Wider tires and effects on handling
05-26-2007, 03:15 PM
#22
Originally Posted by Iceman1,May 26 2007, 10:28 AM
no... as long theyre not on ice with totally 0 friction, wider tires are always gonna help in wet roads... assuming same tire type, of course...
05-26-2007, 03:23 PM
#23
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Also make sure you do it as proportionally as the stock tires. i.e.if you go to wider rears make sure you do the front ones appropriately as well, or you will be increasing understeer.
05-26-2007, 07:08 PM
#24
Originally Posted by Visco,May 24 2007, 10:21 AM
This is not a simple question with simple answers.
Yes, a more robust contact patch on the same compound tires will improve tire grip.
Yes, a more robust contact patch on the same compound tires will improve tire grip.
the only things that effect the size of the contact patch are the pressure in the tire, and the weight on the tire. (side wall/ carcass stiffness matters as well, but there is so little variation amongst tires unless you are talking about regular tires vs runflats. so for all intents and purposes, sidewall stiffness doesn't effect contact patch size)
if you go with wider tires and the same pressure and vehicle weight, the contact patch will get shorter and wider but still have the same area.
05-27-2007, 05:41 AM
#27
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Originally Posted by Visco,May 24 2007, 10:21 AM
This is not a simple question with simple answers.
Yes, a more robust contact patch on the same compound tires will improve tire grip.
1.Size of the wheel affects how the sidewall of the tire will lay, this affects handling.
2. Thickness and height of the sidewall significantly affect handling.
3. Diameter of the tire affects gearing, which affects acceleration.
4. Wider tires affect Coefficent of Drag calculations, typically increase rotational mass and increase friction that needs to be overcome by force.
5. Alignment settings are key to taking full advantage of a car and tires' capabilities.
I think that the wheel/tire size needs to be carefully matched to the handling, weight and power characteristics of a given car.
Bigger is not always better and comes at a tradeoff price.
You would not slap Viper size wheels and tires on a stock S2000 and have an optimized performance vehicle.
Yes, a more robust contact patch on the same compound tires will improve tire grip.
1.Size of the wheel affects how the sidewall of the tire will lay, this affects handling.
2. Thickness and height of the sidewall significantly affect handling.
3. Diameter of the tire affects gearing, which affects acceleration.
4. Wider tires affect Coefficent of Drag calculations, typically increase rotational mass and increase friction that needs to be overcome by force.
5. Alignment settings are key to taking full advantage of a car and tires' capabilities.
I think that the wheel/tire size needs to be carefully matched to the handling, weight and power characteristics of a given car.
Bigger is not always better and comes at a tradeoff price.
You would not slap Viper size wheels and tires on a stock S2000 and have an optimized performance vehicle.
05-27-2007, 05:48 AM
#28
Originally Posted by Iceman1,May 27 2007, 02:10 AM
huh... lateral grip will increase with wider tires... so go ahead and explain... cause i disagree with your disagreement... 
Race cars swap tires from slicks to ones with rain channels in the wet. This is effectively less contact patch (like a narrower tire) as there is less rubber contacting the road (the rain channel is recessed and doesn't count towards grip).
Wide tires on snow = snowshoe = can't get down to the asphalt.
It's widely recommended that snow tires be -1 sized to cut through the snow rather than "float" on top of it.
But that's adding more variables to an already complicated decision tree.
Let's keep it to dry road recommendations, eh?
05-27-2007, 03:28 PM
#29
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[QUOTE=CKit,May 27 2007, 08:48 AM]
Wide tires on standing water = floatation device = hydroplane.
Race cars swap tires from slicks to ones with rain channels in the wet.
Wide tires on standing water = floatation device = hydroplane.
Race cars swap tires from slicks to ones with rain channels in the wet.
05-27-2007, 04:42 PM
#30
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I think you should easily find info by doing a quick Google search that will show that everything else being equal wider tires are more likely to hydroplane and that in snow conditions as CKit stated, narrow tries have more traction because they cut through the snow rather than sit on top of it.
My first hit:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/automoti...res/review.html (4th paragraph)
My first hit:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/automoti...res/review.html (4th paragraph)