At a wet Mid Ohio PCA Driver's Ed event a couple of years ago, E. Paul
Dickinson suggested that I raise the pressure about 5 pounds higher than
normal. I believe his reasoning had to do with spreading the tread out so
that the water evacuates better. I guess that sounds like a good reason if
you have tread on your tires. Anyhow, I did, and I didn't spin and I was
thankful for that.
Andy Helgeson
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-autox@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-autox@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of sam strano
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 4:26 PM
To: Karen Rafferty; autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: tire pressures in the wet
At 08:15 PM 1/10/01 -0500, Karen Rafferty wrote:
>I pulled the following from Kumho's web site:
>
> "Most cars should begin by using cold inflation
> pressures for wet track conditions that are 5 to 8
> psi below the cold inflation pressures they use in
> their tires for a dry track."
>
>I always thought the opposite was true - that you
>*raised* pressures by 5 or so psi for wet conditions.
>Which is correct?
I've always dropped mine if it's really wet. I never saw the reasoning
behind adding air, and thereby adding spring rate to the tire in slicker
condidtions....... You don't have the grip, and won't be deforming the
tire as in the dry...........
I also know one reason given was so the tread "v"-ed out and supposedly cut
through the water better. I don't buy that either. That is a minute
amount, and I think would be more than lost by the stiffer sidewall.
JMHO though. :-) And you know me, I have plenty of those.
Sam
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