Notices
S197 Handling Section For everything suspension related, inlcuding brakes, tires, and wheels.

Do lower profile tires reduce traction?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-15-2013, 05:00 PM
  #1  
Andy13186
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
Andy13186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Default Do lower profile tires reduce traction?

I have 19x9 wheels on the front, 20x10.5 on the back with pilot supersports in 255/40/19 and 295/30/20

I seem to have less straight line traction from the rear than i expected (atleast under power)... i wonder if having more sidewall would somehow increase traction?
Andy13186 is offline  
Old 03-15-2013, 05:41 PM
  #2  
2009 Eleanor
2nd Gear Member
 
2009 Eleanor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 246
Default

Originally Posted by Andy13186
I have 19x9 wheels on the front, 20x10.5 on the back with pilot supersports in 255/40/19 and 295/30/20

I seem to have less straight line traction from the rear than i expected (atleast under power)... i wonder if having more sidewall would somehow increase traction?
I went from 295/30 to 295/40 and traction increased significantly. But I also had to swap the front to 255/40r20 because the size difference looked funny.
2009 Eleanor is offline  
Old 03-15-2013, 06:28 PM
  #3  
mayo
4th Gear Member
 
mayo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WV
Posts: 1,364
Default

Sure does...more sidewall allows the tire to flex under torque.
More flex=more grip...ever seen a serious drag racer with low profile tires?
mayo is offline  
Old 03-15-2013, 07:38 PM
  #4  
Andy13186
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
Andy13186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Default

Originally Posted by mayo
Sure does...more sidewall allows the tire to flex under torque.
More flex=more grip...ever seen a serious drag racer with low profile tires?
makes sense i guess


how about for handling then. Do you think the flex in sidewall is bad for turns making lower profile tires beneficial for that?
Andy13186 is offline  
Old 03-15-2013, 08:10 PM
  #5  
CMcNam
3rd Gear Member
 
CMcNam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 874
Default

There's a lot to it that is way beyond my scope of understanding, but the only $.02 I have is that I see a lot of people running around on big rims, claiming their low profile tires increase handling, without even thinking about the fact that their big, heavy *** rims are negating any handling/acceleration benefits low profile tires might have. Pretty sure there's a happy medium in there.
CMcNam is offline  
Old 03-15-2013, 08:32 PM
  #6  
Andy13186
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
Andy13186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Default

Originally Posted by CMcNam
There's a lot to it that is way beyond my scope of understanding, but the only $.02 I have is that I see a lot of people running around on big rims, claiming their low profile tires increase handling, without even thinking about the fact that their big, heavy *** rims are negating any handling/acceleration benefits low profile tires might have. Pretty sure there's a happy medium in there.
I would agree that they would be worse if i had some huge heavy chrome rims, but i have forgestar f14's which are pretty light especially for their width. also the lower profile tires weigh less than thicker sidewalled tires.

For my next rear tires im considering either 315/30/20 toyo r888s which do have a thicker sidewall than my current 295's since sidewall is a percentage of the width in tire sizes...

OR 285/35/20 toyo r888's

I wonder which would be better overall for performance. Wheel size is 20x10.5

Last edited by Andy13186; 03-15-2013 at 08:39 PM.
Andy13186 is offline  
Old 03-16-2013, 12:06 PM
  #7  
157dB
Cut & Paste Expert
 
157dB's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 13,322
Default

Crinkle Wall, non DOT approved tires, yes.
Modern Radials designed for the road, not so much.
Not much sidewall flex difference in DOT approved Radials
between a 60 series and a 35 series to see or feel.

Last edited by 157dB; 03-16-2013 at 12:08 PM.
157dB is offline  
Old 03-16-2013, 02:42 PM
  #8  
Andy13186
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
Andy13186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Default

Originally Posted by 2009 Eleanor
I went from 295/30 to 295/40 and traction increased significantly. But I also had to swap the front to 255/40r20 because the size difference looked funny.
did you change tire brands or were they the same exact tire but a different size?
Andy13186 is offline  
Old 03-16-2013, 09:41 PM
  #9  
snake40
 
snake40's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 18
Default

Originally Posted by Andy13186
I have 19x9 wheels on the front, 20x10.5 on the back with pilot supersports in 255/40/19 and 295/30/20

I seem to have less straight line traction from the rear than i expected (atleast under power)... i wonder if having more sidewall would somehow increase traction?
How noisy are the Super Sports? How do they handle?
I have Goodyear F1supercar G2. They are noisy.
snake40 is offline  
Old 03-16-2013, 10:21 PM
  #10  
Andy13186
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
Andy13186's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Default

Originally Posted by snake40
How noisy are the Super Sports? How do they handle?
I have Goodyear F1supercar G2. They are noisy.
They dont seem noisy at all to me, and in turns they seem really good - predictable and controllable with a good amount of grip.. i dont think ive ever understeered even with the staggered setup. Also they appear to have a good long tread life at the expense of some traction, especially in weather below 70*. They dont leave marks when you spin them.. Im going with stickier rears when i get new tires, toyo r888s i believe.

Last edited by Andy13186; 03-16-2013 at 10:26 PM.
Andy13186 is offline  


Quick Reply: Do lower profile tires reduce traction?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:08 PM.