ignorant tire question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta GA
ignorant tire question
i was talkn with my mechanic the other day about how having small tires in the front gives you better traction.
that makes sense, but i forgot to ask him...wouldn't this also make you lose complete traction during heavy rain? say, in a highway over 70?
that makes sense, but i forgot to ask him...wouldn't this also make you lose complete traction during heavy rain? say, in a highway over 70?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
While I'm no physicist, I'd say that's dead wrong. I'd say smaller tires up front give worse traction. The reason for smaller tires on a drag oriented car is for less rolling resistance, and front traction isn't a big concern because you're only going straight. You never see "skinnies" up front on a corner carving car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,505
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
While I'm no physicist, I'd say that's dead wrong. I'd say smaller tires up front give worse traction. The reason for smaller tires on a drag oriented car is for less rolling resistance, and front traction isn't a big concern because you're only going straight. You never see "skinnies" up front on a corner carving car.
As far as heavy rain, smaller tires have less tendancy to hydroplane.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta GA
so its only meant for lessening resistance on the drag? hmph...so sharp turns on it would be unpleasant...i guess i'll be keeping my light truck tires then.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 12
From: Montgomery Alabama
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Smaller diameter tires don't affect either.
Narrower tires reduce the contact area, thus increasing the pressure (pounds per square inch). Higher pressure is good in the rain, as long as you have a large enough contact patch to maintain traction.
It is a delicate balance.
My Q45 had a slight oversteer issue with the facotry wheels and tires. I put a rear sway bar on the car, and created a slight understeer situation. I put on 2" wider tires in the rear, and now it is more balanced.
Narrower tires reduce the contact area, thus increasing the pressure (pounds per square inch). Higher pressure is good in the rain, as long as you have a large enough contact patch to maintain traction.
It is a delicate balance.
My Q45 had a slight oversteer issue with the facotry wheels and tires. I put a rear sway bar on the car, and created a slight understeer situation. I put on 2" wider tires in the rear, and now it is more balanced.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,348
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
The risk of hydroplaning increases with the speed of the vehicle, the depth of the water, the degree of tread wear and underinflation, and the width of the tires. Narrower tires are less vulnerable to hydroplaning because the vehicle weight is distributed over a smaller rubber contact patch, allowing the tire to more easily press water to the sides.
Hydroplaning or aquaplaning by a road vehicle occurs when a layer of water builds between the rubber tires of the vehicle and the road surface, leading to the loss of traction and thus preventing the vehicle from responding to control inputs such as steering, braking or accelerating. It becomes, in effect, an unpowered and unsteered sled.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 12
From: Montgomery Alabama
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
I'm certain you've confused oversteer and understeer with each other in this statement, as adding rear bar moves balance towards oversteer and increasing the rear tire patch should move balance towards understeer. Assuming you know that, just clearing that up for anyone paying attention who may not know better.
I do that all the time. I am still used to the old "push" and "loose" terms we used on the short tracks. All this road racing jargin get this onld redneck confused
.Thanks for clearing that up.
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