# Radial vs. Bias tires...which is better



## jgregory01 (Nov 20, 2009)

I have a Palm Beach White Cap 161...its a 16ft center console on a magic tilt with 13" tires. I want to be able to pull it to either west or east coast and live in central florida. I need two new tires and dont know which to get. 

I am being told(by the tire company) that the overall life and ride will be better with the radial. They cost twice as much though...and the boat isnt all that heavy, so I dont know how the ride could be different.

I could just go to walmart and get some bias for about 130 and be done with it. Discount tire quoted me 313 for two radials with wheels balanced. If it is truly worth the extra money I dont mind spending it. 

I pull the boat with a Hemi Durango(dont know if the vehicle makes a difference). I get the boat out twice a month...3 times if Im lucky and do salt and fresh. 

Any advice would be great thanks.


----------



## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

i would definitely spend the money on radials and i would probably go to some place like discount tire or tire  kingdom and ask for the denman radials   the goodyear marathons have a bad reputation of being crap!!


----------



## pursuit25 (Mar 6, 2009)

x2 on the denmans,I have them on my camper and the boat trailer.No problems and they are 2 yrs old.


----------



## jgregory01 (Nov 20, 2009)

Denmans....cool. Thanks.


----------



## Taterides (Nov 10, 2008)

Radials.....


----------



## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

IF you already have galvanized wheels, and just need new tires...try your local serivce station. 

Today, I went to three tire places and Wal-mart. None were of any help with just a tire. Some wanted to sell me a new tire, but... mounted on a new rim. 

My local Shell station (which, amazingly, still does service) ordered the tire for me and it will arrive and be mounted tomorrow. Half the price of buying yet another galv wheel that I don't need. regards, Rich


----------



## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

I've actually had good luck with Goodyear Marathon's. Had a set on my ski boat trailer and on my current skiff trailer. My trailers are parked inside out of the sun and I keep tire dressing on them.


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Tire dressing? :-?

Had to read up on that...

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-tire-dressing.htm

Auto detailing....that explains it....
I like a good protective coating of dirt on my truck.
Filters out all those harmful UV rays
and cuts the glare off the hood when I drive.


----------



## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

mine are covered in "dressing" too  and since i dont need to dunk the whole thing anymore the "dressing" sure last a lot longer


----------



## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

dressing,magic,syrup aka armor all. Its all the same


----------



## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Radials have a stiffer carcass and much less sidewall flex. Because the sidewall isn't being cycled to as great of a degree, the tires have a longer life. They also have a more solid feel, i.e. your trailer won't feel sloppy in the turns. They are the superior choice for hauling on the road.

Bias ply are still around for off road and farm purposes because the flex of the tread and side wall increases traction and contributes to the suspension. At slow speeds, the sloppy feel isn't an issue.

Nate


----------



## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

i had a rig that had bias plys on them and every weekend i'd leave the house it felt like i had a flat untill i got a mile or two from the house and they started to warm up a bit . i will never spend money on anything but a radial tire from now on


----------



## noeettica (Sep 23, 2007)

Well since my boat weighs Nothing and I run 65 tops ... and you Can't get 8" Radials 

It's Bias for Now ...

Dave


----------



## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

Just a simple add- on to the above thread... 

A week or so ago my son met us at a restaurant for dinner. He had his three kids and wife with him. He also had a half -flat tire. I loaned him my 12 v tire compressor that I always carry in the van. His tire was filled up while we ate. Of course, he kept my compressor. Today I bought two new compressors.

One for my wife's car and one for my van/ boat trailer. $20.00 each at Wal-Mart. Kind of good insurance for a fishing trip, I thought. Rich


----------



## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

> Just a simple add- on to the above thread...
> 
> A week or so ago my son met us at a restaurant for dinner. He had his three kids and wife with him. He also had a half -flat tire. I loaned him my 12 v tire compressor that I always carry in the van.  His tire was filled up while we ate.  Of course, he kept my compressor. Today I bought two new compressors.
> 
> One for my wife's car and one for my van/ boat trailer.  $20.00 each at Wal-Mart.   Kind of good insurance for a fishing trip, I thought.  Rich


Years ago I bought one of those 12v tire compressors from wally-world, the kind with the flashlight/compressor all built in. Was prolly $25. I also went to NAPA and bought a tire plug kit. With those two things in your car/truck, you can (and I have) remove a nail in a tire, patch it, and pump it back up in remote areas. Or you can top off tires whenever/wherever. Great to have, and they only are about the size of a canteen.

As far as radials, on a gheenoe I would not worry about it. But when you start to get into heavier boats, the radials will be a smooth ride, where the bias tires will bounce quite a bit more and be wishy-washy on the road at speed. Plus they tend to flat-spot a bit when the boat sits, and will make a lot of noise till they warm up and the flat spot goes away. The heavier the boat, the more improvement in ride quality. I had a 16 redfisher that originally came with bias ply tires on it, and when I switched to radials it was a huge difference in stability and ride quality. If you trailer a bunch, it's worth the $$. 

-T


----------



## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

Also a torsion axle trailer is so much nicer than leaf springs. Hope I never have to go back.


----------



## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

> Also a torsion axle trailer is so much nicer than leaf springs.  Hope I never have to go back.


 +1 on the torsion axles


----------



## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

> > Also a torsion axle trailer is so much nicer than leaf springs.  Hope I never have to go back.
> 
> 
> +1 on the torsion axles


Yeah, that's huge right there. Good point


----------

