Quote:
Originally Posted by mrg666
Physics is physics who ever the source is. And I don't see any problem with physics teachers. You just can't have any conflict with physics and be correct at the same time. I am done here.
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With physics, as with math, you can be precisely wrong. The physics teachers utilized a limited number of variables to come to their conclusions. They did not take into account dynamic events like tire temps, wheel weight, drag coefficients, downforce stats, how low the car is and handling characteristics during cornering. There are so many variables, that the only way to come to a real world conclusion is with real world experience, which these guys did not have. I'm sure if I actually got these guys out on a track, they would be convinced their analysis was flawed.
There are some situations where wide wheels make sense. For example, at high speeds you could have greater downforce which would affect the contact pressure. If you have more hp on a dry pavement, wider wheels "might" help to prevent wheel spin. But on a track with long straightaways, very wide wheels will kill you both with weight and resistance.
All of that said, most of us don't race our cars at high speeds. Because of that, it is much harder to argue for lower profile, wider wheels because they reduce comfort and don't fare as well on roads that are not extremely flat. Again, tire selection makes a huge difference for most of us who don't race our cars.
The reason many BRZ's are pictured with large, wide wheels is because that just looks sexy. A few years ago, one of my neighbors had a slammed Miata with 19" wheels. It looked sexy, but he had to replace his front bumper at least twice a year, could not ride on bad roads, and had to sit on a pillow because his butt hurt so much on rides longer than 15 minutes.
And you are right, my problem is not with physics, but with the analysis and variables thereto....