The Difference Between Bias and Radial Tires

Currently, the cost of purchasing dump truck tyres accounts for more than 30% of the overall vehicle consumption cost, and many companies are very concerned about tire consumption.

We know that there are only two types of wide-body tires to choose from based on their structural design and framework material: radial tires and bias-ply tires. What are the differences between these two products?

The fundamental difference between radial and bias tires lies in the carcass structure

The carcass is the foundation of a tire, consisting of layers of belts. The carcass of a bias tire is composed of interwoven diagonal belts, while that of a radial tire is made up of parallel belts, with the top layer commonly including a steel belt composed of steel wire whose hardness is enough to resist ordinary object destruction. Therefore, in terms of puncture resistance and blast resistance, a steel-belted tire has a significant advantage.

The design differences between radial and bias tires

In terms of design, there are many limitations to bias-ply tires. For instance, due to the intense friction created by crisscrossed belts, the carcass is prone to heat generation, thus accelerating tread wear, and the belt arrangement cannot provide excellent handling and comfort. On the other hand, the steel belt in radial tires has good flexibility that adapts to the irregular impact of road surfaces, durable and with a belt structure that means a lot less friction than bias-ply tires during car travel, resulting in longer tread life and better fuel economy.

The performance differences between radial and bias tires

After inflation, the top of bias-ply tires protrudes, and because the protruding parts are narrow, the contact area with the road is small, making the top of the tire prone to wear and early failure. The small contact area also affects traction and braking, as well as the climbing performance of vehicles. To address the lack of resistance to sharp stones and metals, bias-ply tires are made thicker on the sides and crown to enhance their resistance to destruction by sharp objects. But this approach increases heat generation, reduces shock absorption, increases damage to vehicles' stiff components, and shortens tire life.

Due to their high resistance to ordinary sharp objects, a bias-ply tire does not need to be made too thick, which achieves better heat dissipation and avoids various adverse effects caused by heat generation. Furthermore, the entire tread of radial tires makes even tread wear possible, and their sidewalls have good shock absorption, making their service life often twice as long as that of bias-ply tires.

Radial tires themselves make tubeless tires possible. Tubeless tires have a widely recognized advantage: when a tire is punctured, it will not burst like a bias-ply tire with an inner tube (which is very dangerous), but will maintain air pressure for a period of time, improving the safety of vehicle travel.

Radial tires have good grip. Due to the unique carcass structure of radial tires, vehicles have a firm grip and good effect during travel. Therefore, if a vehicle of the same model uses radial tires instead of bias-ply tires, it will have better handling and comfort.