Re: Power Steering With Radial Tires

Posted by TxGoat On 2023/6/26 6:40:40

Your power steering belt should not need to be any tighter than spec.


I've had a great many older cars and pickups that rode and handled very well on bias ply tires.


I'd start with factory recommended tire pressure, using an ACCURATE gauge.

Stay with, or close to, original tire sizes.

Experiment with different tire pressures, always at with AT LEAST the factory recommended pressure, NEVER less.

Most cars will handle better with the cold tire pressure somewhat higher than factory recommendations.

As little as 2 PSI can make a significant difference in ride and handling, so you must use an accurate gauge.

For example, the factory recommended 22 PSI, cold, for my '37 120 conv. coupe.

On specified 7 X 16 Denman bias tires, it certainly rides well at that pressure, but handling is marginal and the tires scrub on turns.

Adding 2 PSI cold made a very noticeable difference in handling, with almost no loss in ride quality on bad dirt roads.

I moved up to 26 PSI with yet more improvement, then to 28 PSI. 28 works very well. I'm currently trying 30 PSI. It looks as if 28 to 30 PSI, cold, is going to give the best results. Since I have to use rough dirt roads for several miles each trip, I'm not going over 30 PSI.

I check tire pressure carefully, with a good, dial-type gauge, and I check tires in the morning after the car has sat overnight in a barn.

If the car is parked outdoors, check tires early in the mnorning to avoid having uneven pressure readings from the sun heating tires on one side more than the other. It can make a difference.

Most 1950s and 60s cars came with a very low factory tire pressure recommendations. Adding 10 to 15 per cent to that figure is usually beneficial.

NEVER bleed off the normal increased pressure that results from the tires warming up while on the road. Always check tire pressure before starting out.