B Model Radial Steer Tires (Yes or NO)?

[richard-b61]

Hey all you B model owners, I'm restoring a B-61 and am just starting to look at new front tires for it, and have been told by a couple of tire guys that putting radials on the front with no power steering is not a good idea. One guy even said "you won't feel like you have full control of the truck". I'll be making the conversion from 10.00.22 tube tires to 11R24.5 tubeless and wanted to get some feed back on this from everyone. I won't be hauling loads with this truck, just fixin it up and showing it off!

Also, anyone have any suggestions on a good low priced tire? I know they can be expensive.

[b61mack]

Radials are the only way to go, I have Firestones on the front of mine, Goodyear on the back. does not wander, rides better. I run 100psi the front 50-60 psi in the back unless I haul a heavy load.

[Brian Blaylock]

Radials are the only way to go if you let the truck set for extended amounts of time they will not flat spot like bias ply tires plus you will have a hard time finding a new bias ply steer tire that is worth putting on

[Bigdogtrucker]

Whoever told you NOT to use them is crazy...

[gearhead204]

I think some tire guy had some bias steers he wanted to sell you!

[j hancock]

Go with the radials.

[57 bcr]

RADIALS...........we wouldn't STEER you wrong!

[thomastractorsvc]

Ditto to what they said, I have them on my B61 no power steering, the only thing I can tell is it still drives like it has no power steering

[Maddog13407]

if you can find some good old school 'diamond tread' goodyear 10.00 22's in a huge stockpile, let us all know. only tire you will find is a radial for the front. the others have been obsolete for years and I don't think id put some Chinese one on the front of my restored B. I have had them on the front of my B with and without power steering, steers the same. like they said, run about 100 in the front and 45-50 psi in the back.

[d427]

I unfortunately made the bad decidion to put the chinese bias ply 10.00-22 on my b. I thought since I was just cruising around town and with power steering I wouldn't notice but seems like way too hard of compound although I need to tighten up my steering box. Definately go with radials.

[Freightrain]

My truck came with 10:20 bias plys on it, but since they were pretty well toast I spent the money and put 6 new radials on it. The bias ply you could NOT turn the wheel if you were not moving. With radial, you can still turn the wheels sitting still. Not like power steering, but you can move them. I have Yokohomo's on, and only paid $250 each but that was 12 yrs ago!! Now they have near doubled.

Now, not sure about mix/matching radial front/bias rear. I've heard the old tale how that is not a good thing. Never had to do it.

[Bobby j]

For the money tires cost now and the service you get out of them radials is the only way to go..my two cents......bobby j

[MalibuJim]

For what it's worth, I put Firstone 11R24.5 14pr FS 590 (steer) and FD 690 (drive). don't laugh, but my concern was what the tread looked like. I didn't want knobby drives for sure and these looked the best for me.

As far as not "feeling like you have control" wait til you drive it for a few miles and ask your arms if you think you could "feel" like you had control!!!

[jackb61sx]

We put all new Bias Ply back on ours when we restored it, would of put radials on but we where going for an all original restoration so we went that route. The tires where not cheap we got them out of a place in Ohio and had them shipped and we had them mounted local. If you drive it a lot go radials, ours only goes out maybe 10 times a year otherwise its in the shop out of the weather.

[richard-b61]

Thanks for all of the feedback on the tires guys, since this is my first restoration, I'm not ashamed to say I have lots to learn on the old B Models.

[Mike]

No need to be shamed. I'm learning day by day. Slower and slower. LOL........ My B is slowly taking shape with restoration. It has dried out China radials on front and Bias on back. But my truck was carrying the mail at a warping speed of 47 mph since it was a city truck. I'll go back with radials later on in the resto process.

Regards

mike

[mackdaddy]

I restored an LTL and W-71 back to original including the 5 hand hole aluminum tube type with 10:22s' I like to drive them both and wore down the front steer tires. By luck I was able to come across new Michelin 10:22R........ or radial tube type tires. What a difference that made in the steering and handling of both trucks. So considering you just cannot find these today and if you are driving the truck I would not hesitate to go with radials.

[j_martell]

My truck came with 10:20 bias plys on it, but since they were pretty well toast I spent the money and put 6 new radials on it. The bias ply you could NOT turn the wheel if you were not moving. With radial, you can still turn the wheels sitting still. Not like power steering, but you can move them. I have Yokohomo's on, and only paid $250 each but that was 12 yrs ago!! Now they have near doubled.

Now, not sure about mix/matching radial front/bias rear. I've heard the old tale how that is not a good thing. Never had to do it.

Shouldn't mix radials/bias on the same axle I've always been told/read....not sure of the reason....time for some research.

[BC Mack]

Learnt many years ago when radials started to come into mainstream use... "radials to the rear"..

we were starting to mix bias with 'new' radial 900x20, Dunlop/Firestone bias with Michelin radials.

so, we were allowed bias front and radial rear combination but not the other way round.

all to do with the slip angle of the tire, with radials on the rear there was more oversteer which was deemed more beneficial than the understeer of a front radial.

confused... so where we, so we just did what the engineers said until we went 100% radial and later moved onto tubeless 22.5

all regions dot etc will declare that you cannot mix radial and bias on same axle just as you can't mix different sizes unless they are imperial/metric equivalents. Today I can't see any regulation that restricts the placement of bias vs radial front/rear so maybe they were overcautious all those years ago.

question.. what do the vintage car guys do??? not in that business but isn't there a tire company, Cooper?, that makes a radial tire that looks like an old bias??

BC Mack

[Maddog13407]

Coker tire makes hotrod tires that look old school bias ply but are tubeless.

[1958 F.W.D.]

I concur with Bigdogtrucker- whoever told you this is insane.

I converted the F.W.D. from tube-type bias tires to tube-type radials and WHAT a difference. I'm sure the fact that the (non power steering) steer axle is also a drive axle comes into play.....But I I find that the radials are WAY better for both ride and steering.

[b61mack]

Does anyone know if any U.S. tire company still makes tube type radials made in the USA.

[Maddog13407]

not 10.00 22's . maybe able to find 10.00 20's

[Mike]

I did not know that Coker Tire had semi truck tires. I figured they made pickup and car tires. I bought a set of Firestone tires for a vintage Mustang I once owned from them back in the early 80's.

mike

[Maddog13407]

believe Coker has 10.00 22's on their website?? maybe Chinese or maybe just military tread? not sure