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Big wheels vs. Small wheel [was: GRM Tire Test]

To: Scott Johnson <sjohnson@kcnet.com>
Subject: Big wheels vs. Small wheel [was: GRM Tire Test]
From: Joshua Hadler <jhadler@rmi.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 11:41:57 -0700
Scott Johnson wrote:
> 

[ regarding Guy's wide body miata ]

> > You may know more than me from talking to him, but it just rest assured at
> > least in my mind that he was not hindering himself compared to the 13s, 14s
> > or 15s.
> 
> I haven't talked to him, I just remember trying to figure out why he went
> with that size.

I've been looking into the same thing, debating between 245/50-15 and
245/45-16, and have decided to go with the 16 route in the long run.
There were a couple of factors, and perhaps these were the same
considerations that Guy was looking at, I don't know. 

Roughly the same rolling diameter, so that comes out in the wash.

The 16 combo actually affords a weight savings. Not so much in the
overall wheel/tire package, as those weights are roughly equal, but the
moment of inertia is lower with the 16s. There is comparatively less
tire mass on the outer edge on the wheel with the 16s and comparatively
more nearer the center. When looking at racing wheels and tires, the
tires account for greater than 50% of the rotating mass of the package,
so any effort made to move that mass closer to the inside of the circle,
can have a beneficial result.

The 245/45-16 is a very common tire size for race tires, while the
245/50-15 is not very common. It made sense for me to think of more of
the long term picture. What if Hoosier drops the 245/50-15? Or BFG? Or
Both? That leaves me with either or The hoosier bias plys. I haven't
decided to look at the bias ply tires though, so that hasn't entered the
equation yet.

-Josh2

-- 
Joshua Hadler    '74 914 2.0 CSP/Bi - Hooligan Racing #29 - CONIVOR
                 '87 Quantum Syncro - aka stealth quattro

jhadler@rmi.net
http://rainbow.rmi.net/~jhadler/

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