Landspeed tires or front runners, I'm about to buy tires to suit Bonneville and El-Mirage. Im enquiring if anyone can tell me why Bias-Ply tyres are used predominantly rather than radials ? Thanks
The Goodyear land speed tires are called front runners and are used at all four corners; the drag car front tires they sell as front runners name also. They are not the same tires. I know, confusing at best. I can't tell you why the construction bias vs radial. Just beware that real land speed front runners are pricey.
An equal size polyester belt radial would have less rolling resistance than a bias tire. At least that is what they told us when I worked for Firestone in the early 70's. It would be interesting to know why they stick with the bias beyond the "we always" factor unless it is because they have long developed technology they use for set speeds for bias and it would take a lot of engineering to come up with similar radials .
Thanks for the answers folks, Im picking that the minimal tread on a front Runner & Landspeed tire would mean less chance of separation at speed, however ZR rated radial tires are also rated high speed. My experience on the road is that a radial tire drives many times better than a cross-ply. I do wonder about the deeper tread on a Radial attracting a build-up of salt becoming dangerous?
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