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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Radial versus Bias

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Radial versus Bias -- page: 1 2 3     rayfry 03-01-2019 @ 7:09 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Jan 2019 I need new tires on my 1949 Ford Custom. Right now I have Bias Ply tires with 3 inch whitewalls. I want the whitewalls but in a radial they are so expensive. Is there that big a difference in the ride between radial and bias. This is not a show car just a nice driver for weekends and sunny days. Big Red 51 03-01-2019 @ 7:21 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 192 Joined: Oct 2009 Ray, Radials do greatly improve handling especially at speeds on the interstate. As you know, bias tires walk around especially in ruts in the pavement. I have used radials on my '51 F-1, 1953 and 1954 sedans all of which on the interstate going to meets and etc. I have seen bias tires on interstate highways with macadam ruts in truck lanes litterly cause a car to jump into the adjoining lane, not a good feeling when you have 18 wheelers on either side of you. For your stated needs, I think bias tires would be fine. Don JT Ford 03-01-2019 @ 7:51 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 2009 Put radials on it. TomO 03-01-2019 @ 8:17 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7243 Joined: Oct 2009 If your front suspension and steering components are in good condition and aligned correctly, you should have no trouble handling the car on any road. I have been driving my 40 Mercury with Bias ply tires on all kinds of roads for over 40 years and have not experienced the problem that Big Red 51 describes. I did have that problem with my 53 Lincoln before I had the front end aligned. I have ridden in my friend's 39 Ford with both bias ply and radial tires and did not notice much of a change in ride quality. He said that he noticed a big improvement when he first put them on, but his bias ply tires were 25 years or more old. I noticed a big improvement when I changed my 15 year old tires to new bias ply tires. You should read the article that I posted a link to in the Mercury discussion on hub caps, before you buy the tires. Tom 51woodie 03-01-2019 @ 12:39 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 509 Joined: Jan 2017 I have 6:00-16 WWW tube type bias on my '46 Super Deluxe. I read all the comments prior to making the choice, and I find the car runs reasonably straight at all speeds, given the technology to the steering/suspension. All components are in good condition, with no free play. I did the toe in adjustment myself, then decided to take it to the local Ford dealer to have it checked. Caster and camber were within specs., but I was off a bit on the toe in, which the technician adjusted. The car drove noticeably better on the drive home (60 MPH). Sometimes a bit can mean a lot. village grande 03-01-2019 @ 5:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 43 Joined: Aug 2016 After driving my stock 51 ford victoria for 3 years with a good front end and Bias tires I was convinced be friends to invest $220 dollars apiece for wide white radial tires. The difference to me was immediate and amazing. The car driving experience was noticeably better, the car held the road straighter especially when the road surface was uneven or rutted. I felt safer and more relaxed driving, I should have done it sooner. LarryK 03-02-2019 @ 4:15 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 105 Joined: Aug 2012 Some have cautioned against installing radial tires on rims designed for bias ply tires, claiming added stresses that could lead to rim failure. Larry BUCKAWHO 03-02-2019 @ 4:46 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 96 Joined: Feb 2016 Hi Ray....My '51 Coupe had radial tires when I purchased it two years ago. The steering box needed some adjustment, and I purchased four new wheels for the car. I transferred the radials to the new wheels, and the car drives with no problems now. The tires have narrow whitewalls, but I'll fix that when the tires need to be replaced. My recommendation is for new radials for your car. BT P.S. ...At 80 years old, I stay off the interstates, and travel the back roads. Slower speeds and more to see. kubes40 03-02-2019 @ 6:10 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3370 Joined: Oct 2009 I only do "high end" restorations so have never installed radials on any of my projects. However, I have repaired a number of client's vehicles wherein they have installed radials. Typical issues are wheel tromping. Caused by worn front chassis parts, worn shocks, worn spring, worn steering gear, etc. While these old Fords may tolerate radial tires, they were not designed for them. Thus, the front chassis must be in really good condition. Subsequently, if your chassis is in good condition, why the need for radials? Plus, at least in my opinion, they look like poopy. Mike "Kube" Kubarth 1934 Ford 03-02-2019 @ 6:39 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 567 Joined: Oct 2009 On my antique Ford V8 cars I have continued to use bias ply tires. On my old VW (66) I switched to radials years ago because it changed the ride from Antique Car to Sports Car. My 35 Buick Resto Mod got radials from the beginning, due to the modern suspension. Back to the Ford V8's, I'm a 1934 Ford V8 guy. I get about 10 years on a set of bias ply Coker WWW tires (We do lots of touring) In 2013 we visited Coker Tires Museum in Chatanooga and bought another set of 5 bias tires. I was happy with them but not their tubes ( I use Radial Tubes). I was happy until a buddy bought a real nice 1936 Ford Tudor with radial tires. Wow what a great ride and much easier to handle on our crooked mountain roads, drove like a modern car. I plan on a new set of radials in 2023. (If i can wait that long) 1934 Ford's since 1972

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