push me off the fence...bias or radial?????

well i'm needing to buy tires to get thru the next faze on Lil Beast...i've read and read but i'm still setting on the fence as to bias or radial..hard core Hamber's say bias and then there's those screamin radials...pie crust is too cool looking...but it comes down to cool over ride i guess..i have had several tell me that it's too short to get any ride comfort out of the bias ply..then there's the "grip" issue..too many posts on the bias ply not getting a decent bite......so, i'm looking for help in decideing...

 

radial

 

Bias if its fenderless...radial if its got fenders

 

no fenders...

 

Hot Rod Bias
Street Rod Radial

 

Bias!

 

Daily driver, driven to events or, gawd-forbid, trailer queen?

 

Guys, be realistic here...it's a Topolino drag car that will be on the street...a lot...put skinny radials up front and some hard compound drag radials on the back and save the bias plys for the traditional cars...and for the record, I'm typically anti-radial, except in situations like this...

 

Correctomundo.

 

Depends if you planning to actually drive the thing outside the Metro Detroit area. If so, radials. I spent one summer running both radials and bias plys on Big Olds depending on what my plans were for that weekend. Roasting the tires at an event in town of just cruzn around, I left the bias plys on. When I left for out of town I put the radials back on because the tracting on the bias was really bad when I was driving around town both surface streets and highway. Functionality over looks in my book.

 

If your going to REALLY drive it ? No question it's Radial's.

If you want to chase the steering wheel and the car all over the roads of today, then put Bias on it.

 

well i guess it would qualifiy as a "retired drag car body"....but it does set on a 1928 model A ford frame...and has disc brakes up front...my intent is to drive it..everywhere..hell i want to roll to Bonnie to see the salt!!!so i been kinda leanin towards the Diamondback pie cut radials...but have found little info or opinions on them..anyone running the cheater they make??????

or does any one else make a radial besides DB that looks good?????

 

Does it need to hook up when you drop the hammer? Radials! Long distance coast to coast drives? Radials! Local cruising in good weather? Bias! Short runs to nearby events? Bias! Like with most everything, its a compromise of what you kind of driving you plan on doing most of the time. The answer (when you can afford it) really is two sets of wheels and tires. It lets you put a new dress on your girl for different dates!

For all weather driving, be careful of the "cheaters", either radial or bias because they can be like driving on ice if you run into rain suddenly, with all the oil and gunk on the streets.

 

This is a great answer. Re-read it.

 

If you're driving it, Radials are the way to go.

 

Buy the tire that gets you down the road in the manner in which you desire, and in the look that makes you happy. Try them both and decide yourself.

These "radial versus bias" threads pop up from time to time, and it's the same answers every time.

 

Hot rod chassis has a tee that explains it all...

 

Thats Right!! And I need to get that shirt

 

I run bias plys on my car, and I drive it everywhere with no problems. Remember, radials are a "new" invention and people drove everywhere for a lot of years on bias plys.

My Torque-Twister II's hook better than any other street tire I've had, and they're older than I am. They get pretty hard when it's cold but they're pretty sticky in the summer. Yes the skinnys up front follow cracks and lines in the road, but not really any worse than low-pro radials.

Radials just kill the look of a traditional car.

 

That is real cool. I'd drive that. Would need to fit some doors to get it registered down here. Some custom paint and signwriting and that would be it.

 

It depends on if you really like to drive or not . Bias plys are completely a sensory experience . Every groove in the road , bump , wind sheer . etc.etc.

 

Go look at the discarded tires at the tire shop. You will see lots of radials with plenty of tread that have gone bad. Most of the bias will just be worn out. Radials are only good for a certain time when they age the belts begin to slip and they go bad. I have some bias on a 66 ford 2 ton that have been on it since 1972. If you drive a lot of miles and will wear them out in a year radials are fine. But if you dont put a lot of miles they will go bad just sitting.Bias almost always will work better on a trailer. OldWolf

 

I was worried about bias plys handling like shit on the Merc, but they were GREAT. They never did anything unexpected, I was pleasantly suprised.



If you need bias plys to look "right", get em and don't worry.

Good luck, -Abone.

 

I run bias ply tires on my coupe with no problem so far. The rolling bones hot rod shop web site has an interesting take on the issue in there trip to Bonneville 08 article. When these tires wear out I will be going back to radials. Its my car and I like driving it, it also helps that I don't care what others think of it.

 

Who makes "pie crust" cheater slicks in a radial? Is there such an animal?

 

I have BFG silvertowns bias on my 57 and they respond great. I think modern reproduction bias ply tires are a better quality tire than back when they were the norm.

 

"it's better to look good than feel good"

 

Hurst Tires does.
http://www.hurstracingtires.com/

Got 'em on my "A" Coupe !