If some people find a competetive advantage by "hoarding" tires, more power
to
them. I can barely afford used tires, let alone new ones, so should there
be a rule that says everyone should have to run on a "spec-used" tire?! Get
real!
One of the rationales for this whole thing is that Cants may go away. The
fact
that Hoosier just completely redesigned their cantilevers should tell you
something about that argument. No-one has presented any concrete evidence
that these tires are going away any time soon. I doubt Hoosier would have
re-tooled for a tire that they planned to stop making. Present day
cantilevers,
either Goodyear or Hoosier, come in at least 2 sizes in 13" dia. and
something
like 7 or 8 different compounds per size between the two brands. That's a
problem??
As far as Pats tread measurement idea, i still say its better and easier to
measure wheels than tread width. It only takes a tape measure and about 30
seconds.
I'm still waiting to see some proof that there is a problem...
*************************************************************
Just to throw a little more (mis)information in the pile here..
Some good friends of mine run a very competitive DP car, and if I understand
correctly, the problem is that there was a switch in the construction
material used to make the cantilever. The old material is no longer
available, and the new one isn't nearly as stiff as before. Therefore,
there are people who horde" tires and only use them at Nationals. Even the
effects of age do not overcome the difference in the tires.
All second hand info, not a tire expert, YMMV, etc... ..
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Haden" <Bhaden@ucsd.edu>
To: "Paul Foster" <pfoster@tampabay.rr.com>; "Dick Rasmussen"
<rasmussend@mindspring.com>
Cc: <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 10:41 AM
Subject: RE: Prepared Cantillever Tire Rule Vent
> Last I heard, the tire companies had actually said they had NO PLANS
> to stop making cantilevers. Anyone have RELIABLE info to the contrary?
> With all the road racing and autocross people out there using them,
> I don't see why they would be any less profitable to make and sell than
> any other tire. After all, NONE of the tires we use are exactly high
> volume products. As to the proposal itself, I think it's lunacy to try
> to measure tire tread width. Whos gauge do you use? Where do you measure
> from on the side wall? (after a hard run in my 2100lb Pinto the "edge"
> of the tread is about an inch wide on each side of the tire and rolls up
> the sidewall). Much easier to measure a metal wheel. We've all done it.
> Keep the present wheel widths for cantilever tires and have a weight/width
> formula for the rest. For example, using straight wall NON-DOT tires
> as follows;
> car weight wheel width
> 1600lbs or less 7"
> 1601-1850 8"
> 1851 and up 10"
>
> The whole proposal, to me, seems to be a very covoluted answer to a
problem
> that isn't there. My .02...
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-autox@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-autox@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of Paul Foster
> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 7:09 AM
> To: Dick Rasmussen
> Cc: autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Prepared Cantillever Tire Rule Vent
>
>
> Dick Rasmussen writes:
>
> > Paul,
> >
> > FYI,
> >
> > I think you still missed the point. I think the DOT reference is for
info
> > only. The proposal is not suggesting that DOT tires replace slicks for
> > Prepared. My understanding is that the current cantilever slicks which
> work
> > on SCCA mandated narrow rims (in many Prepared and Production classes)
are
> > likely to be phased out of production. This means that slicks which have
> > similar width but need wider tires will be the only comparable tires
> > available.
> >
> > Therefore, if I read it correctly, the proposal was generated to get
> people
> > thinking about the transition from cantilever slicks on narrow rims to
> > similar width non cantilever slicks on the wider rims needed to support
> the
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