do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

[rbh]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Tire compound and tread pattern/siping etc........ I have 2 sets of tires for my truck, identical size/load range/plys. One set is only used for plowing(can be used year round) and work great, the other set(original) I only use in summer. Not as good for plowing....

+1
Tire compounds and grips for traction make a huge difference when in an area where you need to cut into the ice, snow, mud, dirt, and wet road conditions.

Traction VS grip, as you can see by the pictures of the indy car and the dragsters tires they have alot of traction on "dry/clean surfaces" due to the huge contact point, add water, where is it going to go under the preasure of the vehicle?
It will hydroplane in an instant, snow, ice, dirt would just send the car dough nutting across the track.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Another thing that gives those dragster tires traction on dry surfaces is the lack of air pressure. When you see them sitting at the line the rear tires can look crinkled. I forget what psi they run, 6- 10#? And what happens when they stomp on the go pedal? The tires get tall and skinny.......

 

[bruceb58]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

If you have the same coefficient of friction between a skinny tire and a wide tire with the same total load, the amount of static friction is exactly the same.

This was an experiment back in physics class back in college. You took a 2x4 that was 6" inches long and slowly increased a ramp until the piece slid. The angle of the ramp when the piece slid was the same if the 2x4 was on its skinny or wide side.

For tires, its the style/type of tread that matters.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

I read once in a car mag years ago this factoid about tires: Because it takes "X" amount of surface area to support "Y" amount of weight, tires of the same basic construction, air pressure, circumference and weight applied will have the same size "patch" in contact with the road regardless of their width... With narrow tires weight forces the tires to flatten down more vertically, resulting in a tall but narrow contact patch. Wide tires have enough rubber horizontally to support the weight without much vertical squish, so a wide tire's contact patch is short but wide.

So, it all depends on what you're doing when it comes to the optimal tire width.

That all said, on a launch ramp, you're moving in a straight line forward, and therefore IMO a narrower tire with a tall contact patch should result in more "useable" traction...

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Chevy S 10 --One wheel drive wonder in the non FWD version. Don't know about its replacement--the Colorado.

But hey, I'm satisfied with my open differential, rear wheel drive S10. While it does get stuck in the mud of my sloping bacyard, I have never been stuck to the point of needing a tow on the ramps. Yeah, I did need a couple of people to jump into the bed a time or two but that's no big bother.

And I use the 205-75-15 tires the truck was originally equipped with from the factory.

 

[littlerayray]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

i would look at tread patterns then something that will force the sloppy slime away from the tire as you move these types of tires have a rotation arrow to show which way to put them on

 

[lexer440]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Bigger tires, just spin enough to heat them up so they stick to the ramp.

(if that does'nt work hook it up to dodge ram 4x4 and put the diff locks on!)

 

[wpg manitoba]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Personally I live in winterpeg Mb and have never even got stuck with my 2wd rangers in the winter. as long as there is some weight in the back they work fine. Only my last ranger sport I got winter tires because I had M+S tires on them and I could barely clear an icy intersection with those tires.
It was embarrasing to have a 4by4 looking Ranger that could barely move on ice. Winter tires and 200lbs in the back made a huge improvement. I actually stalled it when I first tried it with the winter tires because they grabbed so much better.
I haven't really ever had problems on the ramps either, but I stay away from the crappy ones.
If I had the money I agree 4 by 4 would be nice. But on my budget I am happy to know my truck was cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and slightly cheaper to fill up.

 

[littlerayray]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

i agree with wpg manitoba weight in the box helps a whole lot if your worried go get a some bags of kitty litter and throw it in the back

 

[bigdee]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

Chevy S 10 --One wheel drive wonder in the non FWD version. Don't know about its replacement--the Colorado.

But hey, I'm satisfied with my open differential, rear wheel drive S10. While it does get stuck in the mud of my sloping bacyard, I have never been stuck to the point of needing a tow on the ramps. Yeah, I did need a couple of people to jump into the bed a time or two but that's no big bother.

And I use the 205-75-15 tires the truck was originally equipped with from the factory.

Glad to hear someone else is using an S-10. I have used mine for 5 years,towing about every weekend in summer. Never had an issue except one time when trailer tire tire fell off ramp. I had same tires as you (lasted 80k) shortbed with 4banger and 5speed. I have since retired the S-10 from towing in favor of a Blazer and Cherokee. That S10 is still going after all its abuse.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

I ran the S 10`s for over 20 years and towed more things than you can imagion all of them had over 250 k when traded The last one I just retired had 270 k. I decided to go to a silverado I dont need a daily driver any more and the LTZ package is nice.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

I did a poor job of making my point before... I made an assumption that I didn't clearly state... If you are on clean pavement then no skinny tires are not likely to have a big advantage but the only times I have ever had traction problems on a boat ramp (hence y assumption) are due to mud or algae on the ramp and in those cases a skinny tire (all else being equal) WILL be more likely to cut through the muck and find the pavement or gravel below....

If it's a rear wheel drive and you can't pull out on a clean paved ramp then you should consider adjusting the trailer for more tongue weight.

 

[bigdee]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

I did a poor job of making my point before... I made an assumption that I didn't clearly state... If you are on clean pavement then no skinny tires are not likely to have a big advantage but the only times I have ever had traction problems on a boat ramp (hence y assumption) are due to mud or algae on the ramp and in those cases a skinny tire (all else being equal) WILL be more likely to cut through the muck and find the pavement or gravel below....

If it's a rear wheel drive and you can't pull out on a clean paved ramp then you should consider adjusting the trailer for more tongue weight.

Yeah, there are too many variables to make a blanket statement but your theory is correct. There is no width that is ideal for all surfaces or terrain. Using race cars and dragsters to make this point is useless. The best examples would be what we experience on the boat ramp.

 

[Outsider]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

They were really tall and skinny.

They were tall for ground clearance, they were skinny because rubber was in short supply and expendable on the battlefield, and most were also knobby and directional ...

 

[Part-time]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

I guess not to many on here are familiar with rock climbers...
Big, wide, 2 to 3 psi of air in the tires, also like atv's.
The more rubber on the ground, the more traction you get.
High psi = very little contact patch but improves fuel milage because of lower rolling resistance (lower resistance = less traction)
The reason old cars and old army jeeps had skiny tires is because their whoping 50hp engins could not turn more.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: do bigger tires have more traction on a boat ramp?

A 2 wheel drive pick up? Didn't know they still made them. No reason for them to even exist IMHO.

Yep my 1971 3/4 T Ford Camper Special with split rims could pull anything down road but pull into yard Game On .

 

[doyall]

Pirelli's take on skinny tires

Pirelli's take on skinny tires

" ....

Pirelli is predicting a move toward tall, skinny automobile wheel and tire combinations in the coming years, particularly for smaller cars, that look like a modern take on those used at the dawn of motoring.

The Italian tire company tells GoAuto that upcoming fuel economy, noise and wet weather traction requirements, driven by the European Union, are behind the development.

.... "

Tall and skinny tires the next big thing? | Fox News