VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 Tire question concerning modern sizing '47

My car is an all original driver. I want to replace the bias tires with the best fit p-metric radial. I know that I can spend $1,000 and get Cokers but I do not want to spend that much. So far it looks like a good fit would be 215/70r16 Kelly. My concern is the very narrow (4.0") rim. So, I am lookiing for some feedback on what others have tried.
thanks
rsh47

FYI...I have both bias ply and radial tires for my 48 Fleetine,and have found very little change in overall performance between the two....don't waste your money, you will gain very little...You will need to change your rims and buy special caps that will adapt to them...Just my 2 cents on the matter

Others???

with gene agreeing with chef chev. I have radials on one of my 47s and bias on the other. The radials were mounted on 16x4-1/2" rims I got off a pickup. I can't say that I notice much (if any) difference.

dick

rsh47 ,what is the reason you feel you need to change your tires...An old car is a old car and will drive as an old car,unless you totally modify it...Hope that's not your plan?

I put radials on my 51 and the difference was like night and day. The bias ply followed every crack in the road and around here our back roads are crowned and cracked. On a tour in Pa. I was convinced that all that gov't stimulus money went there and not N.H. as every road we traveled seemed freshly paved. Crowned and cracked is two hands white knuckle don't blink driving if you have bias tires here.

Putting a new set of bias would have done the same thing. When bias get old and worn they tend to follow the cracks.
I don't trust a radial after they get a few year old. They tend to have the traed peel off.

You have a good point Gene as this car sat for five years and only moved occasionally during that time. When I bought it and drove it home some 20 miles I did not go over thirty MPH and had a hard time keeping it on the road. After putting on the radials the was fine. As far as radials peeling I changed my trailer tires last year that were 15 years old and they were still in good usable condition. Even the tire company asked why I was changing them as they could so nothing wrong-until I told them the age.

Thanks to all for giving your input and experience concerning my tire question. I am a retired Technical Dir. of a major tire mfg (36 years) company. However, I consider your experience more valuable when it comes to knowledge about old Chevys.
When I stated in my post that my car is all original, I failed to state that it has be stored since 1969. The bias tires hold air but that is all. I think that I will go with a radial because as you all know they have more flex in the sidewall and have less of a tendency to build up heat.
Your input has been valuable in making my decision.

rsh47

I respect your choice but a 1947 is not going to be driven at speeds that will build-up extreme heat.

I haven't tried the radials on my 41s but I am getting close to needing a new set for the 41 coupe. When was changing the rear springs I noted that the treads were getting a little thin. I think that I'll be going with the old bias ply ones. I'm open to suggestions and will carefully consider either kind.

I noted that the old ones have wore quite well. There is no side wall cracking and the white shows up pretty nicely. They came with the car when I got it back about 20 years ago. I put a lot of miles on them. They are Commanders. I guess they don't make that brand anymore. Sure were well made.

Question: If I were to go to the radials, do I have to change anything about the wheels so that they hold air, etc.

Question 2: What size radial matches the 600 -16 best? I would prefer slightly over size rather than undersized.

I know I won't be able to find a modern set that will come close to the longevity of the old Commanders but how many years can one expect from the modern ones? About 5-7 years? They will get old before the tread wears out.

Thanks,
Charlie

Our experience with both bias and radial tires results in radials for better handling and road grip, bias for longevity (particularly for big gaps in use). Radials transfer moisture to the steel belts which rust and then release the tread section on the road. Getting more than 5-6 years on a set of infrequently run radials without at least one trying to rip off a fender is a blessing. The good news is they tend to vibrate or bounce a little before chucking the tread. So if they begin to give a rougher ride CHANGE THEM!

Chipper,

Your post has gone a long, long way in convincing me that I should go with the original bias. Yep.

Thanks,
Charlie

Charlie for the right amount of $ you can get petty close in appearance......
Charlie "with out enlarging the pics"..Which is the bias and which is the radial...

CC,

I think the top one is the bias. And, I didn't have to enlarge the pictures to form that opinion. I guess I was going by the wider looking white-wall.

Both appear as nice looking tires.

Thanks for the pictures. Well, done.

Charlie

To me the bottom one looks like the bias.

Charlie Gene is correct....As you can see on the bottom tire the original mold for the 600/16 bias ply would have had the extra ring of rubber at the top of the white wall...By what I've found,there is no radials made that way...And of course if you could see the tread they are both very different

CC,

Well, crap! I should have noticed that. Well, I had a 50% chance of getting it wrong. What else is new?

Still going with bias. Of the radial treads I've seen they don't look too hot. Too open and look like they belong on a log truck. I think that they may appeal to those who also (mistakenly) think Fulton's look cute.

Charlie