Bias Ply vs Radial ???

This may seem like a noob question, but I don't know, so i'll ask.

I've owned cars with both types of tires. Never had issues with either type. I've been tire shopping for my new build and a couple friends said to stay away from bias ply. According to them, they ride like **** and there's not a thing you can do to make them any better. I never noticed any difference with them personally.

Is there any truth to their claims? What are the main differences between the two types?

Thanks guys!!

 

Bias plies take concentration, on an open fendered hot rod bias plies are essential, anything else looks terrible.

 

Who are you building the car for?,,you or your friends?

I have used both,in fact I have one car with bias ply and 2 with radials and can't see any difference. HRP

 

There two pages of threads covering this subject if you do a search, with lots of pros and cons for both.

 

If bia plys don't bother you and they bother your friends just run 'em and know that you are better then them.

 

Bias for around town and short trips----radials for road trips. I have a set of botth, if i'm going 50 miles or more one way its bias in the trunk and raidials on the car and change when I get there. Bias looks better on my rig(1948 International KB1). If I'm trailering it its bias.

 

I have never used anything but bias ply tires on my Deuce pickup and the ride is great,,I will point out that if the road is grooved the tires will follow them. HRP

 

I don't notice a difference in ride quality but i do notice a differnce in steering issues when it comes down to the two. Bias plys seem to want to follow the grooves and the bumps more than a set of radials. If you have an open wheeled Hot rod, i will always use Bias plys for looks alone..

 

I (along with everybody else on the planet) ran bias ply tires all my life until the radial tire was introduced in the '80's. It's all we ever had ever known and we didn't realize they would someday become known as such POS's. Even NASCAR didn't switch over from bias to radial tires until the '90's.
The biggest controversy back in the day with bias ply tires didn't come along until the "belted" tire was introduced. Nylon belts would clunk, clunk down the road until the tires warmed up and smoothed out while the fibergl*** belted tires were smooth from the git go...

 

Amen to that!

BEFORE






AFTER

 

^^^^ Nice Car!!

 

^^^ Nice example SuRfAcE rust that shows things pretty clearly.

Bias if it has to look correct for a traditional rod or custom. I didn't use to think so but lately radials on fenderless cars look a bit out of place more an more all the time unless a guy finds one with tread that is not aggressive and sidewalls that are plain and don't have the clutter that a lot of radial sidewalls have.
The 48 will have radials because it will be hard driven and make a lot of long trips cross country after it is done. The 31 Vic will get bias tires on the 16 inch 35 wires but won't get driven hard either. The truck will be set up to go cross country at 70+ while the A will probably cruise at below 60 90% of the time.

Appearance 40%, how you drive 30% how far you drive 30% is probably a lot of the factor in the bias/radial decision or at least it is for me.

 

I think "Malcom" (sp) just did a nice article on his trip with the new Coker Excelsior tires. His opinion from bias to radial. I have bias on my sedan and I am also a first time bias user and I must say, they look fantastic but you definately have to drive the car.

 

Oh goody, I was waiting for an interesting new topic to come up on this board.

 

With both radial and bias, traction, cornering, behavior on wet pavement, and ride quality, varies a LOT from one tire to the next. However, radial tires do inherently have more natural resonance, which can be felt as harshness. The right shock valving can minimize that.

 

Well, it beats the hell out of pic's of somebody's new grandbaby!!!

 

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