without using google

without using any online searching, does anyone know what the "plys" in a tire is in reference to???

the rubber

the layers of rubber and cords in the tire i think.

what they said

The plys are the layers of either radial steel wire or nylon under the tread.

semocoach, you have the correct answer...... the plies are the wire/polyester belts that make up the carcuss of the tire, and doesnt include the wires contained in the belt package.....

now a little bit of a trick question.....what does the number of plys listed on a tires sidewall actually mean?

no clue, i just know the tires i run are bias ply lmao

batty1214 wrote:

now a little bit of a trick question.....what does the number of plys listed on a tires sidewall actually mean?

How many second until the tires come apart?

J/K, I have no idea.

^ ^ lmao

How thick the sidewalls are. The larger the the sidewall, the more plys are needed in order for it to be durable.

Man, i'm using parts of my brain that is full of cobwebs tonight! I think it's how many layers are around the bead???

How many layers of steel and rubber are in the treads.

I believe the number of plys refers to the number of ply layers in the sidewall and under the tread cap. With the tread cap having a different number of plys then the sidewall...

yes, the plys are in the tire under the tread(also known as the belt package)........ But when a tire says it has 4 ply , Its actually saying that you have the strength of 4 plys(ropes) of Cotton cord,

They based the name ply off of the use of cotton cords in the early tires....... the name has been used, and cotton has been phased out in favor of polyester, steel, and recently, Kevlar, and they are toying with carbon fiber...... So, even though it says it has 6 plys, it may or may have that many layers of reinforcment material in the sidewall.....

Heres anothern....... What is the main differences between Radial constructed tires, and Bias construction tires........ and for extra points(not that points get you anything) what are the benefits of radial and bias?

OK, i think the nylon is laid in the rubber different than radial. Nylon is laid straight side by side and steel belted is sort of cross hatched under the tread?

i knew this 1!!! now i forget..

you are really close semocoach works... you have the difference of how the belt package is laid in correct,and you are close on the way they lay in...... in a radial tire, the belt package is laid at high angles acrossed the carcus..... the bias tires use a nylon or polyester or both, and lay them almost straight across the carcus, and extend farther down the sidewall... not by much though....

now, onto the other part of that question. what are the benefits of radial tires, and what are bias ply tires benefits?

radials last muuuch longer.. bias plies form flat spots after sitting for a while

Close! But let me elaborate on this alittle... lol

Radial tires due to the way the belts are laced inside the tire and the material used make the sidewall softer and more plyable so when your aired up the sidewall is solid but lose just 10psi and the sidewall begins to bulge out bias tires are the opposite they because the belts are laid from one side to the other and form a criss cross under the tread they have an increased in strength and the sidewall will not bulge with a small loss of pressure. Now also a radial tire sidewall will roll out when a vehical is in a corner so as to keep the tread face on the pavement where as the bais ply tire doesn't roll actually causing the tread to loss contact with the pavement. Also bais ply due to construction heat up faster causing the tread to become softer thereby reducing the life of the tire faster where as radials last longer because they run cooler.

I saw a test drive video from Car And Driver ( I think) from '67 testing out a GTO, I think. He took a sharp left turn and I swear he was riding on the rim. How that tire didn't blow out I'll never know.

Well if it was from 67 chances are it had bias ply and the sidewalls are so stiff that unlike radials bias ply's have to be air waaayyy down before they'll roll a bead unlike radials that'll pop a bead with 20psi in them. I've seen bias ply's down as far as 5 psi without beadlocks and they never popped a bead! Bias ply's are amazing. With the exception of the 16.5" rim the rims themselve have a shitty butt beadseat and they'll pop beads at 10psi which is still better then radials but that's why so many 16.5 get weldon beadlock kits.

nice fasel.....