Do wider tires help?

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Mar 2, 2006 | 05:25 PM

#11

duffer26

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Posts like a Camaro

Joined: Jan 2004

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From: Colorado Springs C.O.

you also have to consider ground pressure through the contact patch say yo have a 10" wide contact patch now and you go to a 15 " contact patch you are basically putting about 1/3 less pressure to the ground per square inch so it can work both ways snow wet it will be a disadvantage dry it can be a advantage

Mar 2, 2006 | 06:20 PM

#12

Logan

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Certified GM nut

Joined: Feb 2004

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From: MI

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Wikoff

Alright:

Friction (what makes the car move) = mu (coefficient of friction) * mass * acceleration due to gravity
or
f = mu * m * g

So size of contact patch does not change mass or gravity. Is mu dependent on contact patch size?

Hypothetically that may be true...but I'm guessing drag cars put 18 inch wide tires just because they have a few extra thousand dollars they dont know what to do with.