These old trucks weren't hard to steer back then!

[shp4man]

I'm old enough to remember when these trucks were just "used cars", and they never seemed so hard to steer when parking as they are now.
Well, it's because they weren't designed for radial tires, which have a really big contact patch.
They were designed for bias ply truck tires, 6 ply, wear like iron, bumps when cold, old school, like these:

http://www.trailertiresandwheels.com...k-trailer-tire



Now , I can't vouch for the quality of these Kendas, and they are 8 plys, which makes them even more bumpier than what I remember, but you don't need power steering with them.

I know because I had a low mileage '61 without power steering and some dude gave me a set of 6 plys for it- what a difference!

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by shp4man

I'm old enough to remember when these trucks were just "used cars", and they never seemed so hard to steer when parking as they are now.
Well, it's because they weren't designed for radial tires, which have a really big contact patch.
They were designed for bias ply truck tires, 6 ply, wear like iron, bumps when cold, old school, like these:

Bias ply tires were WAY before my time so I haven't had any experience with them but they have always intrigued me.

Did they actually wear like iron? How many miles out of a set are we talking?

[TJ's Chevy]

I have radials on my 66 with no P/S and parking was easy for me. All I had to do was keep the truck rolling ever so slightly and I could easily turn on a dime. Mine are 30 inch 6 ply radials.

[shp4man]

Bias 6 ply 700x15 LT's will generally run 30-40 thousand miles before replacement. The truck handles way better, too. Something with the front end geometry is different.
The weird thing is that they need to warm up, they develop flat spots sitting overnight.

[63burban]

People were used to manual steering so it seemed fine

[T2vigil]

I concur with the keeping it rolling a little. But for me it is a matter of age. I'm officially and old fart and not as strong as I used to be.

[The Rocknrod]

With Bias Ply you have the added benefit of finding out where every nook and cranny in the road is (while driving) and where they want to take you.

[jayoldschool]

I run 235 75 15s on my LWB (no PS). It's fine... until the day I took it to Costco and parked in the middle. What a workout! Making a multiple point park took lots of effort. I learned my lesson: park far away. Less effort to walk than to muscle the steering.

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by T2vigil

I concur with the keeping it rolling a little. But for me it is a matter of age. I'm officially and old fart and not as strong as I used to be.

Exactly, long as you keep it rolling just every so slowly it makes all the difference. Plus it's really hard on steering components to steer without moving anyway.

[duallyjams]

All 4 of mine are manual steering. I have a rebuilt one on the 65 from https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/ It feels like power steering as easy as it is compared to the other 3.

[leonphelps]

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

Bias ply tires were WAY before my time so I haven't had any experience with them but they have always intrigued me.

Did they actually wear like iron? How many miles out of a set are we talking?

as for wearing like iron, not sure how that came about. a trailer tire will wear out in 80k miles. a comparable radial will wear out in 120k miles with half the flats.

the feel is different mostly. radials have more contact with the road.

[66customcamper]

I've got 8 ply bias on my '66, hiway tires on the front and mud/snows on the back. Truck doesn't get driven very often and those babies will rattle your teeth loose for the first few miles till they round back out.

Wife drove my truck once, and she said never again.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by leonphelps

as for wearing like iron, not sure how that came about. a trailer tire will wear out in 80k miles. a comparable radial will wear out in 120k miles with half the flats.

That's kinda what I was thinking, I just haven't had the "pleasure" of running bias plies.

[Indian113]

I have 205/70-15 on the front of the 64 and don't have a lot of problems with steering at low speed or parking. I think a wider tire increases resistance

[jtrichard]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

With Bias Ply you have the added benefit of finding out where every nook and cranny in the road is (while driving) and where they want to take you.

BUT with BIAS you get the benefit of a tire that DONT EXPLODE and do $1000 (or more) damage to your truck

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by leonphelps

as for wearing like iron, not sure how that came about. a trailer tire will wear out in 80k miles. a comparable radial will wear out in 120k miles with half the flats.

the feel is different mostly. radials have more contact with the road.

Agreed on the trailer tires. Just switched to my first ever radial trailer tires on my tandem. They seem to ride / tow way smoother and even seem a little more durable after one summer towing.

FWIW, the only set of bias plys that I ever run were Swampers. Seem to remember them getting flat spots if I let them sit for a week or so. It was pretty aggravating as a DD crew cab dually. They ended up wearing real funny and that turned me off to bias plys since.

[The Rocknrod]

Originally Posted by jtrichard

BUT with BIAS you get the benefit of a tire that DONT EXPLODE and do $1000 (or more) damage to your truck

Ya and we've all experienced that on here - right?

[bj383ss]

I can say when I put the BFGoodrich Silvertown's on my truck 235/75's, the truck turns much easier now than the oversized tires that were on it.

My dad always tells me stories about bias ply and also Nylon tires. He said they lasted forever just didn't like the flat spots every morning for the first 10 miles.

Bret

[LT1 Burb]

I have my stock size coker bias plies and it is so easy to turn I should just leave the power steering belt off.

[bpmcgee]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

I can say when I put the BFGoodrich Silvertown's on my truck 235/75's, the truck turns much easier now than the oversized tires that were on it.

My dad always tells me stories about bias ply and also Nylon tires. He said they lasted forever just didn't like the flat spots every morning for the first 10 miles.

Bret

I have to give Bret a +1 here. My suburban came with some wide radials. I switched to the Silvertowns, which have a profile much more like old bias plys, and the smaller contact patch made for SIGNIFICANTLY easier steering.

B

[oem4me]

Not only did they steer easier, they stopped better ... even towing a trailer or carrying a camper. Face it guys, we have all softened up.
Over the last fifty years, technological advances have removed much of the risk and danger that was part of everyday life. Nobody complained because that was just how it was.
It's really sad how we whine about everything today. Sheesh, my nine year old son and his friends are not allowed to run on the school playground at recess for fear they will fall and get hurt, then sue the school district ! ...but I digress.