Sidewall height: effect on handling?

[MaineShark]

Obviously, there is a subjective improvement in handling, with larger wheels (ie, lower-profile tires).

But the ricers are forever ragging on the skidpad numbers their cars have, compared to ours. So, has anyone actually measured their skidpad numbers, after installing lower-profile tires? I'm kind of curious how much of the handling difference is simply a result of tire profile, not suspension differences.

Joe

 

[Scott81]

Hi Joe- Well next time the ricers start bragging about their skid pad numbers just ask them when the last time they actually drove on a skid pad was.

I'm no expert but I would imagine that lower profile tires are a big plus over the stock type tires that came on our cars. One driving course that I went to showed us the effects of different tires, just a familiarization really. The car that I was assigned to needed new tires and brakes after 5 days. We had abused the cars so bad that the tires had been scrubbed completely bald almost up to the rims (you would never be able to know what kind of tire it was) and had a couple really flat spots in each tire. The higher the sidewall the more flex, going to a smaller sidewall would help and I would imagine a wider tire would be better as well. Like I said I'm no expert, or even very knowledgable but having been to a driving course or two...

 

[1979toy]

I just went from 15 inch tires to 17 inch on my '79. There is a BIG differance in the responce to steering inputs. Both tires are the same tread width but the 17's do feel like they are giving me faster cornering speeds.
They also ride MUCH rougher than the 15 inch wheels due to the lower sidewall height.
The G-Tech will measure cornering G's in addition to straight line stuff so someone could use that to determine for sure about a change.