Bias Ply tires vs radials on the street?

[SS4Real]

For those of you running bias ply tires on your restored cars, how do they compare to radials for occassional street duty? I would really prefer a radial that looked like the original Goodyear or Firestone tires but I haven't found anyone that makes them yet.

[Mark_C]

Bias plys catch every little crack, bump and groove in the road and you have to pay a lot more attention to what your doing. They also wander more than radials and should have more toe-in added to your alignment. Radials are very forgiving in this area.

You need to change your alignment slightly when running bias plys. Remember that the old factory specs were written for bias plys, not radials, so if your using them you should be all set.

My bias plys stay on for local driving, but if I'm going over 100 miles each way the radials go back on for that trip. I've got two mounted sets so it's not a big deal to swap back and forth.

Stock factory alignment specs:

Caster +1/2 deg
Camber + 1/4 to 1/2 deg
Toe-in 1/8" to 1/4"

Radial tires need less toe-in, use 1/8" or less for
them

Just for reference (these are radial tire numbers):

Herb Adams recommends these alignment specs for the street:

1 degree positive caster ( Use around 3.5 degrees if PS)
1 degree negative camber.
1/16" toe in

Guldstrand recommends the following specs for a "touring car":
Caster: 3 - 4 degrees positive (+) PS = more, manual steer less.
Camber: 1/4 to 1/2 degrees negative (-)
With upper a-arm relocation Camber: 0 degrees
Toe-in: 0 - 1/8 inch

[mmcporter]

I have bias plys on my '70 LS6 and they are horrible. Squirrely, squirmy, requiring a lot of attention at the wheel. Handling is more vague and the ride doesn't inspire much confidence. My 70 SS396 had radials, and oh what a difference. Coker makes some radials with a redline strip that have the look of old tires. Definitely go with radials if you are going to be driving the car!

[Don_Lightfoot]

[ QUOTE ]
Bias plys are horrible. Squirley, squirmy, requiring a lot of attention at the wheel. Handling is more vague and the ride doesn't inspire much confidence. My 70 SS396 had radials, and oh what a difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately with my schedule I don't get a lot of opportunities to drive mine, but if I did there would probably be radials on it. With no power steering and a very stiff suspension you need to hang on the wheel with two hands if the pavement is even just a little bit uneven. Hey, I wanted the nostalgic look and feel so I live with it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Chevy454]

For "occasional" use, the Polyglass will be fine. Granted, you're not gonna out handle anything on a road coarse, but they're fine for cruising, or for a blast down the strip. We've driven our cars on cruises, rural highways, interstate, backroads...no sweat.

If you regularly drive it quite a distance, then radials would be the way to go. But if not, the Polyglass will be fine and look a heck of a lot better.

[hvychev]

The bad ride is a lot bigger of a myth than reality. I have been running bias plys for thousands of miles in all conditions (on the street, for long trips, in the rain, & on the track) with no major problems. If you want a perfect ride buy a Caddy or Benz. Muscle cars were ment to have them and they look awesome!

[Supercar_Kid]

musclecars look stupid with radials. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif There is no such thing as a radial that "looks" like a bias ply, and radials totally kill the vintage look of any 60s or early 70s musclecar in my opinion... people drove these cars every day for years with bias plys, I don't see why weekend cruisers need radials. jmo. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[tom406]

I think, with alignment and everything optimized, radials are better. But I don't believe the difference is as great as most people are lead to believe. I believe that, much like 6 volt electrics, bias ply tires are very unforgiving of things going out of spec. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Most cars that have a huge drivability gain when switching to radials from bias have other issues, in my opinion. The effects of worn front end parts, worn steering boxes, bad shocks, or poor alignment are all diminished by the soft sidewalls of radials, and most of us are too lazy or cheap to properly fix the problem, when changing tires will take care of the 1000 miles a year we drive the cars. I've driven super low mile cars with bias plys - they're not "all over the road". I also think some of the repro bias ply tires suffer from quality control issues, based upon the cosmetic blemishes and balancing challenges I've had. So maybe they're not always a good representation of the breed.

And you just can't get "the look" with radials on a period-correct looking car. The square shouldered EAGLE GT's of the mid to late 80's were about the closest I've seen. I wish Goodyear would re-release those with Polyglas style small lettering, and no sizes (after all, "P215/65/R15" in white letters would screw up the visual, no?)

[mmcporter]

Actually, Coker makes a set of redline radials that look like Bias Plys from 10 feet. And they ride a lot better and are more forgiving than bias plys. I've driven my car with Bias Plys and radials, and I'm sorry, the radials are more comfortable, forgiving and confidence-inspiring than the Bias Plys. True the BPs look nice, and are better for the drag strip, but for people that DRIVE their cars, radials are a safer choice.

[CWilliams]

Give Diamond Back in Myrtle Beach SC. a try. They make an awesome redline radial out of a road king brand tire. Just mounted a set of 215/70/14's on a set of JJ 14x6 wheels and I think the look is just about right. Not exactly the square shouldered bias ply look but the best I've seen in a radial, very square and no lettering on the redline side. Also...If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Coker's are speed rated!

[Belair62]

I've used Coker and Diamond back....no question the handling and ride are better....bias look much better but they suck to drive with.

[mike32]

BELAIR62, WHATS WITH THE 63 CAMARO?

[Belair62]

Its a joke ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Nova67ss]

Do U guys have an www.adress to Diamon back or Coker tyres???

[Supercar_Kid]

A radial looks about as much like a bias ply as a hubcap looks like a wheel. Sure radials give a better ride, but so would a tube chassis and coil overs. Musclecars were designed to run on bias plys and they work just fine. I've driven thousands of miles on a 35 year old NOS set of Firestone wide ovals and they handle like they should. The fresh American made repros are even better with no worries about cracking, dry rot, etc. For me it comes down to era correct looks, you wouldn't wear bell bottoms with reeboks, then why put radials on your musclecar? Also, you just can't duplicate the squall of an old bias ply gettin' lit up. Bias plys are the ONLY way to fly. I'm sure many will disagree, but just my 2 cents. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[Jeff Murphy]

Coker Tire (http://www.cokertire.com)

+1 (423) 265-6368 ask for Luis Gutierrez, he handles all the international orders. Good people!


I have to agree with the Kid on the bias plys. Took the COPO to an event this weekend on a 140 mile round trip using highways and two lane country roads. A little wandery at times, but no problems. And they do light up nicely...

[Chevy454]

You guys said it...the bias-plys just look right. And if you want to hook 'em, try about 44psi in the rear...

[whitetop]

One of the well known street rod builders was describing a conversation he had with a client wanting to build a '37 Chevy. The client said he wanted it to ride and have the look of a Mercedes (Mercedes leather on the seats etc). The builder said all he could think of while the client was talking was telling the client "Then buy a new Mercedes. This is a Hot Rod for Christ sakes!!!!"

It's not just the look of musclecars. It's the sounds, the ride quality, or lack thereof that make them special.

Kudos on bias ply's. Radials are bad enough but the asian tires, especially the Nittos, speedos or Dorritos whatever you call them look worse yet.
Dave

[JoeG]

QUOTE:
It's not just the look of musclecars. It's the sounds, the ride quality etc.
Dave

This is true--if you enjoy the feeling of --this is how it was back then ---plys are the way to go. ----If you want the old look with a better ride, then go radials.--I'm partial to plys.----- I just trying to picture radials on a Model T.

[tom406]

I have to admit my desire to "keep it real" with bias ply tires fades away on the post wide whitewall, pre wide oval era of cars. My '63 Galaxie 500XL 406/4sp car, when it sees the road again, will be wearing 17" Torque Thrust II's and a big and bigger set of tires. I was actually looking at Nittos (They make a 275/50/17 that's about a match to a 275/60/15 in overall dimensions), but I'll probably end up with Goodyears, 225/55 and 255/50/17's.

Those blackwall and 1" whitewall 7.75-14's and the like just look spindly and lame on '62-'66 era stuff for the most part (Corvettes with their tiny wheelwells excepted). Low profile tires tend to drive more like bias plys (stiff sidewalls and all) so the experience isn't that different. Other than the fact that I should be able to take offramps 20mph faster /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif.

Bottom line is you buy what you like. If you look at cars at the shows with radials and you just can't get into it, you probably won't learn to. If you can't tell from 20 feet what kind of tires a car has, you don't need to worry about it- just order up some BFG T/A's post haste and start driving.

[JoeG]

tom406,
The Goodyears with the Torque Thrust II's sounds like a nice combo /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif---I wouldn't go over 17"
Variety keeps everything from becoming boring---JoeG

[Belair62]

[ QUOTE ]
you wouldn't wear bell bottoms with reeboks, then why put radials on your musclecar?

[/ QUOTE ] Bias Ply tires are great for going around the block and lighting them up but it feels like you are skateboarding on the highway...

[Seattle Sam]

It seems like it used to be really important to carry a spare tire, because bias ply tires failed a lot more than radials do..When is the last time one of us had a radial tire blow out on the highway?
-Sam

[Chevy454]

I think the Pure Stock and Stock Appearing cars say a LOT about the bias-plys of today. Think those tires don't see some abuse? Huge burnouts, followed by speeds over 125mph on some cars? In fact, we've had the same Polys on our Camaro for 6 years now, and have had ZERO problems with them. And, in that time frame, we've not only driven the car on the street to cruises/shows, but made well over 100 passes at the drag strip, each beginning with a HUGE burnout. And I'm not even gonna mention some of the crap I've seen dad pull in front of the shop or in parking lots with them/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif!

As for a radial blowing out, this spring I had one come apart on me on the 4-lane with 18 wheelers beside and behind me, and a friend had one let go while towing his L-78 Chevelle. Kind of an eery feeling...

I'm sure the bias tires fail as well, but radials aren't without fault. Need I even say the word "Firestone"?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

So, guess which I recommend!

[Schonyenko2]

We were very happy with the ride, and the performance of the M/Ts that we put on Engler's deuce. Kinda wish I had em on mine