The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk The Good, Bad and Ugly of Bias Ply tires

I'm looking to put some new tires on my 54 3100, I would like to put an orginal looking tire on. Since I have never dealt with tube tires I was looking for everyones advice on the matter.
Thanks
Patrick Bowden

Tube tires.....They run hotter, they don't last as long, they are noisier, they are not as good on corners,......

I think the reality is that in todays driving world a radial is much safer and desirable when possible. Coker Tires makes original looking tires that may fit the bill. Even some radials that look like the old bias ply.

If you are going to show it.....go bias. If you are going to drive it go radial. (Just my opinion).

If your vehicle is not a "complete" original, why?

Bias ply don't last as long or ride as well. Classic look radials are EXPENSIVE! 600x16 radials are almost $250 per tire.

I just put 15", 6 lug wheels on my 54 3100. Got them from Early Wheel in Morro Bay, CA. Went with radials. 235x75x15. Rides much better. No sliding on wet pavement, and no chasing cracks in the road. A big improvement overall.

FWIW, I have bias tires on my 53 orginial rims without tubes. Been that way for eight years.

Bias ply tyres,cobbled wet Glasgow streets and tramlines = Nightmare!
I used to drive virtually the entire length of South Street in Glasgow with my bias plys tramlining,I hardly needed to touch the steering.
Thankfully the tracks followed the road.
I've had way too many scares with these a few years back.
I'll stick with radials thank you very much....
I'd rather loose a bit of originality for safety any day.JMO.

Thanks everyone for the insight. I think I'll stick to radials.

Now, I have bias plys. I really like them. The high profile, and lack of "bulge", they look right. I'm not sure about the lasting qualities of them. I do know that their life is shortened, when you go over 55 mph. Over that speed, they do tend to heat up.

I have put 9000 miles on my truck in the past year and a half. I actually like the feeling of the stiff tires warming up in the winter, as I start rolling!

If you go fast though, they probably aren't for you. I also have the big traction tires on the back, and the groovers on the front.
Oh, bias plys suck on ice, they are just too dang hard.
But go slow, and they last forever. Mine were put on my truck long before I got it, in 1990.
I just figured someone should say they like bias plys.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP0962.jpg

Another vote for radials here. I bought a set of bias ply from Coker a few years ago and have to say I liked them for the vintage feel. The problem is that after a while the vintage feel kept me from driving it as often, far, and fast as I wanted. I just had a set of cooper 215/85R16 radials (with radial tubes) put on, and really rides much better. They look pretty good too: tires

I like the look of bias tires on a restored vehicle. I don't like the way they drive. I passed on a really clean car that i wanted in 1990, when I was young, because it drove funny. It had bias tires on it.

Devin