We’ve seen some forum threads that claim that a Radial tyre is one that uses a belt of steel wires to give the tyre its main carcass structure and that’s what makes it differ from a Cross-Ply tyre.
That’s not correct.
Some Cross-Ply tyres run a steel belt and some Radial tyres don’t run a steel belt at all.
It totally depends on the manufacturer and the tyre. Some manufacturers use other materials to form the central belt, like a carbon-kevlar weave. Some manufacturers run both steel wires and other materials to form the belt.
The tyre’s main strength comes form the thickness of the carcass, the way it is constructed and the materials used in it, plus the strength of the sidewall. Different manufacturers will use different blends of material and layouts to provide this strength. They also construct the carcass to work with the tyre compound and rubber thickness.
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