GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Garden/Lawn tractors grip, tire pressure and alignment

Srgnt Billko · 28-09-2007, 12:01 AM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden

"xPosTech" wrote in message
...
On 9/27/2007 9:38 AM, wrote:
After reading many posts complaining about front tires skidding rather
than turning, I found I should throw in my 2 cents.
snip
Although
there are opinions that toe-in helps steering response in turns, I
doubt it is intentional because of the cost in straight line
stability. If toe-in really helped, the technique would be used in car
racing (although they do use skewed camber and caster adjustments).

The wheel spindles geometry already takes care of turning the inside
wheel by a greater angle than the outside wheel, so each gets its own
turning radius for maximum grip. These angles are carefully calculated
based on parallel position at 0 degrees and are a function of the
track and wheelbase. Any toe-in or out throws off the two turning
circles for less optimal grip.

Toe in will tend to keep a vehicle going in a straight line, helping high
speed stability. Excessive toe in will make a vehicle (lawn tractor in
this case) hard to turn, with the front wheels trying their best to stay
centered with respect to the rear. I imagine that 0 degree toe in would
help turning at the expense of a sight tendency to wander whilst going
straight.
--
Ted

If it was critical on a lawn tractor they would have retained an adjustment
feature.