tire width vs under/oversteer - Lateral-g Forums

Majik16106 · #1 09-23-2005, 10:16 PM

posted this on another forum, but all in all you guys seem to know a ton more about this stuff so read on and give your thoughts?

it was always my understanding that the wider the front tires were, the more understeer the car would see, widening the front and rear tires would make the car more stable at speed but it would be a lot harder to get to turn, but another member of this forum told me i was wrong? if i am.. can someone explain to me how a car with reasonable suspension settings, and lets use supra fitments, so 245/40/17 front and 285/45/17 rear tires on 17x8 and 17x10 wheels is more likely to understeer than the same car with 285/45/17 upfront and on the back.

chicane · #2 09-23-2005, 10:54 PM

It depends on scrub radius and accerman.....

chicane · #3 09-23-2005, 10:55 PM

It depends on scrub radius and accerman.....

Fatties on the front of a first gen f-body do wonders to reduce understeer.

sinned · #4 09-23-2005, 11:37 PM

Everything is a system, bigger tires do not nesessarily cause under or oversteer. In fact, adding tire can help to stabalize a chassis that is otherwise not handling as desired. Throwing some 315's on the front of a stock 30+ musclecar is going to cause as many issues as the 7X14 bias plys.

In closing, tires do not make the suspension but are commonly the weakest link when redesigning/upgrading.