land-speed
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Tires

To: "gary baker" <lsr350@hotmail.com>, "rgribble"
Subject: Re: Tires
From: "DrMayf" <drmayf@teknett.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 09:16:54 -0800
Danger, Opinions follow...use at ur pwn risk....YMMV
Tire rolling resistance is caused by many things. However, what little
research I have done indicates that the primary cause of rolling resistance
is the tire itself. It develops a rolling wave as it meets the road which
causes a huge amount of sidewall and tread flex. The faster you go, the
farther the wave extends around the tire. Both increased tire pressure and
high rotational speed (centrifugal force) helps to reduce the flex. To give
you a good example of rolling resistance, go out to your can, bike, truck
and let the air out of all the tires on the ground...now push the car, bike,
truck by hand. This is the extreme of rolling resistance and it really
demonstrates rolling resistance. Vertical load on the tire defines the patch
where the tire meets the road, higher pressure offsets this some.
Coefficient of friction is a traction limiter, not rolling resistance. IMHO
;^}

mayf, the red necked ignorant desert rat in Pahrump where it is cold and
windy today)

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>