Just was thinking this while my car was getting serviced.. Why do regular vehicles have tread which gets less responsive as it loses it’s tread, while race cars use slick tires for maximum grip? Wouldn’t physics say more tire on road = more surface to grip? If so, why do our cars even have tread? Is it simply to save on MPG? If so, are tires with worn thread less responsive?
In: 3
The tires on the average consumer vehicle are designed to last between 30-50k miles, race tires are designed to last maybe one or two thousand miles. The tread on normal tires is meant to deal with a wide variety of conditions, whereas racing slicks are changed out for wet tires with tread in the case of rain.
Over time the rubber used in normal tires has been exposed to hundred or thousands of heating and cooling cycles, degrading the material. The weakened material, while providing a greater surface area as the tread wears down, provides less friction than fresh rubber.
Latest Answers