zombie_stomp

I have been looking for a set of tires that are narrower for easier steering, plus I really like the look and don't like the look of wider tires. There might be other good reasons for narrow such as fuel economy, not sure. I'm set on tall and narrow.

Now I've ordered a pair for now since my front BFG AT tires are really bald and one has a slow leak 10-15psi a day. They are these STA Super Traxions, which seemed to meet all my needs.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coker-Vintage-Truck-and-Military-Tire-L78-15-Blackwall-Bias-Ply-62962-Each-/331509221281?hash=item4d2f7d47a1&vxp=mtr
Now since ordering, I've read that they are bias ply and have gone from excited to have finally found the tire in the size I want, to worried it will perform poorly on the road. So I got curious about finding a radial version of something in the size I want. So far I haven't found anything.

It seems like 95% the 31" tires are 10.5 wide. Occasionally there is the 9.5" wide, but the super swampers are all I could find that in, and predominantly bias ply as well. So I'm starting to suspect that the dimensions I like require bias ply construction inherently. I hope I am wrong. I really like the old school tread of the STA Traxions. I also had my eye on the Hercules HDT, very similar, also Bias ply.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-7-00-15-Demolition-Derby-Mud-Snow-Pick-Up-Light-Truck-Tire-700-15-jeep-8-ply-/161617845102?hash=item25a12c9b6e&vxp=mtr
With all I'm hearing about weird performance with bias-ply, I'm in the back of my mind like "dude, my truck already rides all kinds of weird!" Slack steering, occasional bouts of steering wheel rattle, how much worse could it get? Maybe the cushioning effects described in bias ply tire write ups would HELP current steering problems.

I'm curious to see how my 1982 straight axle pickup will respond to this type of tire. They're set to arrive tomorrow, and I'm planning on having them mounted in the front because my bald BFGs are scary and require daily air in one. With all the nagative things everyone's been saying about B.P. construction, I'm a little anxious I'll wobble right off the damn road or something. People are nort making them sound pleasant, and I'm still hoping it's not the end of the world or my $326 for the pair.

zombie_stomp

They are not as bad as everyone was talking about bias ply tires to be. I only noticed a small high frequency vibration for the last 15mph of deceleration, and a little of that at high speeds. I got it up to 60 which is the fastest I like to go most of the time, and they handled fine, tracked straight, and turned really easily in the parking lot compared to the bald BFG AT 10.50s. And these are only aired up to 35 of the 60 PSI they are able to be inflated to!





So I'm going to go ahead and order 3 more and mount them on my rears and a spare matching toyota chrome wheel like my other 4 I found at the salvage yard. So then I can rotate my spare into the set too.

thzpcs

I'd recommend taking a look at this article for some more info on the differences between bias-ply and radials.

r100guy

Thanks for posting photos of the STA Traxions as I am considering these for my "81. I think the old school bias ply tire looks great on your '82. Are you still satisfied with the performance with these tires?

zombie_stomp

I agree about the looks, which matter to me almost as much as anything.

I've still only got two on the front, and having no power steering, they make a huge difference in steerability over any other commonly available width of tire.
I'm still on the fence about whether to retrofit power steering because I found it really hard to take the alternator out of a truck in the junkyard that had it, but for now the narrow tires are a great substitute.

They ride a little harder and offer a little less suspension, but my friend who drives a '79 daily said it was hard to tell the difference between the two when he was riding passenger in my '82. He runs Dunlop Radial Rover A/Ts on his.

If you order from Simpletire, make damn sure you order the ones that have "Sidewall type: TL" in the description. I had ordered the final 3 for my full set of 5 including for a spare matching rim, and the damn things were tube type since I ordered from the "sidewall type: TT" listing. For a few dollars more, summit racing only sells the tubeless ones from what I can tell, so that would be idiot proof. That's where I got the first two. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/COK-62962

I'm just kind of waiting for my BFG ATs to fully wear out in the back and while I save a little more money up before I complete the order.

thechief86

I'm a little late, but yeah, bias ply aren't that bad, and they'll actually last a long time as well, as long as you keep them aired up on the road. Most commercial vehicle tires are bias ply. Your truck is awesome. I'd love to have an early 4x4. Tube tires are not ideal for highway travel, as they can build up heat from friction if the pressure is a little low, and you are more likely to pinch something and have a flat if you air down for offroad traction. I'd try to get tubeless all around.
I did 32x11.5 on my 4runner, and they're not super wide, but they're not pizza cutters by any means.
I almost wish I had gotten 33x10.5 though.

zombie_stomp

I've been working on a newly constructed studio with muddy alley access... these tires leave such cool classic tracks.

SwVa_1stGen

Look into Buck shot mudders, they come in sizes up to 33 @ 9.50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Tire-Buc...-/331743702320

YoungFeller

Those look kewl! Thanks for the pics and report. I've also been lamenting the lack of skinnier tires for 15s.

r100guy

After seeing your tires on this posting, I was pretty sure these were what I wanted and indeed ordered them. I have been driving on them for a week now and have been generally satisfied with their performance. Since they are bias ply, they do ride harder and they seem to pick up road imperfections more. The radials are more forgiving and ride better (no surprise). I love the look of the Traxions with the aggressive tread (some humm at higher speeds) and the smooth sidewall. Another characteristic of bias ply is that they do develop flat spots, especially in the cold, which makes the first half block of traveling pretty bouncy but they do smooth out pretty quickly. Have had no vibration problems but the guy who mounted them remarked that bias ply were a little harder to balance. I used Les Swab tires and they did a great job balancing them.
I bought them for the looks and this is the original type of tire from the factory and I think they look great on the truck. If I used the truck for everyday driving though, I think I would stick with the radials.
Summit racing carries the L78x15s and have the best price (free ship) but I found Coker has the H78x15 (no free ship) which I bought because of the "H" but it cost $100 more. Have no idea what the difference between L or H but they look identical.

CAdot

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zombie_stomp

Thanks for the tip with the Yokohama 742s, they look great. I may collect a set of plain white stock wheels like you have and putting a set of radials on those as an extra set, or maybe sometime just switching to radials again. What I found about my "31"s is that they actually measure in at a diameter of 29", as do my friend's Dunlop Radial rovers also sold as 31" tires. So I wonder what the 30's measure in at, 28? Either way, they still look good and I wonder what they cost compared to mine. I got them for $163 each shipped from Summit Racing. Nice work on the undercarriage, is all that stuff powdercoated? The bolts and some of the nuts look like they've been cadmium plated, but in any case, I like the meticulous attention to detail you gave your truck. I'm hoping to get to that point with mine someday soon enough... only had it two years and have already come so far with it.

Edit: Simpletire.com had your Yokos for $183, I think before shipping cost. May be less elsewhere, curious still.

CAdot

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zombie_stomp

What kind of paint did you end up using? I have been liking the hardness and chemical resistance of the high-temp spray enamels made for engines and exhaust systems sold in spray cans. Also what about the cadmium plating, where did you send that off to be done? Looks great.

A little hard to say if they should be white or black, I would have a better time judging if the photo of the black ones were more in focus. The white ones are the classic stock look I was attracted to personally. Were those hubcaps a '79-'80 thing? I recall seeing ads for those years with those caps on them, but no caps on later years. Still trying to figure out which wheels came on which trucks. There are those plain white steel ones with hubcaps as you have, then I think some without hubcaps at all, the ones you called wagon wheels in chrome, and a white version of them also. I have a spare off a 4 runner or something that hasn't got any hubcap mounting dimples, then a spare off a '79 that does have the dimples (the differences between the two making it harder to collect a set of 4) and a set of 5 chrome steel spoked toyota wheels all mounted with my Traxions. If I could figure out what would have come on my '82 base model, I could even have the spoked wheels powdercoated white if appropriate.

If toyota still sells the wheels, I wonder if there even were white wheels without dimples for hubcaps, and if so, if they still have those in addition to the ones you have bought. Did you buy them through the dealership or something?

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zombie_stomp

Hey, thanks for all the wheel info. I do have a base model, I found the sr5 wheels at a toyota shop out in the country called Toyz Unlimited with its own salvage yard that had a lot of vintage stuff. I wish I had found a set of off whites, but I don't mind bastardizing it a little bit. I already added intermittent wipers and 4runner bucket seats. Things like that just save me a whole bunch of time and money and are better features for a man on a budget. Although I am obsessive enough that if it were feasible, I'd re-foam an entire original seat. From where I'm at I'll settle for modifying and upholstering it to match. Will get it to the point that one can't tell the difference if it was sold as base or deluxe (adding power steering ASAP, I probably will not do the tilt steering column) but to eventually get the base/dLx model rims. The intermittent wipers and any other such features I can add will just be "because I can and it's better". I need that feature in the PNW. Congrats on the fun tour in the truck, I believe you, I myself hauled everything I own in mine from NC to Oregon over a 2 or 3 week period. It was such a wild and awesome time, so much fun.

Whatever the paint was, you did spray it, right?

I have one spare from a '79 with the cap clips which is a feature I don't want or need, so it may as well be for sale. Also have an '85-up 4runner spare rim. Was gonna collect them for a set but now haven't the need.

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