Radial vs Bias Ply Tires
Radial tires are the best choice for today's drivers over the bias-ply tire. The list of improvements is long, but the bottom line is that the safety of the radial tire is unsurpassed. The future continues to look bright for the radial tire, and tire manufacturers are working hard to improve them every day.
The radial tire was introduced by Michelin in 1946. Before the radial tire was invented, there was the bias-ply tire. But why the radial? Was the bias-ply tire not good enough? Did we really need the radial tire? There actually were a number of problems with the bias-ply tire. Heat build-up, ride comfort, faster tread wear and handling problems come to mind. Sure, radial tires cost more, but like anything else, you get what you pay for. The radial introduced steel belts into the casing of the tire. The casing is the area underneath the tread of the tire, the base or foundation if you will. It all comes down to the direction of the cords.
The bias-ply has its cords placed in an angle configuration, whereas the radial has its cords with the extra addition of the steel belts running alongside each other. Why the difference? Through scientific research, it was determined that the current alignment of the steel belts, or cords, absorb road bumps and irregularities better than the bias-ply. Also, with this better absorption property, the ride comfort for the passengers greatly improved.
The major obstacle for all tires is friction. This is the common enemy that all tire companies fight to improve their tires. With friction comes tread wear, and with tread wear comes poor handling. The list goes on.... increased tread wear causes poor handling which can lead to dangerous driving conditions on the road. Also, radial tires inherently provide better traction resulting in a safer tire. Another benefit is improved gas mileage!
So the radial tire has it all over the old bias-ply design in a number of areas. Although the radial is far superior to the bias-ply, it can't conquer every condition on the road. For people who live in snowy conditions, they need another type of tire. The snow tire has the increased ability in the material to keep the tire pliable in cold, snowy conditions. The tire has better grip on the ice, and is far superior to any other tire in it's ability to handle slippery conditions. But when the dry weather comes, remember to change back to the highway tire, or the increased friction of the snow tire will wear down the tread real fast! Remember, with increased friction comes better grip and handling, which is what the snow tire is designed for.
But they do make all-season tires, for an all-around better performance in every type of weather. So in summary, the radial tire has so many advantages over the old bias-ply that drivers have benefited greatly in safer driving. Now if we could do something about those drunk drivers......
