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Can radial tires be installed on 6:00/6:50 AD wheels or the earlier pre war artillery wheels? Anybody done this with any success?


Weeds

I have radials installed on 4.5" wheels. That is narrower than recommended for the narrowest 16" LT radials I could find. The older 16" wheels had a 4" rim section/width.

Cooper SRM II Radial LT™
LT215/85R16 - 5.5"-7" rim width
7.50R16LT - 5.5"-7" rim width

Coker tire has radials specifically made for the narrow rims if you are willing to pay the $$$$

600R16

6.50R16

Kurt

I've got radials on my AD wheels right now, and in a bit I'll be mounting them on my artillery wheels. My radials are narrow, 205 in fact.

Mr. Lang,

How would you characterize the difference in driving/handeling with the radials over the bias ply on your AD?

Thinking about making the switch myself.

kurt

NIGHT & DAY!

DG

Yes, Denny's right. I really notice the difference in cornering at speed. However, now that my bus is used for work, it's loaded down and I don't go fast enough for it to be different. I do like the way the bias sidewall look though. The radials I have now, are only 60 series, for that low-and-slow ride!

We talking night and day in a good way or night and day in a bad way?

My dad's 1946 1/2 ton currently has 215/75/15 bias tires on it but they are 30 years old and due for replacement. This very morning I called the local tire shop and had them order a set of radials for it.

I honestly think that bias tires look better on such an old vehicle but they are too costly and too un-available currently.

The truck currently rides like a wagon, I am curious if the radials will have any impact on that? As far as cornering, well it never goes fast enough to matter.

If radials were not such an improvement over bias, bias ply tires would not have been phased out.

The major improvement I found when running radials, is the truck does not wander at high speeds. I had to play a little with the air pressure, decreasing it just to the point that wandering improved. I think I have it now set at about 40 psi. This gives the best "balance" between easy steering and good tracking (minimal wandering).

I have heard that the "softer" sidewall can help absorb impacts and therefore cushion the ride slightly.. did you notice any difference in that regard?

The radial plies themselves (compared to bias plies) most likely ". . . help absorb impacts and therefore cushion the ride slightly. . . ". The tires I use are relatively high profile (by design/number and by being on slightly narrower rims), and have fairly firm looking sidewalls (not soft-looking as is the case in very low profile radials on most modern cars).

Well I got new radials installed this morning. The truck seems to drive and ride great. In all fairness, however, I have never driven it with new bias ply tires though so it may not be a fair comparison. I'm sure dad will have a more meaningful opinion.

Nathan,my only experience of bias ply tyres was some years back on an old VW.
Bias tyres on wet cobblestone roads was to say the least 'interesting' not to mention the tramlining you get when they caught a ridge in the tarmac.
I very quickly changed them out to radials,they tracked so much better and the wet weather performance and braking was vastly improved.

I'd rather have greater safety than authenticity any day.

Mr Lang,
I noticed in your pix a blue flat bed pickup. Are those tires radials? They look just like the old bias plys on my truck. I'll be shopping for new tires in the future and would like to keep the look of the rear tires.
Thanks

Dija mean this one?

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP0963.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP0964.jpg

That's my old 1 Ton, and those a bias ply tires.

Yup, that's it. Great looking truck! I'm gonna do some online shopping and see if I can find some radials that look like the rears.

Yes, I've always liked the look of a truck with traction rears, and highway rib fronts. Makes the truck look ready to get down to work.

I went from bias to 215/85/16s "iron man" tires on my 52 -3100 and it made a huge difference no thuding when cold better handling and stopping.I keep the psi at 45.


Pete

Pete52:
How wide are your rims? Are the tires much wider than the original bias plys? I'll probably end up going with something very similar to yours. Thanks for the info.

They are the rims that came stock in 52 thats why I went with the 215 tire width,I'll look at them today and get back to you.




Pete

As near as I can figure they are 4 1/2 or 5 inch it's kinda hard to tell with the tire on.

Pete

Thanks for the info Pete. Stock rims, are you using tubes? I want to switch to radials, so I figure I'll need new style rims that won't require tubes.

Stock rims no tubes.


Pete

I thought the stock rims were "split" (not solid) and required tubes. That's the only reason I was looking at new rims.

What make (GMC or Chevrolet), and year, and size truck (and size rim) are you referring to as possibly having stock split (multi-piece) rims?

I have a 1952 3100 1/2 Ton with factory 6 lug rims. The heavier 3/4 and 1 ton must have split rims?

Many/most/all GMC 1/2 ton 16" rims were split rims in the years around 1952.

Sorry, I forgot Chevrolet 3100.