Albertt

Look closely at the width of the tires...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Common sense really. But it's funny to see those skinny tires. I think they are studded to hell also. Ever see Ralley when they do at it on the dry pavement? Fat as hell wheels are tires. Makes the awd cars look much better.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

That's right!!! They dig in to get the good stuff.

Frezny

traction is just a matter of putting as much tire onto the most stable surface. Thinner tires "cut" through water and snow to give better inclement weather traction. Now, when you have dry weather, the wider the tire, the better.

Weasel

iTrader: (2)

I remember watching that rally, the tires are so heavily studded that when they hit pavement they make little rooster tails of sparks! Cool as hell to watch. Using skinny tires just makes sense from a pressure standpoint.

Albertt

I find that a picture (especially here on this forum) is worth 1.2 million words. I can spew technical info all day and still NOT get my point across. One pic, and I can figuratively hear the "Oh's" and the "Aha's" from the reply posts.

Nine7Max

Forget putting my stock rims back on this winter.. bring on the donuts!

emax02

iTrader: (1)

So you mean that's why my 245's sucked in the snow the other day

Albertt

It snowed here in CT on the 20th...the first day of Spring my ****.

emax02

iTrader: (1)

Yep we got the same mess here in R.I. It was really hard keeping my car on the road that day

Badaxxima

What if they're bald? If you're moving, sure they act like rudders on a boat or airplane, but forward or reverse acceleration (braking) you're SOL. Just a thought I've been chewing on lately.

Frezny

I'm sure there is some formula somewhere that will actually calculate this for you, but it's a matter of weight, or "pressure" that the car puts onto the surface. Although it's a different application, that's why ice skates work. A large amount of weight, focussed on a tiny surface area creates heat, heat causes the ice to melt, and the skate glides on a thin layer of water over the ice.

For a winter tire, you try to focus as much weight on as many small points (tire treads) so that they will cut through the snow (or even water in other applications) to get down to the true surface. If the tire were "bald" yet thin enough, you could get some good results, but you may compromise in a different area.