What is the Difference Between Radial and Bias Tyre?
Comparing Tyre Construction, Performance & Usage
A tyre’s construction is crucial in ensuring your car’s optimal output. The tyre’s composition and type determine factors like alignment and balancing, and the on-road stability of a car. This article sheds light on two major car types, their strengths and weaknesses along with use cases where their specific uses have resulted in fruitful outcomes.
Understanding Tyre Construction
Car tyres comprise several parts that determine its strength and stability, ultimately affecting how a car functions. Car tyres are made of rubber, however, the structure differs as to how the tread is connected to the rubber fabric. Car tyres are distinguished as radial and bias, depending on their construction patterns.
Radial Tyres
In radial tyres, the plies are positioned at a 90-degree angle from the direction of travel to bead. The plies are secured by steel belts, making them resistant to regular wear and tear. It also helps dissipate heat equally, improving the fuel efficiency. This makes a tyre act like a spring and provides better comfort and stability to those who drive cars with radial tyres.
Bias Tyres
Bias tyres, also known as cross-ply tyres, feature plies arranged diagonally (30 to 45-degree angles) to the direction of travel. The layers crisscross over each other, resulting in a stiffer sidewall and higher rolling resistance.
Key Differences Between Radial and Bias Tyres
Although the major differentiator is the type of construction, here are a few other factors that are influenced by the construction type of the tyre.
|
Feature |
Radial Tyre |
Bias Tyre |
|
Construction |
Plies are placed 90 degrees to the tread with the steel belt reinforcement. |
Plies are made of rubber-coated fabric woven across each other at 30-40 degree angles. |
|
Flexibility |
More flexible due to the ply’s position concerning tread, leading to better traction and comfort |
Stiffer sidewalls, making them more rigid |
|
Heat Dissipation |
Generates less heat, improving durability. |
Higher heat dissipation due to absence of metallic belts tying the rubber coated fabric down. |
|
Fuel Efficiency |
Reduced rolling resistance leads to better fuel efficiency. |
Less fuel-efficient because of increased resistance. |
|
Load Capacity |
Better suited for high-speed and heavy loads. |
Handles rough terrain and heavy loads well but at lower speeds. |
|
Comfort |
Smoother ride due to enhanced shock absorption. |
Less comfortable, with a bumpier ride. |
Applications of Radial And Bias Tyres In India
In India, both radial and bias tyres are used in appropriate circumstances, where applicable.
Passenger Vehicles: Radial tyres are commonly used in cars, SUVs, and high-speed vehicles due to their durability and comfort. Since they provide better flexibility, they can be used in urban areas like Bangalore and Mumbai, which comprise not so commuter-friendly roads.
Commercial Vehicles: Both radial and bias type tyres are used for heavy load vehicles like trucks and buses. However, radial tires are preferred over bias tires for urban areas while bias tyres are preferred for highway driving.
Agricultural and Off-Road Vehicles: Bias tyres dominate these segments due to their ability to withstand tough terrains.
Conclusion
While choosing tyres for your vehicle, it is important to assess its driving conditions, your expectations from new tyres and what functions the vehicle is capable of serving. Radial tyres have more robust structures, enabling their treads to withstand wear and tear and run for longer periods. The unique positioning of its plies also contributes to lesser rolling resistance, improving the tyre’s longevity. Bias-constructed tyres on the other hand offer higher rolling resistance due to the positioning of the plies.
