[scott ticknor]

Okay,I keep reading about rods with larger tires on the back than the front (bigs and littles) I like the look but was told that if I run radial tires, it will become a safety issue. Now I`m not talking about widths here ( fats and skinnys) that doesn`t seem to be a problem . So whats up here? Is it a safety or handling problem or what?

 

[tc33]

Where did you hear there would be a safety issue ??

I run bigs and littles on my 33 Plymouth both pairs are radials and nothing but handling improvement. I have 14x6 wheels on the front and 15x8 on the rear. Not a real big differrence but it still looks good.

I don't know of anyone I've run into that has expressed any safety concerns over big and little or fat and skinny setups.

I would be alittle concerned if you get too skinny but that's alll.

 

[bracketeer]

radials vs conventional

I have also heard that mixing radials with conventional tires are a safety issue. But if you watch racing they have a radial seriescompetition now. These cars are running 200 mph with radials on back and conventional tires on front. If they were a safety issue NHRA would not let these cars on the track. I personaly run conventional Mickey Thompson 7's on the front and Good Year radial 11" slicks on the rear.

 

[[email protected]]

Any time you change the tire size and type the car was designed for there is a change in handling characteristics. Whether it is a safety issue depends on the situation. That being said, hotrodders have been running big-'n-littles for as long as there have been hot rods. Personally, I have never noticed any real handling problems going to different sized tires as long as the types were the same - radial w/ radial, Bias w/ bias. However I have had real problems mixing tire types, radial w/ bias. Bias ply tires have a harsher ride and follow the road with a mind of their own much more than radials which are smoother and track where they are pointed much better.

 

[bullheimer]

classic hot rod stance, big rears, smaller fronts.

wonder how plush the ride is in the Thrush SST (steel railroad wheels)

with a smaller front i could see handling issues in a road racing car because you would generally have the back higher than the front, unless you designed that in to your suspension. most of the G machines have all the same diameter wheels which would keep them level. but the best looking cars i've seen and winners of best h.r. of the year all seemed to have 20 inch rears and 18" front lately. that silver 57 T-bird is so rad. i got 17s all around my tempest for tire rotation only, which is why i got the same size tire all around. then i wished i would have gotten at the very least, a thinner tire for the front because i thought wide width was what was making my car get tossed around like a rag doll by the ruts in the highway. now i come to find out from a friend that it's not my width, but the small sidewall from the Z rated tires that is what's letting the ruts toss me around, so it wouldn't really matter as all your bigger diameter tires have thin sidewalls. the only solution i see is a front tire with a good size sidewall. weather it will take going back to a 15 inch wheel or if a 16 would be enough i couldnt say. might make a good thread

 

[IROC100]

I don't know about a safety issue, however if you run two different size tires on a four wheel drive, you could ruin your differentials. Maybe thats what hes talking about.

 

[Kevin45]

I have also heard that mixing radials with conventional tires are a safety issue

What are you classifying as a conventional tire? Most tires nowadays are radials. When you cot in trouble mixing tiires was when you had the old bias belted tires and would put radials on either the front or rear. the axle set with the radials would hold the road and curves far better than the old bias belted tires and caused handling problems.

Kevin