RE: Gross Misalignment? I think not!

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.kettering.edu>]

On Tue, 2 Feb 1999, Dan Sinclair wrote:

> >But lower profile tires will not make the steering vague.   They'll make
> >the car follow ruts more accurately, but not vaguely.
> 
> It's not the profile, it's the width of the contact patch.  The tire width
> may not make the steering feel vague directly - but indirectly, wide tires
> WILL amplify any slack in the rack, and will often result in said wander.

That is true, but I still stand my statement that a lower profile 
tire/wider tire (whatever, a higher performance tire) will follow the 
ruts more accurately, but not more vaguely.  There's nothing vague about 
it when the car darts out of a rut into oncoming traffic because it has 
wide, low profile tires.  The effect can be exascerbated by toe-out which 
is common among racers, because it makes the car _very_ eager to turn at 
the slightest whim.  Some race cars are actually quite difficult to drive 
in a straight line.  Anyway, back to Vague...

"Vague" is where the steering movement does not correspond to the wheels' 
movements, and there are no apparent disconnects between the steering 
wheel and the two wheels/tires.  A perfect example would be if there was 
a big, soft rubber bushing in the steering column that allowed the steering 
wheel to turn a little before the tires started to turn.  A sloppy 
steering box, or worn ball joint will be immediately obvious by the click 
that is felt in the steering wheel, or the sudden change of attitude of 
the car during manouvers.

Later,
Graydon D. Stuckey
who was virtually offered a job as a suspension engineer today...
I need a break from NVH :-)