Tommy Cookers wrote:olefud wrote:The wrinkle wall tires also provide an effectively smaller OD off the line with the tire OD growing with RPM and accompanying centrifugal force -a rudimentary CV transmission.
there has been a view that the tyre circumference is the same whatever the shape of the tyre (eg whether inflated or flat) ?
ie the revs/mile (hence 'gearing') is the same whatever the shape of the tyre
unloaded maybe, but tyres don't stay round when vertical load is applied. the tread in contact with the ground flattens out and so the effective radius is reduced. The difference between the unloaded radius and the effective radius (which isn't the same as the loaded radius you can measure statically) is dependent on the tyre construction.
the tyre tread speed changes as it goes from the fastest at the top of the tyre (approx unloaded radius) to the slowest approx middle of contact patch. so actually neither top not bottom of the tyre is traveling at the same speed as the centre of the axle.
drag racing tyres on top fuel/doorslammer cars have hugely different effective radii from static to initial "hit" of the tyre to spinning at full speed.