Phimosis

I know the tire manufacturers say that mixing bias ply tires with radials is dangerous and that the general population mindlessly parrots back what they've been told about the topic, but does anyone here actually have any experience with it? I have 38.5x15x15 Boggers that are down to about 25% and I want to transition to radials. Rather than burning them to the end, I'd prefer to run 38.0x15.5x15 TSL radials in the front and run the Boggers in the back. Then when those Boggers are dead, run the second set in the back until they are dead. Then, finally move to all radials, unless I see traction problems with the radials that force me to go back to bias ply tires like a junkie to crack.

Thoughts?

-Phim

arjeeper

If you're talking about offroad use only, I wouldn't guess it would be a problem.

Ryan0260

Not sure why you wouldn't want to replace all the bias tires at the same time when the tread is that low. Bias tires suck on the road, and with them that worn out, I would replace them all.

Mark Doiron

Don't think it is a good idea. If you do try, also not sure what the Jeep computer tolerance is for mixed tire sizes. It may think you're in a constant skid and try to get you out of it--by taking over some brake and throttle control. Could be very dangerous if you really were in a skid and it took incorrect actions.

Phimosis

Funny you should mention that....
With 38.5" tires on a 15" wheel, I have almost a foot of sidewall. Combine that with bias ply construction that allows the tire to turn into 42" donut at speed and the computer already thinks I'm constantly in a skid because of sidewall flex when cornering and the outside tire rolls onto its outer shoulder, which will be 38.5" while the inner tire is on the middle of its contact patch, which will be much larger diameter. That makes the computer think that the outside tires are rotating too fast for how sharp I'm turning. If I drive like a slow poke, the computer can handle it, but as soon I drive at the speed limit and take curves at the speed that warning sign say, the traction control throws a fit, errors out and shuts off to prevent it from burning up the brakes.

About your comment that it could be really dangerous... Well, it is in that worst case, most dangerous scenario every day with huge bias ply tires on it. The computer interferes with my driving by messing up at least 20 times a day.

Adding 2 radials can't make the computers act any worse and adding two radials will definitely make the front handle better. It still goes back to the pre-traction control era warnings that tire manufacturers started saying in the 70's, not to mix bias and radial.
But why? The only thing I can think of is that you'd overestimate your car's handling ability because the radials on one end feel so good, but then the other end starts sliding because you've got crap-handling bias ply at the other end. If you went from 4 radials to 2, the average mindless driver could make a serious judgement error and crash. But, I'm not that mindless driver and I'm already in tune with the poor handling that the massive bias ply tires give me.




On a side note; as the tread wears down, my 38.5" tire will eventually only be 37", so I wouldn't be mixing sizes by much and it would only really matter if I was in 4wd on pavement.

Phimosis

If I was going to run off-road only, putting radials on it would be a step backwards rather than a step forward.

Phimosis

Boggers come with 29/32" tread. At 25% they still have 7/32" tread in the center of the tread, which is as much as sports car tires have when they are new. Out at the edge of the tread, the side lugs are still 40/32". I've seen quite a few trail rigs where guys buy peoples tires that are at 25% and then get a couple of years of wheeling out of the tires as they eat the side lugs off.

As to why I wouldn't want to replace all of them at the same time, well, boggers provide better traction in dirt and mud than anything else and they are pretty good on rock too. They also have really thick sidewalls that are cut resistant. Watch what the pro's run. In mud bogs, it's either boggers or tractor tires. In tough truck competition, boggers have won more than 50% of all the titles. In rock crawling, especially in the wet (rock bounce), it's either Interco boggers or one of the TSL derivatives.

The combination of boggers in back and TSL's in front is frequently what the pro's run.

karls

I only recall the manufacturers saying not to mix the two styles on a single axle. You already know the bias will be a little rough starting out but since you'll be the driver, you'll be aware of the "dangers" of bias tires. I ran bias tires on a 50 mile/ day DD without issue, but they do get pretty warm and that makes them handle a little differently and wear quickly.

Out this way, we run bias and radial mixes frequently since that's what's around or what there is money for.

Maertz

yes you CAN do it. if you want to do it, if you dont want to, dont. seems like you already see the down sides so why not decide? I highly doubt many people will have info based on actually trying this.

Phimosis

Well, the conventional wisdom, or at least what I've heard people say, is that it's just outright dangerous. I don't have any experience with it, so I thought ask around. Thousands of people read forums like this and Karl's post above helped clear some of that up. It sounds like it is doable, even if it's not ideal!