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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     MG 03-02-2019 @ 12:11 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1251 Joined: Nov 2009 I see that Coker has come out with 17 inch radial tires to fit the wire wheels on my '34. I was so pleased with the improved performance of the 16 inch radials I put on my '37 and the 15 inch radials on my '53, I'm going to purchase a set for my '34. I found that steering and ride were very noticeably improved over the bias ply tires I once had on the '37 and the '53.... See > https://www.cokertire.com/550r17-excelsior-stahl-sport-radial.html carcrazy 03-02-2019 @ 3:52 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1597 Joined: Oct 2009 Radial tires are definitely the way to go. If you don't have to have whitewalls, go with modern radials which will give much better service, performance, cost much less, and provide more mileage than the "show car tires" will. I have used Goodyear Assurance All-Season 205/75R15 Blackwall Radials on my 1953 Ford with great results. These tubeless radials have given no trouble in over 10K miles of driving over all kinds of roads and at highway speeds. My previous experience with expensive "show car whitewall radial tires" with inner tubes on a 1940 Ford was not so good. wmsteed 03-03-2019 @ 9:37 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 607 Joined: Oct 2009 I have been using radial tires on just about vehicle I have owned since the late 1960's. The list includes '59-79 Ford F pickups, '56-'57 T-Birds, various street rods, GM C-10/30 pickups, large trucks, RV's and every day cars. Of course it is a given that the suspension has to be in good shape and the alignment has to be adjusted from bias spec's. One thing that most people overlook is tire inflation, radials don't like low pressure. I don't pay much attention to the vehicle manufactures basis tire inflation recommendations, I follow the tire manufactures recommendations that is based on load, speed, etc.. a rule of thumb to follow is; if the front tires show signs of wear on the shoulders, the tire is under inflated. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe bigvince 03-12-2019 @ 4:44 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 60 Joined: Oct 2009 I have a 48 Woodie with 16 inch wheels - stock 4.5 inch width. I have an extra set of K-H 16 x 4.5 wheels and have read way too much on this subject with no definitive answer. It looks like Hancook makes a 16x 195 x 75 radial. The tire store assure me that after looking at the wheel, there should be no problem. Recommendations any on a stock front end and stock wheels anyone??? TomO 03-12-2019 @ 7:34 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7244 Joined: Oct 2009 Big Vince, read this article, it explains the different stresses on the wheel. https://www.sema.org/files/attachments/wtc-2011-05-bias-vs-radial-tire-wheel-fitment.pdf Tom JT Ford 03-13-2019 @ 7:22 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 112 Joined: Oct 2009 Be sure that black insulated wire under the dist. plate isn't bare someplace. After 65 years some are bad! When the plate moves it can short out and the car will stop. Got on the wrong post, sorry! This message was edited by JT Ford on 3-13-19 @ 7:25 AM Club Cpe 50 03-23-2019 @ 6:07 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 2 Joined: Mar 2019 I spent a lot on king pins-trunions-bushings-spindles-etc. My 50 coupe was beautifully painted by an earlier restorer but the mechanicals weren't the best. It had nice bias ply reproduction tires on it. I bought 5 Coker radials-tires made in the original 6.70 by 15 tire molds. The word "radial tire"is embossed small- about the same size as this type font. How/why any judge could detract points for these tires being radial is beyond me. Radials really help the car on bad road surfaces. The car is aligned a bit differently- more caster and slight negative camber-which helps directional stability. I had a set of aftermarket trim rings that overlapped the Ford hubcaps-giving the look of a full wheel cover. These would not stay on the front wheels due to rim flexing- I switched to the stock trim rings and all is well bigvince 05-06-2019 @ 1:35 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 60 Joined: Oct 2009 I use bias belted tires on 16 x 4.5 inch wheels on my 48 woodie. There is plenty of wandering particularly when an 18 wheeler blows by me. Some say yes to radials but use inner tubes. Some say no due to "rim stress". I had the guy at the tire store say no problem with radials on stock rims. I have five rims sitting in my garage where you can still read the "FORD" and "K-H" stamping clearly. A ton of discussion on this and never a firm answer. I have priced tires out but radials at one particular antique tire outlet are $240 a piece. That's Pirelli territory. I also have seen some 16R75 x 195 for about four hundred a set. Some say use the radials that come on an electric vehicle. What's the answer??? sarahcecelia 05-06-2019 @ 2:24 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1171 Joined: Mar 2013 Radials put ADDITIONAL stress on the outer edges, on both sides of the rims, and the original rims will crack from that stress. When your tires need a little air all the time, that's a sign that the rims are developing small cracks in them! Bias ply tires radiate the stress to each side of the rim, radially-So the force is half and half, whereas radials put all of the force, 100%, directly on on the edges of the rims.If you change to radials with original rims, it could be disastrous! Cars with radial tires have SPECIAL RIMS that are built for that extra stress. Do the research, you'll find that i'm right!There is a great possibility of a rim coming apart while your doing 50 or so miles an hour, and you lose control, and wreck! Regards, Steve Lee sarahcecelia 05-06-2019 @ 2:35 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1171 Joined: Mar 2013 Those rims were not made for the additional stresses of radials! They WILL CRACK- Modern cars with radial tires, have rims built for that stress. When you have to always add a little air to your tire(s), that will tell you they have small cracks starting in them; next they will come apart, and you will wreck your pride and joy! Do the RESEARCH!! Regards, Steve Lee

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