Tire Size, was: RE: [ihc] Slight lift to older Travelall

["John M. Adams" <jma@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Hofstetter [mailto:hofs@domain.elided]
> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 11:25 AM
> To: jma@domain.elided; ihc@domain.elided
> Subject: RE: [ihc] Slight lift to older Travelall
>
>
> At 8:09 PM -0700 11/26/03, John M. Adams wrote:
> >John, Your help is appreciated, whether I get better help later or
> >not. But I'll just comment on the narrow tire concept. I don't have
> >as much direct experience as you. I've just heard more than one old
> >timer say that for many types of conditions, especially ice, the
> >narrow tire is best. I never really took it to heart until I heard
> >Dr. Bill Wattenberg (out in CA) explain why. He said that it was due
> >to the increased PSI in the footprint of the tire. If you have the
> >same weight sitting on a smaller space, you get more force/traction
> >exerted there. I imagine there is a point of diminishing returns in
> >the formula somewhere (I wouldn't put bicycle tires on my rig, for
> >instance), but given the choice between a 10 to 12 inch tire and an
> >8 to 9 inch, I'll take the narrower profile. Enough experienced
> >drivers have told me so, and it just makes sense to me.
> >Thanks, -John A.
>
> John,
>
> Then too, the narrow tire tends to go down and find some traction,
> whereas the wide tires tend to sit on the top and spin. True for both
> mud and snow.  The wide tires are, in my opinion, only best in sand.
>
> Having said that, one wonders why I bought BFG Mud Terrains for my
> Scout.  They looked pretty impressive until I tore off a bunch of the
> lugs rock climbing in Utah and Death Valley. Oh, the things we do in
> the name of looking good to the "guys".
>
> John
> --
> John Hofstetter
> www.goldrush.com/~hofs

Yep! That's why I bought my "Yokohama Super Diggers" back in the early 80s.
They LOOKED just right... On the other hand, those tires, after sitting for
nearly twelve years, don't have a single sidewall or tread crack. I got them
re-stemmed, and they hold air and drive just like new. Of course, I haven't
run them at freeway speed... and might never again. The older I get, the
more practical, and aware of my mortality.  -John A.
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