Can contact patch width decrease with increasing wheel width?

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Jul 25, 2002 | 09:42 AM

Sideways

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Joined: Oct 2000

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From: South of the pier, Huntington Beach, CA

Can contact patch width decrease with increasing wheel width?

I mounted my factory SO2s on 1/2 inch wider wheels and the contact patch appears to have narrowed noticeably. Am I hallucinating?? Pressures all 35. I didn't think these circumstances would cause this change.

Jul 25, 2002 | 10:26 AM

PLYRS 3

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Joined: Jul 2001

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From: Erock's my boat!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sideways
[B]I mounted my factory SO2s on 1/2 inch wider wheels and the contact patch appears to have narrowed noticeably.

Jul 25, 2002 | 01:21 PM

Jim@tirerack

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Joined: Jul 2001

Posts: 7,319

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From: South Bend

The extra width of the wheel will not make the contact patch narrower. In fact it will square the shoulder more and make the tire lay flatter on the ground. Like TKG 26 mentions, it is probably just the illusion because of the wider section width on the wider wheels.

Jim