NEW bias ply tires
 

Is anyone here nutty enough to run new bias ply tires on their truck? I love the look of bias plys with their pie crust edges but you hear so many horror stories about how they drive and wander. I know I've driven old pickups with ancient bias ply tires and they did just that. But those were OLD, OLD tires. I wonder what a new set of bias tires drives like. The bias tires on my 66 are at least 25 years old and they actually don't drive that bad. Not nearly as bad as others I've driven that were all over the road. They are getting a little weather checked, though, so I'd like to replace them eventually. Can't decide if I should go for the driveability of a radial or the better, skinny, tall, square-shouldered looks of an old style bias. Either way I want to keep the original two piece wheels and 7.50x16 tires. Any thoughts? Experiences?

Here are a couple I'm considering. Needless to say, the bias look best. Dig that crust! But these radials seem to mimic that look pretty well, too. Hopefully they wouldn't be too "round-sided" like a car tire once they're mounted. I think these radials look more like a semi radial tire. Wish there was an American brand that looked similar to these.

Bias: http://recstuff.com/LT7.50-16-Load-R...tm_campaign=4F

Radial: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....leSearch=false

PS: My truck came from the factory with 7.50-16 tires. What would be the equivalent in a metric? 235-85r16? 215-85r16? How skinny can you go on a 6" wheel? I guess some guys here are calling it the "pizza cutter" look. Thanks!

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

im rollin bias-ply, havent put em on the road yet. i just wanted that old time look. i got mine from cocker tire, not sure if you checked them out. hope im not all over the road with em, oh by the way i had to put tubes in my cuz my wire wheels are very wide and the bead wouldnt catch without tubes, do you think that will cause a poorer or better ride? i know the contact patch hasnt changed, but with the sidewall being a bit wider will that make it drive different?

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

The 61 that I bought sunday has newer bias ply tires on it. I havent driven it far enough for them to smooth out but I hope to this weekend and I will let you know. It rode so rough going around the block I thought something was wrong with it until I saw the tires.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

well that sucks, i got mine in 99 and only had em mounted, now yrs later my build is close to being complete. id hate to change tires cuz i got 3" whitewalls and just had my set of knockoff wire wheels powercoated, they look sexy as hell with the bias on them. let me know how the ride. cuz i'll just cruise it on nice days and deal, but im not changing my setup its been far too long coming not to get em some rode time!!!!

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Im sure they will get better. My truck has been sitting and they get flat spots when they dont move much. The first mile or so will shake your teeth out.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

i'll keep my fingers crossed

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

if I'm running white walls they gotta be bias plys. Had them on my truck for a few years. All of my old cars run bias plys ,can't beat the look of them. I don't have any problems running them at all

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

thanks i hope its true for my build, radials would take away from the look fersure, and if i want to swap back to the oem style i dont need to change tires

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Yep, I run bias ply tires on my 60 GMC and I also ran them on my last 59 Apache. My GMC is currently running 8.15-15 Firestone Deluxe Champions. On my 59 I ran G78 BFG Silvertown's. Ride has never been a problem for me, but I don't drive them in the rain and not too often on the highway either.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

i had to get inner tubes in order for my 8" wide rims to fit the bias they look awesome.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

btw im using an oem fiber fan shroud to much mods needed to make the steel impala on to fit. i could work it, but why.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Bias tires are scary brand new let alone 40 something years old!!!!! LOL! ;)

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

i heard two sides of the bias ply, hope mine rides nice. ps dont be so "bias" T.J cuz im kinda freaking out, and i havent even rode em yet. thanks for the comments

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

I rather run a 40 year old bias. then a 8 year old radial any-day .... i have NEVER had a bias. explode on me in the 50 years that i have been driving i cant count how many radials have .. even when a bias starts to separate you can tell and have time to pull over radials just instantly come apart and take half the truck with them... i have ran 10.00-20s till the tube starts to stick out the hole wore in it .. old joke was when the cord started showing was get the duct tape out

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

i have plenty duct tape, so i should be good.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Well, it warmed up today to 5 degrees so I was able to get a few pictures in, Not sure if this will help but heres pictures of some Yokahama tires mounted on 16 inch rims. These are different than the model you picked out, these are the 788 style, I like the ones you found better.
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/009.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/010.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/011.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/012.jpg

Then theres these on 15 inch rims from Yokahama, I really like these. Put them on my 66 GMC and my 63 this year.
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/013.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/015.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/016.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20GMC/020.jpg

These look a little closer to your choice.

By the way, great link on the Kenda tires. I called the company in Ohio and they couldn't find that tire for me in the USA and you find it one hour north of me ?!

Ive read the comments here on the Bias tires, going to try some this year. Sodly I think these you found might not be too bad because they are a heavier ply rating, the 15 inch Bias Coker tires I think are only 4 ply and after sitting awhile might get some flat spots till run again. Im wondering if the heavier ply of those Kenda tires will prevent that some. ?

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Thanks, Jon. This is very helpful. It's good to see some of these tires actually mounted up. I would LOVE to hear your experience with any new bias tires. I'm very torn about which way to go, bias vs radial. The Kendas are mighty cool looking. I bet a 10 ply tire will ride rough as a cob no matter what! I also read that often bias tires will come out of round from the factory. Uuuugh. I just wish they made some better pie crusts on the radials and it would be a no-brainer.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Well I think my 15s I posted are 8 ply, Ask OEM4me or Yelmer about ride with 17.5 radials and 19.5 radials, those are 14-16 ply. The short time I owned a certain truck with 19.5s it wasn't as bad a ride as I thought it would be , those are actually Semi truck tires I believe.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

I just ordered a set of these today for my 1963 GMC 4x4 https://www.universaltire.com/truck-...r-traxion.html

After seeing them on that 1961 Stepside I knew its what I wanted.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

i got the cocker bias, how do i find the ply amount is it on the sidewall? oh wait i can just go online, duh...

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

no ply amount data on coker website, oh well ima roll what i got til i need duct tape of course.

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server40...62.155.130.jpg
http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server40...87.155.130.jpg
These are the tires I would like to run on mine...I think they look killer....

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

randy cox. please tell me ur joking, dont get me wrong they do look killer, standing still. the road noise would be killer

Re: NEW bias ply tires
 

Awe Music to my ears.