Bias Plys vs. Radials... Chime in folks!

Yes I did!

I got them from Diamondback classics. My dad's in Charlotte at the Goodguys show and he's bringing them back for me on Sunday so I can save the shipping fees...

We're mounting them Monday night.

Stacey

 

Too bad we didn't "know" each other last week. My parents are in Charlotte right now too, and my Dad is bringing me back a posi unit from a HAMB buddy, FatAssBuick. Aren't Dads great! We could have gotten the "old" folks together down there.

 

Small world, eh?

I've already had another guy on the HAMB tell me he actually camped across from my Dad at York...

Dad's are awesome.

Stacey

 

Yep, that was Clark, he knows everyone

 

Not that it really helps a lot in this particular situation, but I'll give my findings anyway. I have a 62 ChevyII that runs hi 10's. It has cooper metric radials up front (165r15 on a 15x4.5), and I originally built the car with BF Goodrich Drag Radials out back (315/60 on 15x10). It handled GREAT for a fast car, probably better that my daily driver 92 s10 blazer, but it didn't really hook up too well. Everyone told me to run the Mickey Thompson ET Streets, so I got a set (30x13.5 [actual size specs are the same as the drag radials]on the same 15x10). They hook up a whole lot better, but holy crap! It handles like dog shit now! I can barely pass someone on a 2 lane road and keep it outta the ditch! It may be cuz they're wrinkle walls, but I keep about 18lbs in 'em (the radials ran 21), and it may be cuz I have radials up front and bias out back. But I definitely think when it's time for new tires I'll buy another set of rims and get radials for everyday driving, and full on slicks for going to "the cruise" or the track.

 

Yea the one thing that I've heard with respect to warnings is that the worst thing you can so is mix bias and radials.

That could be a big part of your problem, but I'm certainly not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.

I think I saw that warning on the Coker site, but it could have been someplace else...

Stacey

 

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I really didn't want to get in the middle of all this, but all I want to say is that I have fond story that goes along with bias plys..

It's 1985. I'm 10 (DON'T BOTHER ON RIPPING ON ME YOU OLD GUYS...)

This guy around the block from me had a cherry 1969 Caddy Coupe Deville (the 2 door).

One day I ride over there on my dirt bike to see what's up (I did this alot, and credit him for getting me into old cars, paint and body work.)

He's taking his radials off the rear, and bolting on some Sears bias plys that were older than me. Blackwalls, no hubcaps...he just smirks and says he's trying out some old tires.

That night, about 11 PM, I'm in my room (sing: "In my room....in my room...") with the lights out & in bed. I hear his car (I knew it's sound) drive by. i got up to see those tall thin Caddy taillights come to rest at the end of my street, a corner. All of a sudden he tears around the corner leaving the longest, loudest, squealing, smoky burnout I'd ever heard to that point. I could smell the rubber for 10 minutes in my bedroom. I heard a few more over the couse of the next few minutes. I got excited.

Next morning, I rushed thru breakfast to grab my bike and inspect the pavement. Standing start, one wheel peel, around the corner and down the side street for at least 200 feet! Whoa.

I peddal over to his place, and he's in his driveway changing out the back tires and putting on the "stock" radials and hubcaps. I didn't need to ask him what he had been up to the night before, and he knew I knew. When you're 10, things like that are pretty cool.

That, and having a guy who's 20 let you hang out while he works on cars. Not minding you're pestering him with questions. This one's for you, Rob...


Bias plys do killer burnouts, and as far as I'm concerned, that's about it. They look great on "museum cars"...


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Thats a cool story, I had the very same experience growing up in Glendale, only it was a 65 mustang. This friend was like a big brother to me, (I had no siblings) he taught me how to jump by BMX bike, and later when he was older he let me look over his shoulder while he wrenched on his car. He also took me to In-N-Out for the 1st time in his car.But the story brought back memories for me lying in bed hearing him rip around the culdesac on our street at night, then waking up in the morning hop on my bike and check out the long burn out marks.. good ol days..

 

hey action-chick, put your bias-plys on your beetle... then at least PART of it will be cool... hahaha...

but yeah, I've had Bias-plys on the back and Radials on the front for about a year now...

the bias tires were the ones that originally came with the Rambler in '66... The things looked pretty much NEW when i put 'em on... Yeah, i'm running tires on my car that are pushing 40...

I remember when my friend showed me the car, long before i bought it from him... He said "It's even got two original spares, but i sure as hell wouldn't put 'em on the car 'cause they'll probably blow up or something"... Proved him wrong so far...

I drove it to Terry's and Posies a while back with a few other HAMBer's... I was kinda worried about going over 60 MPH on the highway, but i think Clark was worried about his too, and he was leading in the RPU...

see, one should FEAR and RESPECT their tires...

the car kinda "walks" side-to-side a bit, but it's nothing too bad... I'd imagine that bias-plys on the FRONT might suck a bit more... I'd swap 'em just for kicks, but i like the ability to make a Rambler do a burn-out.... hahaha...

And they look fucking RAD on those steelies...

By the way, anyone ever heard of ATLAS brand tires...??? that's what i've got... Atlas black-walls... wonder when they went out of business...??? hahaha....

 

Zonk, thanks for the pic, btw Tirerack.com has those Dunlop Radial rover AT tires in stock in that 215/85R16 size, but the tread looks different, yours looks more like the RT ?. Post some more pics of that chassis too!

 

Has anybody used these guys?

Kelsey Tires

They claim 'old' GoodYear molds for their BP's.

Later,
papa al

 

Radial

Pros- Good handling and ride
Cons- Looks and if you buy them from Coker they'll fall apart

Bias

Pros- Classic, look cool
Cons- Ride isn't as good and are a f'in terror in the rain

I like bias because they smoke better

 

I think mixing bias and radial tires is not a real good idea but it depends alot on wheel base.

radial slicks on my roadster with bias fronts is no problem because the radials follow the bias quickly.

When I picked up my 51 Chevy it had old bias tires on the rear and new radials on front. It was a scarry ride, the fronts would track over groove and the bias would through the rear of the car into the grooves. The ass end felt like it was riding on ice.

 

Its a simple as math somtimes!
raidals =expensive
bias ply=cheap

Me=cheap

me =bias ply

 

well, since you had already ordered your tires when you started this post, it was kind of a moot question, wasn't it? Anyway, my 50 Chevy Fleetline has bias plys and it handles beautifully. I can steer with one finger and it has stock suspension... it was designed to run with Bias Plys. It follows the grooves a little, but not as bad as everyone seems to say it will. I have also driven a 52 Chevy Styleline with a stock suspension and radials. It was extremely hard to turn even at higher speeds and the car just didn't feel nimble. I wouldn't run radials on my 50. WWW BPs are cheaper than WWW radials ($90 vs. $150), but not nearly as cheap as $25 radials. On a year-round DAILY driver, I might reconsider.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Zonk, thanks for the pic, btw Tirerack.com has those Dunlop Radial rover AT tires in stock in that 215/85R16 size, but the tread looks different, yours looks more like the RT ?. Post some more pics of that chassis too!

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The tread looks a little different in person, but they're definitely AT's. If I remember correctly, the RT's are like mud tires with a really aggressive tread...

 

My intention of posting the question had nothing to do with my personal decision either way. I was just curious about them and since I'm completely new to this and don't have any experience with bias-plys with the exception of test driving my car, I thought I'd ask.

I bought radials cause I've never driven on anything else. When I get them mounted on Monday, I'll be able to determine if I like them better or worse than the original tires.

I'm also a mom and my 6 year olf daughter will be in the car on occasion so really old tires that I can't feel completely comfortable with aren't an option. It's not a decision I can make on looks alone.

I appreciate that everyone took the time to share their perspective as this is how I like to learn about new things-by seeing all the angles.

Stacey

 

Ok maybe I missed it Zonk, what are the fronts? I see you told size.. but what brand? Type? I really like the look! Seems to be just what I'm looking for!

Thanks

 

Zonk, I think you are on to something......

 

The front tires are Dayton 165R15 metric radials. They're a bit wider than I'd like them to be, but in the ballpark.

I've seen a fair number of hot rods run 165R15's on the front (usually the very pricey old-style Michelins that are a bit skinnier), but I don't recall seeing any with 215/85R16's on the back...I think they work pretty well.

 

My Dad ran Michellins on his MGA. The 58 that he sold back in 1964.

Replaced it with a Triumph Spitfire on bias tires that he cussed for junk from day one!

(Even radials couldn't help that lemon! )

 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm also a mom and my 6 year olf daughter will be in the car on occasion so really old tires that I can't feel completely comfortable with aren't an option. It's not a decision I can make on looks alone.



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That makes more sense that that most of what I have ever read here.

BTW Welcome to the HAMB.

 

zonkola, Thanks for sharing your info. Your wheel/tire setup is exactly what I was looking for. Looks great !
What width are the rims ?

 

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My Dad ran Michelins on his MGA. The 58 that he sold back in 1964.
...


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I had Pirelli Cinturatos on my MGA.
Michelin has been making radial tires since the late 40s.
They're traditional if you want to accept them to be.
(Not all the current styles of course, but the radial tire has been around for going on 60 years. Old brands, Continental, Dunlop, Dunlap, Michelin, and Pirelli were used on more than a few cars, even "American" cars.)

 

CrazyDaddy - The rear wheels are 16x6 and the front wheels are 15x5. Easy to remember the combo anyway...

Since I managed to scatter all the relevant info in various responses, here's the complete setup:

Rear
16x6 steel wheels
215/85R16 Dunlop Radial Rover AT tires
Approx. 30.4" diameter

Front
15x5 steel wheels
165R15 Dayton Metric Radial tires
Approx. 25.4" diameter (Dayton catalog states 24.5", but is incorrect)

As I mentioned before, I actually like the look of some of the older Michelin 165R15 tires better--they're a little skinner and some are also a bit taller--but they're much more expensive and supposedly don't handle as well.

 

[ QUOTE ]

I'm also a mom and my 6 year olf daughter will be in the car on occasion so really old tires that I can't feel completely comfortable with aren't an option.

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i drove my posse of kids from Minneapolis to ALLOVER texas and back last year in my impala with its original bias plys,,,
i couldn't get new ones without ordering them,,, so when it was time to replace them (the morning of the CHEATER'S SHOW last year) i bought radials,,,and hate the way they handle,,,

ACTUALLY,,,i am by far less COMFORTABLE with my exhusband transporting my kids around in his late model minivan,,,then i EVER willbe with my driving them around in my car with no seatbelts and biasplys,,,

so as soon as i can afford new TIRES,,,i will be once again driving on what BELONGS on my car,,,

MISS hellbound hootch