Date:         Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:43:54 -0600
Reply-To:     Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Why go to big tires?
Comments: To: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <r2l9f4608e91004191226gd14dea97r26035050fabaccaa@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

On Apr 19, 2010, at 1:26 PM, Al Knoll wrote:

> As Evan mentions below, the change in effective wheel/tire diameter
> gives
> less 'thrust' at the road surface since the torque is acting over a
> greater
> moment arm (distance from the center of the wheel to the ground).
> There is
> also the inverse problem, the braking force/torque is also reduced
> by the
> same amount, so your braking, already a bit iffy sometimes gets worse.
> Pensionerd. (Al Knol)

& in snow/ice/rain, you actually have worse traction than a skinny
tire?  Now if you are driving in mud or dirt & don't need to stop or
worry about your axles/tranny breaking, etc. then they look ohhh so
kool?

YMMV,

Mr. BZ-big feet= big ?, big tires = bigger?
>
>>
>> There are downsides, also, that need to be watched out for.
>> Increasing tire
>> diameter lowers your effective torque at the road surface. Since we
>> are SO
>> torque limited to begin with, you may not want to go to the biggest
>> tires
>> you can fit in the wheel wells. There are wheel bearing life
>> issues, not to
>> mention speedometer accuracy problems.
>>
>> Ask careful questions, decide on your trade-offs, and make your
>> change. Any
>> increase will help. And even if you keep the same effective rolling
>> diameter, but on 15" or even 16" wheels, it will be noticable.
>>
>> Evan Mac Donald
>>