that have 10k+ miles and never a problem. I bought tubes rated for use with radial tires from a local agriculture equipment dealer. I also have a set of Coker 600 x 16 radials with tubes rated for use with radial that I bought from Coker when i ordered the tires. These tires have ~ 2k miles on them with no problems. With the improved ride and handling that radials gave me over the the bias tires, I definitely would never go back to bias ply tires.