if you spend the time to crunch the numbers, a couple of pounds of tire weight has the effective loss of about 15hp. rotating mass at the outside has the largest effect on acceleration and braking. the worst possible thing you can do is to add weight there. that is why a car on 17s will be quicker around the track than one on 18s, all other things being equal.
were i to set up a DE car today, i would run a 17x9 all around, with a 245/35 on it. it is lighter, smaller in diameter, giving a large advantage in final gearing, and all without giving up any width. i would also have the ability to rotate tires.
it's really simple math. but nobody out there today is doing the math. they see somebody do something, and think it's right, just because they did well. in reality it had little or nothing to do with the component or setup. nobody wants to think outside the box, or actually consider the physics involved.
re: data - and back on topic - i'm not saying that data isn't useful. i'm saying that there are very few drivers who can actually benefit from it. they just don't have the skills or understanding of what's going on to apply the data. ok - you're going faster or slower through a section. but why? and what do you do about it?
if you wait until you are smooth, before filling your head with all that gobbledegook, you'll then have enough of an understanding of what does what to be able to apply that data.
in summary, i think dubai hit the nail on the head.
94 Midnight Metallic Blue Cab Porsche 968 w/deviating cashmere/black interior and WAY too many mods to list - thanks to eric for creating
www.968forums.com
"It isn't nearly as expensive to do it right as it is to do it wrong."
