Quote:
Originally Posted by dtla1
So usage on an F1 car indicates the ideal choice? What will you say in a few years when they switch the f1 cars to 18" wheels with slimmer profile tires?
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Then I'll be f****
No, what I'm saying is that the tyre wall is doing a well calculated part of the total suspension. The automotive designers take the tyre into account when calculating spring rates and dampers. And the tyre wall is actually better at absorbing small bumps in the road surface than the rest of the suspension because the unsprung mass (a small fraction of the tyre's surface and wall) is so much smaller than the spring and dampers that have to cope with the wheel, the hub, the brakes and some 50% of the suspension parts and drive shaft.
And if you reduce the possible absorption capacity of the tyre with 30-40% by increasing rim diameter that will of course have a negative effect.
There will normally be better directional stability and/or agility with reduced tyre profile, but only to the point where the tyre is still in contact with the surface. And with the state of most roads, we need all the suspension we can get...