First tire blowout - ever!

[35-709]

    A little more talk about radials and why they deteriorate structurally more quickly than we used to see.  Although I have heard it more than once, I guess we can pretty much forget about the "rumor" about making it easier to recycle junk tires ---

The quote below is part of a long article, the whole of which can be seen here ---
https://benklesc.medium.com/they-dont-make-tires-like-they-used-to-the-forgotten-world-of-bias-ply-742c43672daa

 ".... Did we trade convenience for longevity? Again I have to point out that my reference to longevity means an object's ability to maintain its original structure. To understand why modern tires are inferior for longevity we can use a bridge or highway as an example. Or even concrete building. Reinforced concrete is made by running steel rebars through the concrete. This gives a reinforced structure that is stronger at the surface. It can handle more weight and vibration, but the problem shows up when it ages down the road. We often forget about this.

The concrete will literally rust from the inside out, because the steel rebars will corrode over time as moisture gets inside. Steel bars will corrode, and it will lead to buildings and roads cracking because of a cancer below the surface. That is exactly what happens with modern tires. However we can't even call it rubber anymore its silicone, and silicone the industry uses today and it's great at absorbing moisture. So when you drive tires down the road, moisture reaches the steel in the tire and it begins to rust from the inside out the second you drive it off the lot. It will even corrode just in storage.

Pretty soon within four or five years a radial tire will experience two phenomenons. Sidewall Cracking and Separation. On radials the steel bars are your only layer of support. The rubber is a lot less firm than on a bias ply tire. Once your steel structure falls apart the tire itself implodes. If you're lucky it will show sidewall cracking first. Other times it simply explodes when it gives way. You usually run into exploding tires on museum cars because the rubber never sees rain. It's never driven so it shows no visible signs of corrosion. However inside is a different story.

To appease classic car enthusiasts the industry started developing steel belted bias ply tires, but those too suffer from the same problems. However they are a little better because you have a nylon structure that is also support the tire. It does not solely rely on steel. That is why many classic car enthusiasts endorse buying conventional bias ply tires over radials. If your car is going to sit in a garage for most of its future life, your radials are not going to stand the test of time. Bias ply tires can outlast the life of the car. It's really not uncommon to keep bias ply tires for many decades if not more. Remember we're not talking about treadwear here. Radial tires have longer treadwear. We're talking about longevity of the original structure."

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

what did these cars come with standard in terms of white-wall width?  3"?

In 1959 - 2.25"

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

   A little more talk about radials and why they deteriorate structurally more quickly than we used to see.  Although I have heard it more than once, I guess we can pretty much forget about the "rumor" about making it easier to recycle junk tires ---

The quote below is part of a long article, the whole of which can be seen here ---
https://benklesc.medium.com/they-dont-make-tires-like-they-used-to-the-forgotten-world-of-bias-ply-742c43672daa

 ".... Did we trade convenience for longevity? Again I have to point out that my reference to longevity means an object's ability to maintain its original structure. To understand why modern tires are inferior for longevity we can use a bridge or highway as an example. Or even concrete building. Reinforced concrete is made by running steel rebars through the concrete. This gives a reinforced structure that is stronger at the surface. It can handle more weight and vibration, but the problem shows up when it ages down the road. We often forget about this.

The concrete will literally rust from the inside out, because the steel rebars will corrode over time as moisture gets inside. Steel bars will corrode, and it will lead to buildings and roads cracking because of a cancer below the surface. That is exactly what happens with modern tires. However we can't even call it rubber anymore its silicone, and silicone the industry uses today and it's great at absorbing moisture. So when you drive tires down the road, moisture reaches the steel in the tire and it begins to rust from the inside out the second you drive it off the lot. It will even corrode just in storage.

Pretty soon within four or five years a radial tire will experience two phenomenons. Sidewall Cracking and Separation. On radials the steel bars are your only layer of support. The rubber is a lot less firm than on a bias ply tire. Once your steel structure falls apart the tire itself implodes. If you're lucky it will show sidewall cracking first. Other times it simply explodes when it gives way. You usually run into exploding tires on museum cars because the rubber never sees rain. It's never driven so it shows no visible signs of corrosion. However inside is a different story.

To appease classic car enthusiasts the industry started developing steel belted bias ply tires, but those too suffer from the same problems. However they are a little better because you have a nylon structure that is also support the tire. It does not solely rely on steel. That is why many classic car enthusiasts endorse buying conventional bias ply tires over radials. If your car is going to sit in a garage for most of its future life, your radials are not going to stand the test of time. Bias ply tires can outlast the life of the car. It's really not uncommon to keep bias ply tires for many decades if not more. Remember we're not talking about treadwear here. Radial tires have longer treadwear. We're talking about longevity of the original structure."

Sounds like a sensible explanation however the steel belting in the OP's tire isn't showing any rust. I think it's more to due with the layers of materials being more prone to separating in radials than in biases.

[TJ Hopland]

I have not seen rust on the tires I have had fail but I could imagine from the flexing of normal operation or the blowout it could get polished off. 

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I took this discussion to heart. I had a Dr.'s appointment in town this AM and decided to stop at my friendly Wal-Mart and had them install a new set of rubber. My Coopers were not worn at all, but it's been at least six years since I put them on, so...

Couldn't get white walls, so now I'm contemplating installing the Eldo grill I have to make my '91 Seville look more like a STS. And don't jump on me for settling for blackwalls. I simply don't drive enough anymore to justify getting the "correct" tires on it. Five bucks under $400 and I don't have to worry about tires for this one anymore. (Probably.)

(My brother checked our ancestry, and found that I am the oldest (save my Great-Grandfather who was 90) male Wheeler since the 1700s.)

[TJ Hopland]

Too late now but it turns out there are several reasonably priced options for A (maybe not correct) white wall at the moment.  https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/index.php?topic=174440.0


On the bias vs radial longevity topic interesting that trailers have pretty much transitioned over to radials over the last 10 or so years.  20 years there really were not radial trailer tire options.  10 years ago it was about 50/50 if you were shopping.  Today a majority of trailer tires are radial.   For many of us trailers are like our classic cars and age out well before they wear out.  I have more trailer tires to buy this season and I may try some bias if I can get the same brand just to see how they hold up.   

[David King (kz78hy)]

A week ago I had tire let go while leaving a stop light in the 98 Deville.  I heard the noise but was not sure what it was, after driving a 1/2 mile, I could tell the noise was from me as the left front was pulling so I found the next cross street and pulled off.  I lost another from the set 2 years ago on a trip to WI.  I decided to put on the spare and changed the tire.  It was the OE mini spare and once installed, it looks low, so I called the wife to bring the portable air compressor and we filled it up.  2 days later I had tire ordered at a local tire chain store and the only white wall I could find was a Continental touring but it is very narrow.  It does not look as good as the wider ones, but it is stylish enough.  Installed was $740 out the door, so it will likely the last set for this car.  I will post a photo later once I've taken one.