Bias ply front runners with rear radials

[v8astregt]

Does anyone here run a bias ply front skinny? What about running them potentially with a drag radial? I know some people say you aren't supposed to mix the tire types, but has anyone actually experienced this?

Now that I'm running mid-11's, and prepping my car with a roll bar so I can run low 11's, I'm thinking about making my car more serious. Now I'm rethinking the 145 Nankang VW spec tires, so I think a dedicated bias ply will be best. Mickey Thompson doesn't make a 24" tall Sportsman, so that leaves me in the bias ply segment. I'll probably go back to a rear slick next season, but right now I'm running a drag radial. Will I notice odd handling? It doesn't see much street use anymore, just a couple times a month to get the fluids moving. I don't care about being DOT since I'm going to drive it on the street regardless. It's always been a street/strip car and always will be.

[gerbsinmd]

I was told that you don't want to do bias on front and radial on back, it will cause very extreme over-steer issues. You can put the radials on the front and bias on the back, I did that several times over the years.

[jon72vega]

I was told that you don't want to do bias on front and radial on back, it will cause very extreme over-steer issues. You can put the radials on the front and bias on the back, I did that several times over the years.

I have heard bias on front & radials in the back can cause dangerous handling issues.

Josh,
You may want to take a look at these for front Radial skinnys:
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-sel ... idget=true

There are pictures of an early Vega (including closeups of the tire itself at bottom of thread) with these tires installed in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37607

[v8astregt]

Thanks for the comments guys. The BFG shows minimum 4.5" front wheel, mine is 3.5" so looks like a no-go.

I will probably end up with a Moroso front runner or something similar. I'd just rather not limit myself to the ET Drag bias ply, but I'll do that if I have to. I seemed to have gotten a lot more runs out of the slicks than I have the drag radials this last season. Plus, I just like the wrinkle wall look too. Looks really cool in pictures.

[73astregt]

josh you should be fine to put the 155 80r15 on the 3.5 inch rim you usually have some leeway there. you dont want to run the radials on the back with the bias fronts, i tried this years ago on my 76 astre notch, bias fronts with radial snows, i couldent even drive the car at 30 mph it was like the rear tires were 3/4 flat, even after trying to crank 45psi in the rears to stiffen them the back was swaying all over the place you just couldent drive any faster,it was hard enough to control at 30 mph. i shure would not want to even think about trying to make a pass at speed that sucker starts swaying youll end up spinning or rolling the car!

[wrightway]

Does anyone here run a bias ply front skinny? Mickey Thompson doesn't make a 24" tall Sportsman,

They make a 24"sportman radial have them on my car with bias slicks running high 9's

[v8astregt]

Cool, thanks guys. Summit and Jegs didn't have the 24" Sportsman in their catalog, but I guess I should have checked M/T directly cause I do see it there.

I'll probably run that up front then so if I decided to run in a DOT bracket class I'd have a tire that will qualify. I might still do the ET Street rear slick though. I've run them before with a radial front and was okay. Just wasn't sure about going with the bias front though. I'm going to feel a lot more comfortable with a front runner that's not made for a 2k lb VW going 60 mph!

[v8vegawagon]

Josh
I am running that exact B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A on my Vega. Stock 4 cyl. front end including springs, and Weld Wheels 15x3.5 and I have no issues at all. When I do have to replace the front tires (hopefully several more years away yet) I am going back with them.
Tom

[overkillrc]

we run a bias ply front and a drag radial on our outlaw 275 car and have gone almost 182 mph so far. he says it drives like a cadillac, oh sorry that was with the slicks he said after we switched to the radials it drives like a beemer (he owns a bmw repair shop..lol)

[overkillrc]

here is a video of our car running. ran 7.86 @ 174 on this run on 275 drag radials with biasply fronts

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3794398576217