In a message dated 10/8/02 11:08:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
drmayf@teknett.com writes:
<< The inner diameter of a tire is fixed: it has a lot of steel
cord in this area. When that tire is mounted on a wheel the bead fits in a
certain place on that wheel. If the wheel is narrow, then the tire side wall
actually has to wrap around the wheel more because the inner bead is fixed.
So yo actually get more contact with the tire in a narrow wheel, not less. >>
This might be so, but then you are also pre-loading the sidewall in a way
maybe not intended by the manufacturer. Also if you ask too much of the
inner bead, even though it is steel, it will break. I've had this happen to
the tires on my Tiger. In my case though I belive it was faulty installation.
Rob Kempinski
Melbourne FL
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