> >> I wonder how many on this list today have ever had the opportunity to >make the comparison, going from cross ply tires to radials on the same >vehicle. << > >I wonder how many on this list today have ever had the opportunity to make >the comparison, going from cross ply tires to radials on the same vehicle. >And especially on a vehicle that is being has been/will be driven near the >edge? I did on a Spitfire in about 1966 (when no one had heard of radials >yet) and for those of you that have only know radial ply tires under your >sleds you don't know (and hopefully never will) how much difference the >interior design of your tires can make. And I'm sure this applies to a >Vanagon as well as any other vehicle (VS). What they call "bias-ply" is just a crossply. it is NOT, despite what some might say, an intermediate between a radial and a crossply. Of course bald tires work better than treaded ones of the identical type on dry pavement. By a long margin. That's why Formula 1 uses slicks in the dry. A bald crossply can give much better traction than a "safely treaded" one... as I know from hooning in a 64 Beetle (tried my van's wheels on it, but the offset put the 205s hard up against the trailing-arms). Possibly better traction than a really bad radial such as a Firestone Cavallino "Sport", which have given me some real frights. Michelin brought out the first radials when, early mid60s? -- Andrew Grebneff Dunedin New Zealand Fossil preparator Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut ‚ Opinions stated are mine, not those of Otago University "There is water at the bottom of the ocean" - Talking Heads |
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