The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop my new radial tires

As I write this I have yet to have them installed but this time tomorrow (Tuesday) they will be and I hope without problems. I am quite apprehensive about this as I have run Cooper bias ply for 10 years and although they look good and have good tread, they are out of round and I feel it when I drive about 45 mph. When warm they do run smoothly except for that slight bumping. I am hoping the radials are as smooth.
There have been many pros and cons on this swap, tubes or no tubes, leaking rivets and of course the safety lip. I have heard from many 'bolters and the general opinion is that it will be a big improvement. I am quite critical and will let you all know the results. I will keep my bias tires for the moment in case.

Oldblu - looking forward to hearing performance report. I'm still driving on split rims with tubes. I can go 75 with new OD, but I don't like the way the tires feel at that speed. I will be getting radials as soon as I settle on on powdercoat color for my freshly rebuilt wheels.

The difference between night and day. You'll be giving those bias ply away. By the way, are your king pins, tie rods, steering box, wheel bearings, up-to-snuff, adjusted?

Congrats! I know you've been thinking about it a long time. Let us know what you think after the change.

I want to know what kind/size you got and if you end up using tubes when you get done. What are you doing to your wheels to prepare them?
Thanks...

I just did this last week, and have had no problems "going tubeless". When we removed the old tires and tubes, both the Goodyear guy and I looked closely at the rivets holding the wheel center to the rim. They were tight and appeared to be sealed with a heavy layer of a clearcoat-like material.

I imagine if you had some rusty rims that had been laying around without tires protecting them, it would be worthwhile cleaning and sealing the rivet heads just to be on the safe side. (I've seen people use a few wraps of duct tape for a seal, but I ain't going there).

The only other thing to be aware of here is that the stem hole is for inner tube stems, which means the hole is bigger than normally used with tubeless stems. Trailer type rims use a bigger tubeless stem, so those will be needed.

When I put my radials on, I could finally have a cup of coffee while driving to work.

Thanks for the input but IT DIDN't Happen. They would not put the 215-85 on my narrow rims as it was a safety issue and there would be no warranty. They also wanted to put in tubes because there is no safety bead/lip. On the positive side when I saw the tires I immediately did not like the look of them. They are nice Uniroyals but somehow they just would not seem right on the 49. Like a famed journalist once said "like putting a juke box in a cathedral"!
So I am back to square one. I can try and get a wider rim or I can try to get bias ply tires. I do not have an aversion to my bias tires except they are out of round and remounting, balancing, rotating them on the rim does not help. They are Cooper and they look really nice with the scalloped edge and there still is a lot of tread left on them. Yes they have a flat spot after being parked overnight but that is gone in a mile or so. Up to 45 they are really smooth running and that stops at 45 and gets bumpy. At 50-55 they are fine. However I can't count on my two hands how often I have driven this truck above 40 mph!
Someone mentioned shaving them but I don't know if that is still done.
So unfortunately I cannot offer any news.
Bill

olblu49 sez: "IT DIDN'T Happen"

Sorry to hear that, olblu. I've been happy with what I put on. I ran out and did some measuring. The old 6:00-16 tires were 28" high and the TREAD was 5" wide. The new 215-R85-16's are 29" high and the TREAD is 6" wide. That's an inch more each way.

I did some more figuring using the rpm calculator at:

http://www.classictruckshop.com/garage/shopmathrpm1.asp

at 60 mph with a 4.10 rear end, it figures out 2853 rpm with the new tires. The old tires at the same speed and with the same gearing checks out to 2955 rpm. The approximately 100 rpm drop is noticable.

I have no issues with the looks, the tires look in proportion and they are just blackwalls. These new tires are about the same height as the optional 6.50X16 tires that were originally listed.

Fred. Thanks for the comments. I am sure I could get used to the 'modern look' but what bothers me is they would not mount them on my narrow stock rims. They would, but told me the sidewall would bulge out and the tire would be riding on the crown. Consequently they would not warranty them either. I have seen similar tires mounted and the look pretty good. I presently have 6.50X16 on the truck. The last thing I want are safety issues.
Bill

I've got 235/75R15's on my stock 15" rims.

I did put tubes in them because I wasn't sure how to get them to hold air (because all of my tire knowledge is ancient tractor or antique automobile related). They don't noticably bulge out, even though they're wider than the rims.

And they work great. It steers so much better now.

I may have to look into getting new rims made up using my center sections and a 6" wide rim. One company which makes racing car chassis does it. Don't know the cost though. Then again if all else fails I may have to just drive the truck locally to pick up groceries!

Hey bill what shop did you take it to ?
Maxx

How narrow are your rims? They are made to be put on a 16X5.5 dually rim. Yesterday I had 215-85-16s put on my 46 at pep boys. Look right to me, feel great to me over the 6.50-16 bias plys.

Went to Tires Unlimited here in Victoria. As I say they would have done it if I insisted but started talking warranty, safety, etc. The rims are stock 49 at 4.5 inches. They insisted on me having a 6 inch rim for best results. Funny thing is they installed a set of house brand same size tires (with tubes) on my friend's bone stock 51, about 3 years ago.

Bill try Scotia Automotive 2882 Douglas St.at Burnside
Or S.O.S Automotive 509 Ellice off of Bridge St.
Maxx

Went to S.O.S and they wanted a lot more money for the same tires, almost $125 more. Have yet to try Scotia. Thanks.
Also phoned the local race car builder who said they would put a one inch or wider strip in the rims for $75 apiece. Don't know if that would be in the center of the rim or on one side but it might also make too much of an offset. Seems they do a lot of them and their work is top quality. If I then get them blasted and powder coated it will make them pricey wheels. Might be cheaper to go to one of the aftermarket specialists

I would be looking around for a place that could true (shave) and balance the tires you have to the wheels you are using.

Cooper Tires has LT radials that have a profile that does not balloon out. The blackwall LT radials are not obviously radials unless you read the markings. However, they ride like radials.

The tire dealer that sold me mine had no problem adding the road-hazard warranty, but the tires came with no treadwear warranty (from the factory or from the dealer). About $100 each, mounted and balanced (plus radial tubes from the dealer and free tube-stem protectors). My rims are the slightly wider rims that were provided with the RPO 6.50-16, 6-ply tires (at least in 1954).

Olblu,
Do you just not want to deal with bias again?
I definitely know what you're saying about the radial look. Look is nowhere near as cool as bias. I've been researching all this a lot in the last 4 months trying to come up with a cool tire and wheel combo for my 3/4 ton. I was gonna try to find a 16" LT radial like TClederman said but, still wasn't happy with the look. Saw a couple that were OK. I researched bias tires and found a bunch. Ended up going with an 8.75-16.5 bias that should arrive any day now, all 4 and shipped to my house for $350. Stock, steel 16.5 rims are at the powdercoaters right now. When I put bias ply on my '54 Pontiac, I was amazed at how much easier it was to steer. I'm hoping it'll be the same with the truck.
If you'd like links for bias tires I can send you some.
-David

David, thanks. I like bias types a lot and prefered them over the radials I had on my 53. I find the bias types quite 'nimble'. When I inquired here about them, half the dealers thought I was nuts and basically said I was wasting their time and the others quoted me an average of $200 per tire if they could get them. They all gave me the impression that they were still poorly made, and would flat spot over night. Another thing I have to consider is getting the tires as I live in Canada and anything crossing the border is subject to duties and taxes (14%). But I would appreciate the links if you want to send them.
Bill

Bruce K. I had considered shaving but after looking into it it is mostly done to new tires. They claim a used tire has enough 'garbage' in the compound to ruin the shavers. But i will look into it further.

OK Bill,
This is the place I ordered mine from. They have tube type and tubeless. Don't know about the quality of the ones shown on site but I'm giving them a shot. These guys also sell Denman which I know quality is good. Not sure why they don't show them on website. Gear Works
Here are the Denman's on ebay (Gear Works has ebay store): Denman on ebay
And another set with tubes from Gear Works: 6.00-16\'s w/ tubes
These guys make a good looking bias. Not sure about 6.00 or 6.50, only see 7.50 listed: Greenball
Specialty Tires of America makes some nice bias. Here is their website: S.T.A.
And here's a place that distributes STA as well as Denman, Tornel and others: Universal Vintage
I think I have some more links saved on my computer at work.
Where's Victoria? Isn't that close to Washington? What if you had the tires sent to a 'bolter in Washington and then drove down and picked 'em up? Too far?
-David

Thanks Mugsy, I'll look into them. Yes Victoria is near Washington but we are on the island. Getting off is via ferry boat and costs about $55 each way. And then it would be a couple of hours to the Seattle area. All in all it would be best to have them sent. You can imagine we don't leave the island very often!

most tire places have trewing machines mayby the tires can be trewed up they cut the tire round

Willing to try anything at this point, thanks!