Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

Okay here's my situation. Its time to order tires.
I WANT to buy bias look radial tires. after the cost of tires, tubes, shipping and mounting it will be approximately 1300 to 1400 $$$$.
If i go bias the cost will be roughly half that.
The car will be driven a fair amount of little local trips on weekends I am off, but I am working 6 days a week (every other week) 10 hour days.

Using this scenario can any of you justify the extra cost of radials and what is you reasoning?

The car is a 42 Ford Fordor. I included pictures .

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

On every car I have ever had that I switched to radials from bias ply the difference was amazing. The cars tracked better,rod better, and handled better. It makes the driving experience more enjoyable. I would not even consider bias ply's any more.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I think it will come down to your car and how well its set up suspension - steering wise. All I can say is I have good ol' Firestones and I drive on them daily, all speeds and on some crappy roads I have no problems driving "one handed" mine doesn't track badly at all..

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

Are you aware that many times you can get Coker tires from Summit with free shipping? The last time I bought from Coker, I used my H.A.M.B. Alliance discount and my credit card company had an additional "On-line Order" discount of 1% and got about $200 off. Kept my total cost under $1000. I also ordered radials and wouldn't think of going back. Why waste the extra money on "bias-look radials"? For me that falls right in with "faux patina" and the rest of that crap.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

i am going to assume you are running bias tires. the front end is new from side to side (all parts) Its the setting parts I worry about more than anything

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

Tubman, all i can find in the 6.00 x 16 size is bias or bias look radial. If you can point me to a radial the correct size I would love to give it a consider. I did wonder about a 725 or so 16. I know these sizes came about in the 60s and 70s.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

We put a new set of bias white walls on our 46 3 years and 6300 miles ago. I read all the reports on radials and decided on bias and ours handles just fine. But.. my front end is tight and no play whatsoever. Some reports about the amazing difference seem hard to believe. We have a Mitchell so our driving is high speed interstates and lots of rough secondary roads. I guess my point is: spend your $$ on rebuilding your front end and steering box, adjust the toe-in and put your bias tires at 34#. You will be a happy boy and have some $$ left in your pocket. Radials will not fix a loose front end. JMHO
John

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I have been running radials on my daily driver 35 since the 80's. In my opinion, the very best 'modification' anyone can do to an early V8 is to go radial. Sure, they're sweet on the original bias ply tires, but radials will totally improve the whole car. I would never go back.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

What I did when I decided to put radials on my '37 two years ago is to go to a large tire store that handles all brands of tires and has volume sales going for them for lower pricing. In my case this was 'America's Tire' - a chain store. They have all the catalogs from all the tire manufacturers. I told them what I had, my application and what I wanted. They/we came up with the tires I needed/wanted, ordered them, they called me when they arrived (a couple of days), balanced them and installed them on my car for about $850.00. I couldn't be happier.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

"petehoovey" says it all in post # 9 if blackwalls are OK; whitewalls complicate things a bit.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I have two sets of radial tires for my 35's. One set by Coker and the other set from Diamondback. Neither set cost anywhere near $1300-$1400. I am not concerned if they look like bias or radial tires myself, or to any other folks who may look at them. All I can say is either set of radials were a major improvement over the bias ply tires that were originally on my cars. Like others have already said, I would not even think about going back to bias ply tires again.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

Of course, if you want a totally authentic ride, so that the "time machine" really works, bias-ply are the only way to go. If you ain't got the '"bias-ply boogie" you ain't authentic. Just drove to Alaska and back on bias-plies and they were . . . shall we say . . . authentic. :cool:

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I only have about 100 miles on my new Radial tires, but OH, MY, what a difference. Our paved roads here in Alaska are quite rutted unless they were freshly paved in the last year or so. With the bias tires, it was quite difficult to keep it in a straight line. The new Radials pay no attention to the ruts and truck along like they weren't there.

FWIW, I put 5.50R19 Excelsior Stahl Sport Radials, along with the Radial tubes offered by Coker, and Counteract balancing beads in the tubes (4oz). While I was at it, I had the wheels powder coated, new stainless hubcaps and lug nuts (with washers).

The tires in my avitar are the Firestones that were on it when I bought the truck. Below are the new Cocker Radials.

As far as cost goes, yea the radials cost more. Worth it? Oh, Yea!

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I used the 195 80 r16 bridgestone ecopia. Sure they are for electric vehicles but they fit good and arnt to expensive.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

I've got radials on my F1 and bias on my 41 and I admit the radials ride and track better but the bias are ALOT better for low speed turning, almost feels like you have power steering with the bias tires.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

That radial cost is huge! I've got radials on my 42 pickup cus I can't afford bias ply at the moment. When I can, it'll be getting 6.50X16 white wall hoops. Front tires are 205-80X16, these are fairly cheap. Cheaper still when you have a neighbour that does mud plugging, and he takes this size tire off and puts bloody great gnarly things on.
I really like the way bias plys drive, part of the experience.
One important thing, old knackered hard or dirt cheap (camac) bias ply tires are nasty, really nasty. Changing these for new reasonable quality tires is like night and cheese.
Martin.

P.s. I found modern low profile tires follow the painted lines and ruts, sometimes more so than reasonable quality bias plies.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

At my age I figured I would only buy the radials once. I might as well spend the money and have an enjoyable ride. A big diff over bias. Glad I spent the money !

Mike

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

ANY new tire (bias or radial) is probably going to be better than what you have now. JMO

Paul in CT

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

As for cost of radials vs. bias ply, I only get 20,000 miles out of Coker's bias plies and they cost $200.00 each. I'm thinking you'd get a lot more miles out of radials. If you got 40,000 miles out of radials, any price under $400 a piece would be a savings over the bias plies in the long run. Actual numbers may be different. But, you get the picture - figure the cost per mile of the tire.

Re: Bias vs Radial tire cost
 

been running the" electric car" radials for 4 years now and love them, since then I have sold other people on them and they all like the ride, handling/ etc