My question has no particular relevance to my work on the steering system, I merely mentioned it as it was from my research relating to my dissertation that I began thinking about the mechanisms of heat generation in tyres.
The majority of my research has been conducted around race tyres in general so I dont believe I am getting confused with road tyres. All the literature that I can recall looking at has mentioned lowering tyre pressures to increase tyre temperatures. The reason these sources have given is that it lowers the cornering stiffness of the tyre allowing the tyre to deform and flex more and generate heat in the process. I have read through plenty of journals and one example I have sitting in front of me is the bible itself - Race Car Vehicle Dynamics by Milliken and Milliken - quoting from this:
'Tyre pressure and temperature are interrelated - lower initial pressure results in more rubber distortion and higher temperature'
We also did some testing with last year's car and messed about with tyre pressures whilst recording tyre temperatures and found that the above statement was correct.
Now perhaps I didn't quite explain my confusion clearly enough originally... I am relatively happy with my understanding of race car tyres and the parameters that affect/are affected by them. I have dealt with that in depth for my dissertation. What I am now trying to understand, purely for my own interest, is why a kart tyre does not follow the same principle of a lower pressure allowing it to distort more thus generating more heat??
I may well try posting on the other forum, but since I was after an answer relating to kart tyres I figured here might be the best placed to try first.
Thanks, in advance to anyone who answers and apologies for waffling so much! Im sure I probably could have asked the same question in about five words!
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