Agree. An 85 series 16" is nice tall profile. A 215 width is narrow enough to mount on a 5.5" rim and would be in the range of 30.5" outside diameter. You should have no trouble finding it in a traction tread. Also, that Yokohama catalog lists some 7.50R16s in a traction tread that measure 32" outside diameter. Other companies no doubt have similar products. Stu

 

thats another one of my problems is that i dont really understand the new sizing system. can someone expain it to me. i get the old 30x9.5x15 type but this new one kinda loses me.

 

The sizing is basicly this:

275/50-16 is 275 mm wide tread, 50% of tread width for aspect ratio or sidewall height, 16 inch rim. Yes they mix mm and inches in the sizing.

Hope that clears things up for you.

 

hey thanks that will help me quite a bit. so really would their be any real performance gain for a daily driver to run radials instead of bias plys. my truck will mostly run around town and maybe up the mountians a few times a year, and maybe down the interstate at the most 75mph a few times a year. so would it really matter if i ran either one.

 

The problem is Two-Fold.

1: Our trucks were Not designed to run Radials, Bias-Ply works just fine as they are what was in use at the time.
The suspension & everything connected to it is Not set up for the use of them. Which means you have to reset everything, which is a Major pain in the **** to do. And the explanation of how a Bias-Ply is designed isn't very hard at all, as some would have you believe.

Bias-Ply

Bias tire (or cross ply) construction utilizes body ply cords that extend diagonally from bead to bead, usually at angles in the range of 30 to 40 degrees, with successive plies laid at opposing angles forming a crisscross pattern to which the tread is applied. The design allows the entire tire body to flex easily, providing the main advantage of this construction, a smooth ride on rough surfaces. This cushioning characteristic also causes the major disadvantages of a bias tire: increased rolling resistance and less control and traction at higher speeds.

Belted bias

A belted bias tire starts with two or more bias-plies to which stabilizer belts are bonded directly beneath the tread. This construction provides smoother ride that is similar to the bias tire, while lessening rolling resistance because the belts increase tread stiffness. However the plies and belts are at different angles, which lessens performance compared to radial tires.


2: Radials are made the same way the Retreads are, in other words they are a Two-Piece design. Which in my experience almost got me killed because of the Tread separating away from the rest of the tire on the Freeway.
And it happened more than once w/ the Michelin brand tires I was running at the time. It happens More often than the Tire manufacturers are willing to state because of the Billions it'd cost them in recalls.

Radial tire construction utilizes body ply cords extending from the beads and across the tread so that the cords are laid at approximately right angles to the centerline of the tread, and parallel to each other, as well as stiff stabilizer belts directly beneath the tread. The advantages of this construction include longer tread life, better steering control, and lower rolling resistance. Disadvantages of the radial tire include a harder ride at low speeds on rough roads and in the context of off-roading, decreased "self-cleaning" ability and lower grip ability at low speeds.

 

Specialty Tires of America US Tire Manufacturer Since 1915
Light Truck Bias Ply Tires

Light Truck Bias Ply Tires

Specialty Tires of America has been making quality bias ply tires for over ninety years. During that time, we have developed a high quality light truck bias ply tire line. These tires offer superior puncture resistance and a rigid construction. Our tread rubber compounds offer long wear life. We offer a range of sizes and ply ratings for use on and off the highway and for trailer use as well. To learn more, read about our Light Truck Bias Ply Tires below:

Super Transport
STA Super Transport : With its unique rib design for long mileage and cool running over highways, these tires are superior for light trucks including SUV's, 4x4's, vans, campers and motor homes.

STA Super Traxion® : These long lasting and durable tires offer exceptional traction for pickups, vans, campers on both highways and for off-road uses. These tires have a minimum stone retention design. Clean out is a snap as mud and stones are cast off as the tire rotates.


STA Trailbreaker® : Boldly go where no one else can with the STA Trailbreaker®, specifically built to perform on SUV's, 4x4's, vans and pickups. Featuring an aggressive tread for on and off road use that lasts longer, these tires go the distance for you.

STA Superlug® : Rise above the rest with the STA Superlug®, with its higher ground clearance and overall diameter and incredible traction for SUV's, 4x4's and pickups both on and off the roads.

Military STA Non Directional Tire
STA Non-Directional Military Tires : High-quality tires for your refurbished jeeps and older military vehicles as well as general purpose tires for cranes, shovels and dump trucks.

Super Transport /Super Traxion® : High quality and durability tires perfect for older United States Post Office equipment and trailers.

 

Oh boy, here we go. The debate has raged for a lot of years as to whether radials should be mounted on wheels and vehicles that were never designed to use them. Here's a decent article on the subject, and also reader comments about it (including Colonel Flashman's).

I'll edit this to add that I have seen in my big truck literature that the wheel manufacturers added strength to their wheels when radials came on the market to address their failure rates. Similar observation was made by one of the article's reviewers that radials exert more side load stress on wheels than do bias ply thus causing failures. That would to me support the argument against radials on old wheels, but many owners take the opposing view and swear by radials. Stu

A Tale of Two Tires
BusinessWeek

 

BF Goodrich carries a 33 x 9.50 x15 in their popular All Terrain. While it may not give you a vintage looking tread, it will be quieter. I remember running the heavy lug snows and do they sing going down the road. BFG Charts:
BFGoodrich Tires | All-Terrain T/A® KO | Tire Sizes & Specs

And Interco has a 32 x 9.50 x 15 and a 34 x 9.50 x 15 in their TSL line:
TSL Bias | Interco Tire

Narrow S.S. | Interco Tire

 

stock '60

 

Well, not exactly; it may be as from the factory, but that appears to be a 4x4, so undoubtedly the tires are special order. A bone stock F-100 2WD would have what many call "transport" ribbed tires.

 

If you go back up to the start of the tread, 59flatbedford says his truck is a 4x4. The '60 pictured above, though, is an F-250 rather than an F-100. The above picture is on page 146 of the Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Classic 4x4s . The caption says it has 17.5s mounted. On an F-100 the 17.5s would have been the tallest wheels available. They would have also been an option on F-250s, but the wheels in the picture look to me like 19.5s which were also an option on F-250s. Stu

 

thats looks pretty sweet i have got to say im still not sure what im gunna do either the bfgs 33x9.5 or somekind of bias plias. im leaning toward the bfgs because i have been around them before and know they do really good on just about anything where as i have never been around any bais plys so dont know how the tread would be on ice.

 

Nothin' will be w.a.s. on ice. And even in a winter mix it'll come down to how aggressive you go on tread pattern. I don't think radial or bias will matter from that perspective.

 

yea im sure there are some good bias treads out there but im just familiar with the bfg all terrain and know they are really good. im still years away from tires so who knows what i will end up with but sure do like getting ideals.

 

BFG KO's are a pretty good all-round tire, and in most cases get real good tread life. And they're a regular DOT type tire. not sure how well the Interco's hold up on the road - they're more off than on road. Another tire that gets good ratings (Tirerack site) is the General Grabber AT2, even for snow and ice. Unfortunately they don't have the H x W profile you're looking for. I had the data charts on these as I have been tire shopping for my 2000 F-250.

Nice photo of the '60 F250 4x4 - must be a Ford Stock photo. The truck is sitting on the Ford Dearborn Test Track. If you look at the background off to the right, you can see the clock tower for Henry Ford Museum adjacent to Greenfield Village. I used to work just the other side of the clock tower.