Quote:
Originally Posted by Maynard
No, you are mixing up width and size. SIZE (area in square inches) of contact patches is always the same for a given weight and air pressure. Shape differs, based on width of the tire. The air pressure is what holds the car up - basic math. For example, a 3000# car on tires at 30psi will have a contact area of 100 in2, or 25 in2 per wheel (100 in2 at 30 pounds per). That can be 4 patches 10" wide and 2.5" long, or 5" wide and 5"long. Camber won't change this, it just shifts it to the outside edge, more shape-changing (in drags, this makes the tire function like it is much narrower, so camber isn't usually good for dragsters; on track it means the tire is squared up when leaning into a turn, so very good).
All of that is only a small piece of drag launches - there is all kinds of fancy physics around the way the wrinkling tire sidewall stores and then releases energy, along with leverage and altered diameter (and all the weight-transfer factors). Not sure how much of this applies to a road tire like an MPSS, but it is what drag radials are designed for. If you want to drop times, I'd consider some dedicated wheels/tires for sure.
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I see what you’re talking about, the mathematical weight distribution of the car based on the tire pressure. 3000lbs/30psi=100sqin/4Tires=25sqin per tire of contact patch. You are correct, I was mixing up shape and size when talking about contact patch
