what is the difference between radial and non-radial tires?

The difference is in the design of the base tire carcass. Tires built for many years used a Bias or crossed ply design which was inexpensive and durable, and was very forgiving of minor flaws and variations in the lay out or positioning of the tire reinforcing material (the Ply's were not quite so critical in the positioning during manufacturing ) however the bias ply design also resulted in the tread of the tire "crabbing" or "wiggling" as the tire supported the weight of the vehicle was distributed over the tread as the tire rotated. Radial tires, as the name implies, utilize a symmetrical radial pattern for the base tire ply's, this design requires a much higher level of quality control and design calculations than the bias ply does but at a tremendous improvement in both reduced rolling resistance (read improved fuel economy ) and in reduction of the crabbing (tire wear) and this results in improved control in cornering and better reduced traction (read Snow and Ice ) performance. ...  more