wider is better

[nealtovsen@yahoo.com (Neal Tovsen)]

No offense Larry, but you don't autocross much, do you? :)

Tire temps are very important on autocross-specific tires. Sure, the first
couple turns of the course on your first run are on cold tires, but they're
warm after that. Ever notice all the people with pyrometers checking their
tires after a run (we're talking National event here)? They'll use the tire
temps as a guide for tire pressures and suspension settings. The goal is to
get the inside edge just a little warmer than the outside, with a nice
gradient in the middle. I just happened to be reading up on my new Kumhos
last night - IIRC, their operating temp is somewhere in the 160-degree
range.

On a "cold" day (say 60 degrees and cloudy), I can tell when the tires
aren't warming up properly, especially on asphal. The car feels like it's on
ice compared to a warmed-up tire. No grip. Since my Subaru's suspension
isn't adjustable, I'll adjust my tire pressure to try get them to heat up
quicker, and it works for the most part. But if I were a rich man I'd buy a
narrower set of tires and a second set of wheels.

Of course, you can do whatever you want if it makes you feel better...I
don't mind winning!

Neal

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Larry [mailto:rocco16v@netzero.com]
> Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 10:22 PM
> To: Neal Tovsen; 'Randy B'; 'Shawn C Meze'
> Cc: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> Subject: Re: wider is better
>
>
> Neal-
>   Autocross?  Give me WIDE over warm.
> Even an autocross-specific tire ain't gonna' get warm until
> yer run is half
> over anyway!  I'll take the extra traction that a big contact
> patch gives me
> right from the launch!
> Wider - is - better.  :)
>
> Larry  sandiego16V
>
> > With sticky tires, friction from the road surface is also
> very high. I
> don't
> > know whether it would be more than aero friction, but it would be
> > significant.
> >
> > Also see my other post about wider tires and operating
> temperatures...wider
> > is not necessarily better.
> >
> > Neal
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: scirocco-l-admin@scirocco.org
> > > [mailto:scirocco-l-admin@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Randy B
> > > Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 12:53 AM
> > > To: Larry; Shawn C Meze
> > > Cc: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> > > Subject: Re: wider is better
> > >
> > >
> > > Larry,
> > > Friction in corners is good to a point (how much is too
> > > much?), friction
> > > going straight will slow you down.....no?
> > > Unless you have a full front spoiler (preventing air from
> > > hitting the front
> > > tires) you will have aerodynamic drag right?
> > > Oh, wait....I think I answered my own question....with a
> > > front spoiler you
> > > are simply transfering the aerodynamic drag from the tires to the
> > > spoiler....hmmm.....
> > > If all this is so negligible that it is not worth fretting
> > > over I would be
> > > happy to go wider :)
> > >
> > > "Put any tire you want on it and DRIVE the thing!  :)"
> > >
> > > Very good advice!! :^D
> > >
> > > Randy
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > At 05:48 PM 02/03/2002 -0800, Larry wrote:
> > > >Randy-
> > > >   As Shawn said, wider is better.   A wider tire will not
> > > cost you time
> > > >because of higher weight, drag (certainly not
> aerodynamic drag), or
> > > >"friction" (hell, you WANT friction!!!!!!!!) at least not
> > > that you can
> > > >quantify.  Put any tire you want on it and DRIVE the thing!  :)
> > > >
> > > >Larry  sandiego16V
> > > >Wider is better if you have the HP to overcome the added
> > > weight/aerodynamic
> > > >drag/frictional drag...Mkay?
> > > >My question was whether or not I would "lose"
> > > performance/speed/cornering
> > > >due to the above factors with my relatively "low" HP car.
> > > >
> > > >
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